These stamps use sophisticated Motionprint technology to replay golfing footage recorded on a film like widescreen format then embedded within the stamp, the company says.
The stamp designer Emmet Mullins from Javelin Group in Dublin chose Outer Aspect’s Motionprint Technology for the Ryder Cup stamps because of its unique ability to capture the motion of a golfers swing in a printed image.
New Zealand-based Outer Aspect is a world leader with more than a decade’s experience in the R&D and manufacturing of this technology. It has its main security plant in New Zealand, and sales offices world wide.
“We just wanted the WOW factor appropriate for commemorating the Ryder Cup. Outer Aspect’s Motionprint Technology provided us with that,” says Mullins.
“We are delighted with the unique effect that Outer Aspect Motionprint has produced for us. The company ensured we got the most from the technology.”
The basis to Motionprint has been around for a long time with its beginnings in lenticular lenses, but until recently it was limited to simple flip cards comprising two or three images.
Now its experts have developed proprietary technology that enables the production of much finer images with movie like qualities. The more movie like qualities, the greater the detail and movement, says Mullins.
An Post’s Ryder Cup stamps are produced by taking video sourced material then running these images through a sophisticated process to give a unique high resolution widescreen effect.
First the video is converted into a series of small clips, he says. Then they are output onto especially formatted lithographic transfer plates which have been developed through extensive research and development.
Motion sequences are then coated onto the reverse side of a sheet of optical plastic lens array made with precise focused fine lenses (39 lenses per centimeter).
The final motion sequences end up encrypted. These must line up with all the optical qualities of the lens when the two are placed together through a specialized manufacturing process. This allows the images to be replayed to the viewer to give a widescreen format with cinema-like movement.
The process of coating on the reverse of the lens has unique challenges, Mullins adds.
“If there is a mis-registration of greater than 1/100 mm the effect starts to become lost. An added challenge is that the lens acts as a magnifier and magnifies any faults that the printing may have.”
A specialized coating is put on the back to make it reflective rather than a translucent image. This is followed by the application of a specialized adhesive produced especially for the philatelic market
The work is then finished by adding security features that make a bona fide stamp and die-cutting to enable the stamp to be removed from the sheetlet.
Unique security features are added during the process of manufacturing and coating of the lens. These are especially for the philatelic market.
A number of different companies participated in the project with Javelin group providing the design, SEP SPrint (Australia) Pty Ltd, Melbourne, providing the security finishing and die cutting and Outer Aspect manufacturing the wide screen Motionprint.
Outer Aspect is the only company in the world that can produce images at this level of sophistication and who have the required security auditing in place for the philatelic market, he says.
The company has a wide range of clients from corporate businesses, advertising and direct marketing agencies, architects and interior designers, retail and hospitality businesses, to museums, art galleries, science institutes, governments and its technology is used in security applications.
