What is Letterpress Printing? Letterpress printing is a term for printing text with movable type, in which the raised surface of the type is inked and then pressed against a smooth substance to obtain an image in reverse.
In addition to the direct impression of inked movable type onto paper or another receptive surface, the term letterpress can also refer to the direct impression of inked media such as zinc "cuts" (plates), photopolymer plates or linoleum blocks onto a receptive surface.
There is currently a Renaissance in letterpress printing for invitations, announcements, stationary and posters.
Letterpress printing provides a tactile feel to traditional printing.
The question is why would anyone go into letterpress printing when there is so much new technology? Wouldn't it be easier to purchase a good color laser writer to print the Invitations, announcements and stationary? The answer remains in that it is a specialized unique quality that letterpress printing provides to a customer that is looking for that point of difference in their presentation of ephemera.
The resurgence in letterpress printing as an option to traditional offset printing, color copies, thermography, and engraving has been growing in the last 10 years.
Recently as the last 5 years have brides, stationary stores and corporate clients found that letterpress as an option brings to them that unique point of difference that is needed in a high technology world.
Letterpress is a 500 year old craft that is relief printing from moveable type.
However, the current market is growing because by using computers to make designs and the introduction of a photopolymer plate process new world and old world have found a marriage.