A material deposition technique is disclosed for transferring material to a substrate. The material may be a foil on a carrier and the substrate may be printable paper. A computer-controlled, material application subsystem is provided having a material roller assembly including one or more material pressing rollers. The entire assembly is configured for controlled rotation such that the material pressing rollers alternately engage and disengage an impression cylinder. In a first rotatable position, the material roller assembly is rotated so that one of the material deposition rollers over which the material carrier is fed engages the impression cylinder and deposits the material onto the substrate as it passes beneath the roller. In a second rotatable position, the material roller assembly is rotated so as to disengage the material roller from the impression cylinder thereby precluding deposition of material onto the substrate as it passes beneath the roller.