Printing

Printing Methods

Digital – Toner based printing in either black toner, or CMYK toner. Toner is opaque and dulls paper so it is harder to achieve a gloss look. Cured on the paper with heat from a fuser.

• More paper stocks to choose from
• Almost always faster, especially in smaller quantities
• Quantity is very flexible
• Heavy stocks are limited in some jobs
• Very hard to look ‘glossy’
• Doesn’t always play well with linen or other textured papers
• Both sides can be run at the same time

Offset – Ink based printing. Each head of a printing press can put on 1 color of ink at a time. While most offset presses can put on 1 or 2 colors in a single pass, some machines can put on 4 or more. Single color printing can use a wider range of colors than CMYK can by utilizing Pantone colors. Ink is semi transparent and will take on some of the qualities of the paper, like letting shine/gloss show through.

• Less paper stocks when doing full color printing
• Heavier stocks are available, for a cost
• Quantity minimums are usually higher
• Quantities are very rigid usually in 500s or 1000s
• Almost always slower
• Can be less expensive for longer runs
• Glossy papers aren’t an issue when running full color (CMYK)
• Requires drying time between colors and sides

Letterpress – Ink based printing. The print job is created by hand from individual pieces of lead type, or more commonly today, etched in metal. It is set into a holder called a chase, and then fastened in the printing machine with a clamp. Each piece of paper is feed into the machine by hand.

• Huge selection of paper stocks. The thickest we can run are on letterpress. We’ve done 220 cover.
• The print job can indent the paper
• Minimums are low and quantity is variable, but after 100 pieces, price doesn’t reduce much as it is all handwork and time spent standing at a machine.
• Always slower. This is the slowest method of production.
• We are usually only able to do 1 color well. We can do 2 color, but registration must be loose.
• Gloss paper is not recommended
• Requires drying time between colors and sides
• Let’s be honest, this is not for someone on a budget or on a quick timeline.

If time isn’t of concern then you will want to look at our offset pricing as you approach 1000 quantity. In the larger quantities offset printing can save you money, but may take longer.Talk to us about your time constrains and finished piece and we can help you choose. Often, there is little difference.

Color Notes

We’ve tried to use terminology that is more common, like One color or Full color to describe our pricing, but occasionally we fall back on our old system of numbers, letters & /s to indicate the color combinations allowed for a job. The / represents the paper, with numbers on each side that indicates the number of different ink colors that we’ll use on that side. A “b” represents black, while a “c” represents a standard color or black(your choice). 4c represents CMYK (full color printing).