DIGITAL PRINTING
Perfect for short runs due to the quicker set-up times,
digital printing has offered a great alternative for
small companies whose budgets might not allow them certain
print jobs. But, Digital also has it’s limitations.
Sheet sizes are usually 12” x 18” or smaller
and only certain papers can be run on digital presses.
Also because the ink sits on the paper, it has a tendency
to flake off on scores, folds or spines.
LETTERPRESS
Letterpress uses lead letters that are inked and pressed
into the paper, leaving an indentation along with the
ink. This one of the oldest forms of printing, and can
be used to add a more antique or artistic look and feel
to your job. Images can also be applied through etched
plates. This is a very costly and time intensive method
of printing, but can produce beautiful results.
GRAVURE
This process skips the blanket in offset printing and
the plate directly transfers the ink to paper. It is
a very expensive procedure but provides amazing image
reproduction. Due to the high costs of this method,
print runs need to be extremely large to make this cost
effective.
ENGRAVING
While using a plate to transfer ink to paper just like
Gravure, Engraving forces the paper against the plate
with great pressure. Most engraving plates are pretty
small (4” x 9”) and extremely costly.
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FLEXOGRAPHY
Frequently used for printing on plastic, foil, acetate
film, brown paper, stickers and other materials. It uses
flexible printing plates made of rubber or plastic and
fast drying inks. It is a high speed process that can
print on many types of absorbent and non-absorbent materials
and can print continuous patterns such as giftwrap and
wallpaper.
LENTICULAR
This process creates an animated effect where images flip
back and forth when viewed from different angles. It is
achieved by laminating a plastic lens over two or more
images that have been digitized and broken down into a
series of dots. Producing a lenticular image requires
working closely with a lenticular vendor to produce digital
imagery that meets their requirements. The expense and
time involved make lenticular printing suitable for mass-production
runs only, unless money is no object.
HOLOGRAPHY
Holographic or three dimensional imagery is created by
digitizing an image so that it is divided into several
layers. The process includes bouncing laser beams off
of mirrors and focusing them onto a photosensitive plate.
The holographic design is then embossed onto coated white
paper which is metallized for a shimery effect. Holography
requires working closely with specialized vendors over
a period of several weeks, and set-up charges can make
the process cost-prohibitive for small run projects. Holography
is used on credit cards, trading cards, book covers, beverage
packaging, and other situations where high-volume make
it a cost effective option.
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