Method for producing a security element, in which - a carrier is provided with an embossing varnish layer and the embossing varnish layer is provided with a desired effect embossment, - a colour is regionally applied to the embossed embossing varnish layer, - a cover layer is applied to that surface region of the embossing varnish layer that has been regionally provided with the colour, and then the colour with the cover layer on top is removed, - large-area subregions of the effect embossment that are to remain uncoated during the subsequent colour printing are provided with a dot pattern and/or line pattern made up of small spacer structures (32, 34), the pattern not being visible when the security element is observed by the naked eye and in which pattern the spacer structures (32, 34) have lateral dimensions of more than 2 μm in each spatial direction, wherein at least one spacer structure (32, 34) of the spacer structures is provided with a depression which runs at least partially around the spacer structure (32, 34), characterized in that the depression is provided with an air volume which is the same as a material volume of the spacer structure (32, 34), and in that the large-area subregions of the effect embossment have an extent of more than 100 μm in each lateral direction. - a carrier is provided with an embossing varnish layer and the embossing varnish layer is provided with a desired effect embossment, - a colour is regionally applied to the embossed embossing varnish layer, - a cover layer is applied to that surface region of the embossing varnish layer that has been regionally provided with the colour, and then the colour with the cover layer on top is removed, - large-area subregions of the effect embossment that are to remain uncoated during the subsequent colour printing are provided with a dot pattern and/or line pattern made up of small spacer structures (32, 34), the pattern not being visible when the security element is observed by the naked eye and in which pattern the spacer structures (32, 34) have lateral dimensions of more than 2 μm in each spatial direction, wherein at least one spacer structure (32, 34) of the spacer structures is provided with a depression which runs at least partially around the spacer structure (32, 34), characterized in that the depression is provided with an air volume which is the same as a material volume of the spacer structure (32, 34), and in that the large-area subregions of the effect embossment have an extent of more than 100 μm in each lateral direction. a dot pattern and/or line pattern made up of small spacer structures (32, 34), the pattern not being visible when the security element is observed by the naked eye and in which pattern the spacer structures (32, 34) have lateral dimensions of more than 2 μm in each spatial direction, wherein at least one spacer structure (32, 34) of the spacer structures is provided with a depression which runs at least partially around the spacer structure (32, 34), characterized in that the depression is provided with an air volume which is the same as a material volume of the spacer structure (32, 34), and in that the large-area subregions of the effect embossment have an extent of more than 100 μm in each lateral direction.