Ever wonder what all these printing terms mean?  This guide is intended to explain four basic printing processes that are used in printing invitations today.  Thermography, Letterpress, Engraving and Lithography will be part of your every day vocabulary once you finish this guide!

• Thermography
  Thermography is a several stage process that involves the use of a resin powder, the printed ink, and heat. After the ink is applied to the paper, the powder is applied to the ink while it is still wet.  Then it sent through a heating process, where the powder sticks to the printed ink.

Throughout this process, the powder swells and creates a raised image on the printed area.  This coating hardens as it cools, and the result is the appearance of engraving, but without
the fine detailing that engraving provides.  This type style is usually significantly cheaper than engraving, with the effect that is very close.

Thermography sample

 

• Engraving
  Engraved stationery or invitations are made by stamping fine, soft paper, optimally with a high cotton rag content, into an ink-filled etched plate under great pressure. It is an old process developed in the 1600's, to give a high quality appearance to important documents.

The etched plate is now placed in a special die-stamping press. Ink is then drawn over the plate and wiped, leaving the ink in the etched depressions of the image. Next, Paper is positioned over the plate and stamped. The paper deforms into the etched cavities, picking up the ink. The piece is finished once the ink is dried.  This process is involved, and is costly.  The result, however, is beautiful and exquisite.

Engraving Tool

• Letterpress
  Letterpress Printing has been described as "the process of using a press for relief printing from metal type or raised surfaces formed from wood, metal, or linoleum." Relief printing means that instead of pressing the letters into the paper, the machine presses the paper around the letters so the letters are what is raised.

Once a relief surface has been prepared, it is put in the press. A roller (or sometimes a dauber) is used to place ink on the type or block, which is then pressed against paper. Multiple blocks are used to create images with more than one color.

Letterpress using Rotary Press

• Lithography
  Lithography refers to a method of printing whereby the image areas, which are neither raised nor depressed, attract ink and the non-image areas repel ink. Most lithography is offset lithography in which the image is transferred from the plate to a rubber blanket, and then printed (offset) from the blanket onto the paper.

Lithography