What is bookbinding printing? Letterpress or book printing refers to a certain specialized printing process that produces letterpress stationery. Letterpress, also a type of relief printing, is the process of cutting out the surface and printing from the raised residue. You may have seen letterpress paper before. Most modern letterpress papers can be recognized by their distinctive look on thick paper. Today, letterpress printing products are known for their high quality and unparalleled sophistication. Most people are unaware of the long history behind typographic techniques and tools. Modern letterpress products would not have been possible without a combination of centuries of refinement of old letterpress methods and modern polymer plate technology. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Minted pays tribute to this centuries-old art form, and learn why book printing is a unique fusion of past and present. Browse Minted's hundreds of gorgeous typographic Christmas cards and typographic wedding invitations to find one that fits your style.
history of printing
"Letterpress" or "letterpress" refers to a printing technique developed by German innovator Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century. Gutenberg was dissatisfied with modern printing methods and saw an opportunity to develop more effective printing techniques. Gutenberg was also driven by his desire to make books more accessible to the general public and improve literacy. Before the invention of the printing press, printing was time consuming, labor intensive and tedious. The pages of the book he carved into individual wooden panels, one at a time. The letters were left intact while the remaining space was clipped, resulting in raised letters. To further complicate this, printing resulted in a mirror version of the stamp or plate used, so all letters and words were upside down. The lettering in relief is then inked and the paper is lightly touched against the wooden panel where the craftsman has inked it. Because of this, the original typography never quite got the embossed look and feel that is so popular today. This made one page of the book. Gutenberg's attempt to change this method began with a small plate containing a single upside-down letter. These panels, called movable types, can be placed on a sturdy wooden frame to form any word or sentence. However, certain images and designs had to be freely engraved on wood or metal plates. Gutenberg used his knowledge from his background in blacksmithing to invent this wooden-framed printing press. There, the letters were coated with a permanent ink that he had prepared. This is another of his famous inventions. The rotating handle of the press allowed the paper to be scrolled. This paper is flattened and pressed against the inked letters on the crate to create the final product. Hence, this process has rightly earned the name "book printing".
letter printing today
Today, typography is making a comeback in high-quality wedding invitations, wedding dates, Christmas and holiday cards, birth announcements, and more. This revival, especially in the last 30 years, is due not only to unique aspects of modern book printing that cannot be replicated by other printing methods, but also to the support of people like Martha Stewart. Stewart praised 1990s typographic products, especially wedding invitations. Consumers saw a tangible quality of the design pressed into the cardboard, called embossing, in the image of the typographic product Stewart was promoting. This has increased the demand for book printing products. However, this was not the intention of the original book publishers. It's actually a result of the recent use of polymer plates. As such, this handmade tactile typographic stationery is notorious for not being representative of historical typographic products. A modern addition to centuries-old typographic technology, this feature embodies a bridge between classical craftsmanship and modern technology. Today, you might also see letterpress variations such as foil stamping and embossing. One of the only drawbacks of modern letterpress technology is that it loses the uniqueness of the original letterpress product. You can print many identical sheets of polymer from one design on your computer, producing indistinguishable products. This consistency may be desirable in some cases. B. Wedding invitations. However, modern letterpress stationery will never have the rare quality of printing made from unique carved panels of wood or metal. I need to print on very thick paper. Cotton paper is ideal for letterpress printing because of its soft feel, texture, and thickness. Also, cotton paper is more environmentally friendly than paper made from trees. Another modern variation of historical typography is blind printing. In blind letterpress printing, the polymer plate is not inked prior to printing.