Processes are provided for formation of complex shapes by embossing of a sheet of flexible graphite material. In one approach, a sheet (26) of material is provided with a variable resin concentration across a selected dimension of the sheet, and the position of the variable which will result in thinner areas in the embossed articles. In a second approach, recesses are provided in the embossing rollers (30 and/or 32) to accomodate material flow during embossing. These recesses result in protrusions formed on the articles, which protrusions must then be removed in a machining operation.