Things you should know about Letterpress Australia

Digital printing is the order of the day, be it in printing invitations, invoices or leaflets, yet letterpress printing has not died down. In fact, when it comes to elegance, letterpress Australia is in demand. Sure, it is a niche, but it has taken a hold in this particular niche of elegant wedding invitation cards and others. It is expensive, but its elegance more than makes up for the extra expense. The letterpress prints evoke a sense of nostalgia. They are like engravings that are etched on our memory. If you are looking for innovative ways to design invitation cards or visiting cards, letterpress Australia can be the perfect solution.

The Nostalgic Flavor

The raised letters are there like the olden days. The printing technique is also similar to that of the olden days. Yet, it is not the same letterpress of yesteryears. Letterpress Australia has evolved over the years and a lot has changed although the basic process of printing is intact. Modern letterpress printing has embraced modern technology to a large extent. This has only made it more subtle and attractive. The printing material, the method of preparation of the letters, the design of the letters and embellishment has undergone sea change. It evokes a more subtle feeling of finesse.

The New Method

The printing material is no longer the wooden or metal blocks that used to be the mainstay of letterpress prints. Polymer plates are now used to print letters instead of metal or wood blocks. These plates are prepared separately for each set of letters, and this is done photographically. The first step is designing the letters, the background and embellishment, if any. You can get a variety of designs for your invitation or other card. The designs are prepared in a computer. Once the design is finalized, it is printed on a film. This works as a a negative photographic plate. In the next stage, the film is kept in front of a polymer plate and UV light is passed through the film. The polymer plate is dipped in a water-soluble and light-sensitive synthetic material and kept against a clear support. The portions of the plate that are exposed to the UV light harden up, and the rest gets washed away. The hardened up portions stand apart as raised surfaces on the plate. These are the letters, designs and ornaments that are engraved or embossed on invitations, greetings cards and others through letterpress Australia. If you need different colors, you need to prepare a separate plate for each color.

You can get rich designs, exquisitely crafted letters, graphic patterns, and ornaments that enhance the beauty and appeal of the letterpress print. The exquisite designs have made letterpress printing one of the most sought after printing techniques for business cards, wedding invitations, greetings cards etc.

Unique effects

The imprints in Letterpress printing are tangible prints. They have a stamping effect with either a raised feeling or a depressed feeling. So you can get either embossed letters and designs or debossed letters and designs. The recipient can feel the letters unlike in a digital or offset print. This evokes a feeling of proximity. There are prints that can be done without ink. This is known as blind debossing. You can create a range of effects with letterpress. Each of these effects has a unique appeal and has a niche area of application. People prefer the blind debossing effect for items like visiting cards. The embossing effect is popular for wedding and other invitation cards.

Subtleties of Letterpress

For good letterpress printing good quality tactile paper is required. It must also have a rich texture and weight. This is especially needed for the debossing effect to come to the fore. Moreover, the artwork and design must have good resolution in order to get distinct marks on the polymer plate. Without a good resolution finer details may not be as distinct as needed. However, the resolution aspect may be different for different designs and artworks. Experienced Letterpress Australia printers are well aware of the required resolution vis-à-vis the size of the card. However, you can design unique patterns, ornaments and artworks yourself. A number of designs are available in the computer. You can choose from them or design a new one and take a printout on a film.