Can you letterpress a photo

NOTE: A blind impression is similar to but not the same as a debossing which is a more precise and complicated process. Cranky Pressman also offers true debossing or embossing for an additional charge.

Bite will bite back. We all like bite but there are some who suffer from over-bite. Keep in mind that a heavy bite on the front of most paper stocks will show through to the back. This does not have to be a problem as long as it is understood and considered in the design.

The thinner the stock the more it will bite back. A decent bite impression is going to show through to the opposite side of any stock cover or lighter. The way to minimize or eliminate bite show-through is to use a double weight stock such as Lettra cover or one of our Stocky Weight board stocks. Letterpress is not the same as offset printing.

Halftone perfection, flawless screened tints and flooded areas of impeccably solid color are qualities where offset printing excels and letterpress does not. Letterpress is fabulous for so many reasons but mimicking offset is not one. Unfortunately, when used poorly halftones can also look ugly as hell.

Think very carefully about how you propose to use halftones. Halftones need to be dpi or coarser and will print better on a smoother harder paper stock. Letterpress printed halftones look similar in quality to those in crappy newspapers.

See Artwork Requirements for more information on using halftones. Tints can cause more pain than halftones. A line tint printed in letterpress is not a thing of great beauty. Tints work better as a smaller part of a rougher styled design. If you are after a smart refined style then an additional color is likely a better approach than a tint. Solid states. With a little consideration, combining printing techniques can produce stationery with serious impact. Just ask questions and plan ahead. As a small postscript, the company I ordered samples from was disappointing all-around.

This was an example of the foil-stamping work they sent as an example of their best work! We create stationery that demands attention. The kind of experience that interrupts and delights your people. The kind that gets noticed.

We craft experiences that will be remembered. How do you tell? This will take off the crop area. We need your files and proofs to appear the way you want your final design to print — commonly called right-reading no backward text or images. When we create your film negatives, our software does the reversing to create proper negatives, so leave that part up to us.

Dies and scores will not be output and will not show up on your plate. Your scanner will likely save your image as a grayscale. Many scanners will only allow you to scan up to dpi. If you can scan higher, choose dpi.

You have some options now. If looking for the crispest and cleanest impression, you will need to convert the file to black and white only no grey pixels. You have two methods depending on what computer software you have available. If you only have Photoshop, you will need to convert your file to one that is in image mode of bitmap. If you prefer to get hands-on, many colleges are starting to teach letterpress as evening classes, or you can buy some basic materials and create a home press relatively inexpensively.

Check eBay for starter kits! Want to learn more about letterpress printing, and start getting your hands dirty? Then check out these great tutorials From initial sketches to platemaking, designer and printmaker David Huyck walks you through how to create a letterpress print.

A look at the app, available for Mac and iPad, which puts you in control of a virtual letterpress press. Words: Sam Hampton-Smith.

Have you got a letterpress creation you're particularly proud of? Share the details in the comments!