Letterpress Printing
Origin
Letterpress printing is perhaps the oldest form of
commercial text printing in the western world, and although not nearly as
popular today, it was the mainstay of producing publications for 900 years. It
originated in China and it’s use dates back to the 11th century A.D.
It migrated to Europe in the mid-15th century A.D.
Process
Also called “relief printing”, type and images on a raised
surface accept ink, which is then transferred directly to the printing paper.
Because of the direct contact of the paper to the printing surface, the raised
images appear in reverse, or “wrong reading”. Pressure is used to force ink to be
transferred from the raised surface to the printed page. For this reason,
letterpress prints presents a slight indentation when closely examined or
touched.
Non-commercial application: Wood Block Printing and Linoleum
Cut Printing.
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| Ink is transferred from a raised surface. © 2012 Don Arday |
Offset Printing
Origin
Offset printing, also called planographic printing or
lithographic printing, is now the most widely used method of printing.
Lithographic printing was invented toward the end of the 18th century A.D. and gradually grew in popularity toward the last quarter of the 19th century A.D.
Process
Lithography first employed the use of a thick flattened
stone. The printmaker or artist would draw directly on the stone with a grease pencil
or brush. Open areas could be kept clean with a solvent. The greasy areas would
attract and hold the ink while water in the porous open areas of the stone
repelled it. In traditional
lithography the printing paper contacted the stone directly, so as was the case
in letterpress printing, images had to be drawn in reverse or “wrong reading”.
Commercial offset printing uses very thin zinc or aluminum
plates that are coated with a light sensitized emulsion. Imagery can be
photographically or digitally transferred on to the printing plate. Hardened
areas of emulsion attracted ink while unexposed areas are washed away to repel
ink. The printing paper does not come into contact with the printing
plate. Instead the ink is “offset” onto a rubber blanket that then transfers the
image to the printing paper. Hence the title offset printing.
Non-commercial application: Stone Lithography.
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| Ink is transferred form a resist surface. © 2012 Don Arday |
Gravure Printing
Origin
Intaglio printing dates back to the 7th century
A.D. in China and its forbearer, wood block printing, dates back to the 3rd century A.D. A more commercial form of gravure began to appear in the 17th century A.D. Gravure became even more widely used when it was combined with
photographic processes in the 19th century A.D. The black elements on
US paper currency including the finely webbed lines are an outstanding example
of gravure printing.
Process
Also called “intaglio printing”, or “engraved printing”,
gravure involves having type and images cut or etched into a metal plate. The
printing areas are the recessed parts of the image. Ink is then forced into the
recessed areas and cleaned off of the raised surfaces. The printing paper is
then pressed down onto the plate to draw the ink out of the recesses.
Non-commercial applications: Intaglio Printing, Engraved
Printing, and Etched Printing.
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| Ink is transferred from a recessed surface. © 2012 Don Arday |
Screen Printing
Origin
Some sources date “stencil printing” back as far as the 27th century B.C. However, the use of silk to form the stencil was developed in the 10th century A.D. in China. It was popularized and perfected in
Japan in the 15th century A.D. And around that time it was adopted
in Europe.
Process
Silk fabric is stretched around a frame to become the
substrate for the stencil. The applied stencil contains solid areas and open
areas. Ink is then forced through the silk by a squeegee. The open areas of the
stencil allow the ink to move through the silk to be transferred to a printing
paper or fabric. The silk material comes available in a variety of densities.
Very fine silks can be used to produce astonishingly fine detailed prints. Stencils
can be photomechanical, digital, hand-cut, or even drawn or painted directly on
the silk.
Non-commercial applications: Fine Art Screen Edition
Printing and Mono-Print Screen Printing
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| Ink is transferred through an open surface. © 2012 Don Arday |
