Get to know your printing lingo….

Letterpress printing is a centuries old process which involves pressing an inked plate directly into the paper for a result which is exquisite with a nostalgic feel.

*due to popularity, letterpress printing has earned its own section….

Thermography printing (raised) utilizes powders that produce raised, shiny text when exposed to heat. This type of printing mimics Engraving, but is less expensive.

Offset (flat) printing is an inexpensive and standard method of printing.

Engraved invitations tend to be the most expensive, yet the most traditional method for printing invitations. Letters are carved into a plate and the paper is then pressed into the plate, resulting in raised text and indentations on the reverse side of the paper.

Embossed/Debossed Printing: Raised or impressed image without ink impression. This is a good option for an image, but not text.

Foil stamping, typically a commercial print process, is the application of pigment or metallic foil, a special film-backed material, to paper where a heated die is stamped onto the foil, making it adhere to the surface leaving the design of the die on the paper. Foil stamping can be combined with embossing to create a more striking 3D image.

PRINT IT YOURSELF

Laser printing: A laser printer is a common type of computer printer that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper. As with digital photocopiers, laser printers employ a xerographic printing process but differ from analog photocopiers in that the image is produced by the direct scanning of a laser beam across the printer’s produced by the direct scanning of a laser beam across the printer’s photoreceptor.photoreceptor.

Inkjet Printing: Best for printing lighter weight matte finish (not glossy) papers. It is often advertised that you can print photos on these printers, but that is not cost effective (it eats up your ink). Upload your photos online at Wallgreen’s, and pick them up within a couple of hours. Save your ink for the invitations or stationery.

PRINTING ENVELOPES

Set up your printer to print at “custom size,” and define the size according to the dimensions of your envelopes. Always print the address onto the back of the envelope!

MY FAVORITE PRINT SHOPS

Letterpress Printing:  Porridge Papers, Boxcar Press, Manifesto Press

Thermography Printing:  Northwest Printed Solutions

Offset Printing:  Northwest Printed Solutions

Engraved Printing:  Reaves Engraving

Online Printing Companies (digital or offset): PS Print, OvernightPrints.com, Northwest Printed Solutions

Minuteman Press is a franchise printing company with local stores all over the world.  Because it’s a franchise, I can’t speak for all of the locations…but the ones I’ve used have done a great job with offset & digital printing.  Although we live in an online world, sometimes it’s nice to get some local, personal service.  Their prices tend to be reasonable as well.

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