Special Colour
Vinyl
In recent years there has been an explosion of colour vinyl manufacture and with it the development of colour vinyl effects combining colours in a range of different ways. At Key Production we're taking this to another level with a whole new range of colour vinyl effects.
At Key Production we work with experts who have taken colour vinyl into a whole new realm. It's fair to say that some have reached the level of artisans who will work with you to create something truly unique.
Custom Vinyl
Looking for something unique and spectacular that will make your release jump off the shelf? Our custom vinyl is made using groundbreaking processes, the results are as visually unique as they are beautiful.
Using one of our vinyl templates, you swap out the colours to suit your project. For example, take ‘Smashed’ or ‘Orbital Radiance’ and change the colours or even ask for a test to check colours for your project.
The examples in the chart are tried and tested, however it is important to note that this is a manual process and each record will be unique.
Inception Vinyl
Got a unique design idea for vinyl pressing? This is your opportunity to make something that has never been made before. Making Inception vinyl is a fully creative, collaborative process; you provide the inspiration and ideas, we test them, using our expertise we pioneer the manufacturing process, and press them into vinyl brilliance.
Inception Phase
Present your ideas to us, the more imaginative the better! If you just want to re-create or tweak something from the existing catalogue of effects, that can be done with little or no testing. If you want to create something new and bespoke, please try to describe exactly what you would like to achieve, or better still, send us visual guides of patterns, shapes, and textures and materials to work from.
Testing Phase
Once we have established what we are working towards, testing can begin.
Manipulation of ‘puck’ composition must be tested to deliver a desired effect. One of the biggest challenges can be getting the correct colour tone, sometimes a plain colour will not work, and a marbled effect might have to be applied. Sometimes the sleeve might have to follow the colour of the record rather than the record follow the sleeve colour.
Colours can be unpredictable when mixing and testing, for example, a blue colour on a yellow colour, depending on the amount of blue, you might get a result which will come out as green on yellow, because yellow + blue = green. Sometimes you will have to live with contrast or invert the colours to make things workable, but the range of effects can be amazing. Creation of shapes within the vinyl can also be attempted, but as with colour experimentation, these too are unpredictable.
It’s important to note that all pressings will be unique but will follow the style of the approved test. This process really is for a handmade record, understanding the agreed technique used on the sample and following it as close as possible, but it is important to understand that each pressing will not be the same as the sample. There is almost no limit to the possibilities here, we can build bespoke tools to create shapes within vinyl, any texture, effect, or design will at the very least be taken into consideration, no matter how weird and wonderful, so get creative!
Testing is charged at an hourly rate, one vinyl test iteration takes approx. 2 hours, however it is important to note that the more experimental and technical the idea, the longer testing will take.
Once a test has been completed, we will send you images of the result and any feedback from the engineer. It may transpire that in testing that we establish that your original idea is not possible, in which case we will recommend another path; it is important to remain open minded, as this is a very creative process with no guaranteed outcome. We can also send you test iterations to have a look at yourself.
Tests will always be run on scrap metal work, so that we do not waste production assets in testing. It is important to consider the print design for the LP labels during testing, to ensure that the label print works well with the vinyl design aesthetic.
Costing and Lead Time
It may be possible to give an indication of unit cost and lead time during testing if a specifific direction has been chosen, however unit price and lead time estimates will not be given until testing is complete, and a fifinal design has been approved.
It is important to note that if you decide not to go ahead with the job, you will still need to pay for the work done up to this point. Print, cut and processing can all be done in the same location as the vinyl, metal work can be sent in from elsewhere for a fee.
