Engraving vs. Letterpress: How to Print Personal Stationery
After writing all your holiday thank you notes, you’ve run out of personal stationery, which means it’s time to re-order but you’re not sure what to do or where to go. Where to go is easy. Obviously, you go to Penny Post, where we can help you find the perfect replacement – or possibly a reprint if you have name plates – that reflects your personal style.The what to do depends on your style and your budget. The first question to ask yourself is how do you want to print your stationery. There are several options, but I wanted to share two of them with you today. The first printing method is engraving.
Engraving
Engraving is very similar to letterpress printing in the fact that you use ink and two tons of pressure to create the image. Instead of the imprint sinking into the paper as it does in letterpress, the imprint is raised, offering an equally elegant feel to the stationery. It is the finest of all the methods of printing for two main reasons: 1) you can get much finer details in the image than you can with letterpress, and 2) you can print white on a dark back ground, which is virtually impossible to do with letterpress printing.To learn more about the actual process, check out this post on Oh So Beautiful Paper. Crane is the king of engraving and we are proud to carry their products. (Fun fact, did you know that Crane paper is used to make currency all over the world including the United States?) Here are a few of their engraved stationery options…[nemus_slider id="46372"]
Letterpress
While letterpress is very similar to engraving – two tons of pressure, ink, and type – it is a little more casual. Modern technology has increased the detail factor of letterpress printing, but the images remain simple and clean. In the early ages of letterpress printing – think Gutenberg of the Bible fame – printers used metal and wood type that was individually placed in the press. Nowadays, many die-hard letterpress printers still use this sort of type, but some have started using photo polymer plates to get a more modern take on letterpress. (Read this post and this post, both from Oh So Beautiful Paper, on letterpress printing for more information.)When choosing this form of printing, remember it does take time (engraving takes a little longer) because each piece is fed through a printer individually. And if it’s multiple colors, then it has to go through the press for each color. Also, if you are looking for a more muted and less saturated color palette, then this is the method to choose. Haute Papier, who is based right in Arlington, is one of our favorite letterpress printers for stationery. The have fun colors and type, and the envelope liners are amazing. Here are just a few of their letterpress options…[nemus_slider id="46382"]We hope this was somewhat helpful. If you need more help finding the right printing method for you, then please stop by Penny Post to work with one of our consultants or email custom@shoppennypost.com to make an appointment!
