Printing types
- 2. Hand printing- Etching-Etching is the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio in the metal (the original process—in modern manufacturing other chemicals may be used on other types of material). As an intaglio method of printmaking it is, along with engraving, the most important technique for old master prints, and remains widely used today. Advantages- Disadvantages-Time consuming Linocut-Is a variation of woodcutting which is cut into a sheet of linoleum using a sharp knife Advantages-No sanding required and softer than most woods Disadvantages-cannot produce very high quality prints Woodcut-Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns. the wood is carefully prepared then they use a knife and chisel and chip away at the wood making a pattern. Advantages-Great for mass production and cheaper than metals Disadvantages-difficult to crave small details and can take long time to carve Lithography-A printing plate with a relief image is dampened with water and then coated with ink. The ink only sticks to the parts of the plate that are not wet with water. The printing plate is fixed to a roller and the image is transferred onto paper fed under the roller. Advantages-It fast and does fast print runs and its cheap Disadvantages-It can not produce high quality pictures and the materials are complex to use
- 3. Mechanical printing- Letterpress-is a technique of using printing press. A worker composes and locks movable type into the bed of a press. The presses is pressed against the paper to create an impression on the paper Advantages-It’s a straight forward process and handcrafted, sharp images Disadvantages-It is slow and had colour disadvantages Gravure-The image is made up of small holes sunk in the surface of the printing plate. The recesses are filled with ink and the raised (non-printing) portions of the plate or cylinder are wiped or scraped free of ink leaving the ink only in the recesses. The paper or other material is pressed against the inked plate or cylinder and the image is transferred to the paper. Advantages-good quality picture and bright colours, best possible appearance and highest perceived value for your product. Disadvantages-high cost and the time needed to engrave gravure cylinders. Screen process-A method of printing using a fine mesh of silk, nylon, etc, treated with an impermeable coating except in the areas through which ink is subsequently forced onto the paper behind. Also called: silk-screen printing Advantages-No risks and cost’s less and less floor space is required Disadvantages- Slow production rate and small scale production
- 4. Digital printing- Photocopying-Photocopying can enlarge or decrease the size of the image, also different paper sizes can be used in a photocopier, they can so be used to photocopy back to back copying. Advantages-they make large amounts of copy's at once and don't wear and tear as much as a smaller one and they are light and easy to move and they are easy to understand on how to use and they take up little space. And they can not make large amounts of copy's at the same time. Disadvantages- they wear and tear more easily than their industrial brothers and they can not make large amounts of copys at the same time. Laser printing-Is a way of producing high quality text and graphics by passing it through a laser beam over a charged drum to define the image. The drum then selectively collects charged toner and transfers the image to the paper, which is heated to permanently fix the image to the paper. Advantages-Colour printing is possible And Print quality is good And Noiseless And Printing speed is high Disadvantages-Not be the printer of choice for everyone, Due to the cost of ink, running an inkjet printer over time is a more expensive than a laser printer. And Prints emerge from the printer slightly wet and may need time to dry. Inkjet-Is a type of computer printing that creates a image by using ink droplets. Ink jet printers are the most commonly used printers. They range from very inexpensive consumer models to very large professional machines that cost tens of thousands. Advantages-the colour is perfect And it is faster than dot matrix, daisy wheel and laser printers. Disadvantages- Very expensive Desktop publishing-Is the creation of documents using page layout skills, Desktop publishing software can generate layouts and produce a typographic quality text and image comparable to typography printing. This technology allows individuals and business to self-publish a wide range of printed magazines, menus and books. Advantages-They give huge advantages to designers that were not available a few years ago. Each software product has its strengths and can be used effectively in its own arena. Disadvantages-There is no skill or creativity in it anymore.