If you want to work in letterpress you better understand ink. Letterpress inks are translucent. Creatively this can be used to great effect when overlapping multiple colors, if printing light ink on darker paper, or where a slightly distressed look is desired. However, ink characteristics can also create unwanted effects if not taken into account in the design thinking. Darker and rougher papers will affect letterpress printed colors. Letterpress colors are never as strong, solid or smooth as offset printing. Also, the uncoated papers used for letterpress absorb ink so colors are not as bright as those printed on coated stocks. If your piece calls for a totally solid larger area, ring to discuss production options. Paper is the driver and the ink is the fuel of great letterpress work. Handle the two carefully for the best results.
There once was a time you didn’t have hundreds of colors to choose from for your printing. You were lucky to get black and red. Nowadays, with Pantone inventing fancy new colors every year, designers are spoiled for choice. To help satisfy these tooty fruity desires, Cranky Pressman includes special-mix Pantone ink colors in our quoted price. Most printers have an additional charge for Pantone inks but when nearly every project calls for one or two PMS colors it seems to make sense just to include them in the price as standard.
PRICE BREAKS ON BASIC BLACK
Use our online Printery & Bindery packages to simply and inexpensively create your letterpress projects. Save even more on the production with our Basic Black lines. Do glorious letterpress work any way you like for less, as long as it's black.
An inkless blind impression is when the letterpress printing plate is pressed into the paper surface making an indented impression of the image using no ink at all. We will often use varnish to give this subtle technique just a touch more umph.
NOTE: Blind impressions are similar to but not the same as proper embossing which is a more complicated and intricate process that can also be offered at additional cost.
Cranky Pressman printing inks are vegetable based, low VOC (volatile organic compounds) and are more environmentally friendly than old style petroleum based inks. Please note, until new formulas are developed by manufacturer, metallic inks contain oil.
