There are plenty of different types of printing available to creators today. Printing has a long history of revolutionising how ideas are transferred and distributed, and it’s still going strong today.
In this guide we take a look at some of the most frequently used printing methods favoured by artists and designers, as well as outlining what they’re suitable for. If you’re looking to print posters, fine art images, billboards or even magazines, you’ll find the relevant printing method here.
Despite fears that digital publishing has once again shaken up how words and images are shared, reports of the death of print are greatly exaggerated. Printed materials are enjoying a resurgence thanks to the unique, tactile experience they offer. So if you want to get involved with print’s new-found popularity, explore these notable methods.
You might also want to check out our beginner's guide to essential art supplies, or our group of tutorials about how to draw.
Watch your fingers!
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Lino printing is a great entry-level technique for creatives looking to make art prints. It involves scoring an image into a sheet of linoleum, covering the raised areas in ink, and pressing a substrate (the surface which the ink will stick to, often paper) on top.
All the materials you need to get started are available from any good art shop at a reasonable price, and even the most basic of tools create impressive results. Different scoring knives can be added to your toolkit to make unique marks, although a narrow selection of blades should be sufficient.
One thing to keep in mind when scoring a design into lino is that you're creating a mirror image of the picture, so letters will need to be carved backwards. Also keep in mind that only raised areas of linoleum will transfer ink. To learn more about lino printing, including more on the basic tools you'll need, see our introduction to lino printmaking post.
Silk screens are popular for T-shirt printing
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Screen printing remains a popular way to transfer designs onto fabrics, especially T-shirts. The printing process involves forcing paint through a silk screen with a squeegee, with stencil holes in the screen allowing paint to pass through in the desired place.
With careful planning and clever design, multiple colours can be layered up with screen printing, allowing for the creation of stunning images. Each colour requires its own screen, however even single colour prints look striking.
To cast your design, you will need to paint your screen with photo-sensitive emulsion then expose it to UV light. A local print studio should help you with these facilities.
Offset printing is perfect for long runs
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Offset printing is one of the most common ways to print materials such as newspapers and magazines. The process sees an inked image transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, then finally to the printing surface itself. These rubber blankets are wrapped around a series of cylinders, and the paper is continuously passed through them.
Given that it requires access to specialist printing technology, offset printing is not as immediately accessible as some of the techniques on this list. Typically it is used for large print runs, and its setup fee is soon offset (pardon the pun) by the sheer number of pieces you are able to print.
Traditionally, letters are arranged in a chase
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Similar to lithographic printing, letterpress printing sees a raised area covered with ink and then transferred to a substrate. Historically, images and letters were arranged by a typesetter and locked into place in a chase.
As a method for printing newspapers, letterpress remained popular until the mid-twentieth century when it was succeeded by offset printing. But despite being supplanted, it has found a new lease of life in the artistic community.
Today, letterpress printing is a way to add quirky humour to your work as it stands in contrast to the perfection of digital and offset printing. Print studios and letterpress shops can help you with the process, and high street craft shops often sell inexpensive printing blocks if you want to experiment with the technique.
Flexographic printing is fast and effective
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Flexographic printing is essentially a modern version of letterpress printing. Flexible relief plates are mounted on a series of cylinders in a similar fashion to offset printing, and the substrate is passed through. Different plates are used for individual colours, which are built up to create the message or image.
Flexography is also suited to medium to long print runs. The specialist equipment might put it beyond the reach of creatives looking to test the process on a short run, however if you do choose to investigate flexography rest assured that it is a cost-effective printing method that produces quick results.
Digital printing is often used for desktop publishing
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Unlike traditional methods including lithography and offset, digital printing doesn’t require a printing plate. Instead, the desired image is digitised to control the deposition of ink, toner and exposure.
For creatives, one of the biggest advantages of digital printing is the customisation it offers. The process can also produce a higher quality print from a lower quality image. And given that it doesn’t require the creation of plates, digital printing can be a cost-effective and accessible way for creatives to bring their ideas to life on the page.
3D printing involves carefully layering materials
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Suitable for sculpting and product design, 3D printing sees a material added layer by layer with the assistance of CAD to create a desired shape. Despite being a relative newcomer to the printing scene, 3D printing has come a long way in recent years and can now deliver incredible results.
One of the main barriers to entry for creatives looking to explore 3D printing is the access to the printer technology itself. We’ve already looked at what you need to keep in mind when preparing your work for 3D printing, so keep these in mind if you’re printing yourself or outsourcing to a specialist.
Monoprints are one-offs, although you can achieve similar effects to make a series
(Image credit: Dom Carter)
As its name suggests, monoprinting is a way of printing an image once and once only. This is in contrast to the other printing techniques on this list, which are geared towards the production of multiple prints, and while this is arguably a disadvantage it allows artists to work with a degree of spontaneity.
The simplest printing method in this guide, monoprinting is primarily used to print simple pieces of art onto paper or textiles. Typically a piece of plexiglass is covered with a thin layer of ink and materials are positioned on top. These are then covered with a substrate and rolled through a press to transfer the image.
Unlike a lino print where an image is carved into a sheet of lino and can be reproduced multiple times, mono prints are one-offs because the print elements have to be arranged and inked each time. This means that if you're careful you can make two prints that look similar, but they will never be identical.
Despite its limitations, it’s a very accessible print method and a fun way to dip your toe into the world of printing. Prints can be produced very quickly, and thanks to its flexibility, it encourages experimentation which can be transferred to other methods like lithography.
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Posted by Clash Graphics on 18th May 2022
Prevent your lack of knowledge of the best type of printing for your project from wasting your money, or causing you to print an inferior product. Knowing different types of printing and how they are used can significantly increase your production quality and reduce your expense.
clashgraphics.com gathered information about seven types of printing for modern creators to produce higher product volumes with superior results.
The sublimination printing process involves printing text or an image onto a special sheet of paper, then transferring the image onto another material (polyester or a polyester hybrid). In this process, solids (printed ink in this case) turn into a gas without phasing through the liquid stage.
Pros: Outstanding for fine lines and details, and arguably one of the best printing methods for all-over (seam to seam) printing and helps reduce waste by using less ink during product production and saves water when cleaning up afterward since no ink or paint comes into contact with fabric at any stage.
Cons: Sublimation items must have a white or light-colored print area, black or dark-colored surfaces can't be sublimated. The item may lose color over months due to UV ray effects if exposed to direct sunlight for long periods. And, like all inkjet printers, the printheads can clog up if not used regularly.
Screen printing is the transferring of a stenciled design onto a flat surface using a mesh screen, ink, and a squeegee. Fabric and paper are the preferred screen-printing surfaces. With specialized ink, it's also to print on wood, metal, plastic, and glass substrates.
Pros: Screen printing produces a higher quality and more durable output than digital prints. This method can be used on a variety of different print materials.
Cons: This process has a much higher setup cost than digital printing and takes more time. It also has a slower turnaround time than other print methods, and small runs aren't ideal.
Offset printing is a common printing method in which inked images are transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the selected printing surface.
Pros: High definition and quality for any project. With offset printing, you can expect a high-quality printed image every time, lower costs, and a fast turnaround time. You can use this process to print on most surfaces or shapes efficiently. Printing plates save time and money.
Cons: For low-quantity print jobs, offset printing can be costly and time-consuming. It takes a long time to create a plate and set up an offset printer. If you only need a few copies, the time spent on the initial setup will make offset printing a more expensive method than digital printing.
Letterpress printing is a form of relief printing. Using a printing press allows multiple copies to be produced by repeated direct impressions of an inked, raised surface against sheets or a continuous roll.
Pros: The process is quite simple, and after an elevated first investment, it is not necessary to make any more outlandish expenses. It is possible to personalize prints and obtain them with a much more marked and different relief than with other printing methods.
Cons: This is a slower process where the application of color is limited, printing costs can be considerably more than other printing methods, and this method is dependent on the operator’s expertise.
Using UV printing, it is possible to print unique designs, images, text, and textures on a range of materials or products. UV inks are exposed to the UV-LED lights built into the printer, which almost instantly cure the ink, turning it from a liquid to a solid.
Pros: Quick drying. Since the ink dries quickly (almost immediately) on the substrate, the chemical interaction with the substrate is significantly reduced, scratch-resistant, faster production, and comes out to lower cost.
Cons: UV inks won't dry without being cured, spills are incredibly difficult to clean up, initial startup costs are higher, and operators need to avoid skin contact.
Flexography is a printing process utilizing a flexible relief plate. It is like a modern version of the letterpress that can be used for printing on nearly any substrate, including plastic, metallic films, cellophane, and paper.
Pros: Besides supporting multiple colors, it can be used with either water-based or oil-based inks. Currently, water-based inks have gained popularity due to their non-toxicity.
Cons: Flexography is not an ideal printing solution for small runs. Although the process is highly automated, setup can be very time-consuming.
Digital printing prints digital-based images directly onto a variety of substrates. There is no need for a printing plate, unlike offset printing.
Pros: This low-cost, simple printing method allows multiple design possibilities with full color and gradation print (without the limitation of colors).
Cons: The range of printable fabrics is somewhat restricted when compared to screen printing, and due to fixed pricing, bulk print jobs don’t offer reduced costs.
In this article, you discovered seven types of printing to help you achieve superior artistic design and its efficient application to the substrate of your choice.
Knowing which printing types are available to you can increase your potential to create bigger, better, and more evolving concepts as an artist or designer.
Not learning the different types of printing at your disposal may leave your project inferior or cause you to use a more expensive process that's not necessary.
Sources:
web.tech.uh.edu/digitalmedia/materials/3350/Flexography.html
printcopymail.umich.edu/copysvcs/digitalprinting.htm
scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1032&context=cap-curr
print.iastate.edu/productsservices/offset/
quod.lib.umich.edu/d/did/did2222.0001.562/--letterpress-printing?rgn=main;view=fulltext
news.clemson.edu/from-intelligent-packaging-materials-to-flexographic-uv-printing-clemson-university-unpacks-sustainable-packaging/
makingcenter.parsons.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DyeSub_2021.pdf
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