From Gutenberg To The Home Printer: The Many Different Print Methods

In 1455 one of the most controversial technological feats hit the scene with Johannes Gutenberg's print run of the bible. Around 600 years later the technology died and modern print machines killed it.

Or did it?

The classic look and feel of Gutenberg's letterpress print (relief typographic printing, if you prefer its government name) lives on in the invitation and stationery industry, giving an irresistible and timeless look to paper goods. It finds itself in good company among other luxury print methods that we all love.

Let's take a quick look at the different print methods:

Letterpress

First we have our pioneer of printmaking, Gutenberg's own letterpress method. 

Letterpress uses raised designs on surfaces like metal or polymer plates. Ink is applied to the raised areas and pressed into paper, creating a distinctive, tactile result. This method remains popular for its classic and refined appeal.

Today, this classic method is used in invitations and stationery alike, creating distinctive and elegant pieces.

Engraving

Next up: our finest print method, also considered the most proper and traditional.

Engraving found its footing with goldsmiths in the European Middle Ages, who used ink on their metal designs to record their work. This evolved into using copper plates for artwork (distinct from etching, which uses chemicals).

Today, engravers hand-chisel designs into copper plates, apply ink, and press the plate onto paper under high pressure, creating a raised print. A hallmark of engraving is the “bruising” visible on the back of the paper.

Today, engraving is used for high-quality invitations, letterheads, and certificates, with plates often reused for additional prints.  

Embossing

Embossing is a method of creating raised designs that was first found in ancient pottery and metals. When paper burst onto the scene, the embossing method was used to authenticate documents, by pressing a seal into the paper, proving its author or approval.

Today, embossing is used for more aesthetic purposes by itself or in tandem with other print methods. It is essentially engraving without the ink, where a design is pressed into the back of a paper, leaving a 3-dimensional impression.

Whether it’s for invitations or stationery, embossing can turn a simple sheet or notecard into something that truly stands out.

Debossing

The opposite of embossing. The design is made by pressing into the face of the paper, creating an indentation.

Thermographic Print

Thermographic Print (nicknamed thermography) is achieved using a heat sensitive powder that is applied to wet ink. The print is then run through a fantastically hot oven (900°-1300° F) for just a few seconds, melting the powder into the ink. The result is a beautiful raised print with no impression on the back of the paper.

Thermography has many uses today, from packaging to novelty cards to stationery. It's a favorite in the industry for its low cost and fine quality.

Foil Press

The glossy metallic print of foil pressing is accomplished by transferring a thin foil to paper using a heated die. The heat melts the foil film into the paper, leaving a slight impression and a shining design.

Foil pressing is used most today to accent novelty trading cards, packaging, invitations, etc. and looks gorgeous paired with other print methods.

Digital Print

The most efficient and quickest print method. If you own a home printer it's likely you've done this yourself. 

A device called a print head dispenses ink directly onto the paper, gliding over the surface and printing line by line.

Digital print is great for quick jobs and is the least expensive printing method.

Final Words:

Printing has profoundly shaped modern writing by standardizing the characters and letters we use and establishing traditions. Using different methods elevates stationery, labels, invitations, and other paper items, especially when mixing methods and overlapping raised lettering, flat print, and letterpressed elements.

It is a message. It is an inspiration, it is a source of beauty. And without paper, it could not have happened.

-Michael Scott