Make An Impression With Letterpress
Posted by admin at 2010-09-28 16:34:00
Letterpress, also known as relief printing, was invented in the mid-15th century by Johannes Gutenberg. Inspired by his surroundings of the wine region Mainz, Germany, he revolutionized printing and brought it to the modern world. He utilized the same presses already used to press grapes into wine to press ink onto paper. No longer would the written word actually have to be written by hand (usually by a monk in a monestary). Although the hand-written books from that time-period are works of art, they were very costly and time-consuming. But, with letterpress, printing could now be done both economically and efficiently.
Letterpress in layman's terms
Letterpress is the same concept as the wood-cut printing method or a rubber stamp (or even a potato cut stamp if you're a Martha Stewart fan). The idea is simple: you cut away all the negative space around a piece of artwork and what you are left with is only the artwork in a raised form which becomes the "printing-plate." The plate is then covered with ink and pressed into paper, leaving a mark. In this way, we can make multiple reproductions quickly which have a beautiful quality to them.
What makes letterpress so special?
We are so used to our modern, highly advanced printing techniques that it has become common and cheap; open any magazine and you will see the same quality of printing. But letterpress immediately conveys a boutique quality and feel that you can actually touch. The paper can be indented slightly or rather deeply for a subtle or dramatic look. Letterpress gives the impression (literally) of hand-made quality because it truly is hand-made quality. Each letterpressed print is certainly more hands-on than the sort of modern printing methods we have come to rely on today and it is apparent at first sight.
In the 1400's when letterpress was first invented, the printers took great pains to make sure the letterpress didn't leave any indentation on the page, just as it might have been drawn by a monk. Indentations were considered poor quality back then, but today they are a very desirable quality indeed.
Today, making an impression is a prerequisite. The whole point of getting something done in letterpress is for the impression that is made. And not just the arching of the eyebrow impression, but an elegant textural impression.
I personally love letterpress. Paper choice is key and, wow, do I love paper! The whole process to me is a wonderful, creative experience. And I love the result; letterpress will take a mundane design and make it look new, elegant... and basically just spectacular!
With the luxury of letterpress, you will definitely make an impression. However, this process of printing will also leave an impression on your wallet. While at one time it was the only way to print, now, it is a specialized artform. And it's in demand.
Many of the machines are not around anymore, modern print houses don’t do this type of printing anymore and to find someone who does it, and does a good job, is quite a bit more expensive than your average print job. The plates cost money: if you want more than one color, the price increases quickly as multiple colors require multiple plates which the printer must then pass through the press multiple times keeping everything perfectly registered, which means making sure everything is lined up exactly by hand on ancient machinery. It is time and labor intensive, but it shows! It is not the most cost-effective method, but you get what you pay for! Just try to keep the vision of the final result in your mind while you are waiting. . .
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