Rushgrove, who took gold for business cards at the 2008 ceremony and bronze for business cards in the 2009 awards, said: “I wanted to make the industry stand up and look. When we won for the Redback business card, I said I would enter something that would make people say ‘how did you do that?'”

His foil stamped and embossed ‘Awesome Car Set’ entry was awarded Best of Show this year, but Rushgrove said competition was fierce. “There was some beautiful work there, some knockout stuff that I thought would go through.”

Rushgrove has been talking up his embellishing technique, which allows him to go as deep as 7mm. “I don’t want to stop where I am at the 7mm level. Now that I have perfected it I want to go deeper.”

Rushgrove has high hopes for new business, Melbourne-based Superior Foil. His last enterprise, Redback Finishing, went into receivership in 2008.

Kym Conis, assistant director of the Foil & Specialty Effects Association, told ProPrint: “The exquisitely embellished FX Holden and Boss 302 Mustang detail multiple passes of foil in exact registration with multi-level embossing, achieving depths not seen before in the industry. The awe-inspiring craftsmanship earned the pieces the highest praise of recognition in the FSEA’s yearly competition.

“More than the perfect example of foil stamping and embossing at its finest, the car set represents a true work of art, a collectible to be admired for years to come,” added Conis.

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