If you’ve ever admired old wood or metal type, this is a part of traditional letterpress printing. This printing technique sets one letter, one colour at a time.
It’s a patient craft and in this digital world, the results are totally unique. Letterpress printing can leave an impression in the page that can be seen and felt. In this way, it excels at contrasting crisp type and soft paper.
I can print with handset metal type, antique wooden type, or create any image with a photopolymer (plastic) plate. To print images with photopolymer, I create a design on the computer, and have a photopolymer plate made. This plate is then letterpress printed in a unique combination of 21st and 15th century technology.
Letterpress printing has its limitations, including large solid areas of colour to which offset printing may be better suited, and to the paper size.
Custom letterpress work: Do you have a project idea, invitation, or other project? To inquire about custom letterpress work, email me at sambradd.designs@gmail.com for a quote and to see if letterpress printing will work for your idea.
