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We decided it would be helpful to have a guide to the types of stationery printing that are commonly used, including color laser printing. Coyne and Pinckney Stationery uses color laser printing to print all of our cards.
As your helpful guide, I went into each type of printing what it is, and the pros and cons of it.
Letterpress Printing: ($$$$) The process of printing from an inked raised surface especially when the paper is impressed directly upon the surface.
Pros: Print has indented feeling and the print has a antique feeling.
Cons: Expensive you have to have a special plate formed for each design out of lead or a similar metal. Most of the machines that print letter press are antiques and are slow and expensive to fix so the printers pass the cost onto you!
Offset Printing (Lithography): ($$$) A printing process in which an inked impression from a plate is first made on a rubber-blanketed cylinder and then transferred to the paper being printed.
Pros: Great for high runs (like over a 1000 prints)
Cons: Only inexpensive if you are printing high quantities, because it still requires plates to be made and a printing press to be set-up specifically for your prints.
Engraved Printing (Rotogravure): ($$$$$) is a type of intaglio printing process, in that it involves engraving the image onto an image carrier.
Pros: Print has a raised feeling and a antique feeling. Best for high quantities.
Cons: Expensive and really best for very high quantities (like 5000+). You still pay for plates and a printing press to be set-up specifically for your prints.
Thermographic Printing: ($$$) A raised-printing process in which matter printed by lithography is dusted with powder and heated to make the lettering rise.
Pros: Less expensive then Letterpress or engraved printing, but still only cost effective at over 1000 prints since it is based upon lithography printing as the first step.
Cons: It has the cost of lithography printing plates, and press set-up plus the additional step of dusting the powder and heating. The shiny appearance of the letters remind me of a business cards that aren’t well designed.
Ink jet Printing: ($) Printing using water or solvent based inks that are sprayed onto your document, and dry.
Pros: Least expensive, format of most home printers. Digital - so no plates or press set-up
Cons: Since the ink is water based, it has the possibility of smearing or running when being handled. Image can sometimes have a splatter appearance depending on quality of printing. Ink is often more expensive then the printer. Also, ink jet prints tend to fade quickly.
Laser Printing: ($$) A printing process where a drum is charged using a laser, then toner is transferred to the drum. The drum then transfers the toner onto a blanket and onto your document, which is then heated and the image is fused onto your document.
Pros: Best Balance for print quality and cost . Digital - no plates or press set-up. Image is fused onto paper - long print life. Printer saves time and can pass that savings on to you!
Cons: Not Expensive.
Now that you have learned about all the forms of printing, I hope you feel informed and ready to get your stationery printed. We print all of our stationery using a high quality color laser printer, which allows us to give you fine stationery at a reasonable rate. It also allows us to offer our stationery as a great gift because it is so affordable.
Please let me know if you have anymore questions or anything you would like to add to this post.
Thank you
Paul Cuenin
Partner
Coyne and Pinckney Stationery
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