QUALITY LITHOGRAPHIC and LETTERPRESS INVITATION PRINTING - DIESTAMPING and ENGRAVED STATIONERY - THERMOGRAPHY and FOIL BLOCKING
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| This new site, created by Piccolo Press in Scotland, gives a little more general information about the art of letterpress printing than is available on the company’s main web pages. The site will be updated and expanded as time permits. | ||
| Letterpress Printing: The letterpress process is performed by means of a raised surface. The type or blocks to be printed are raised above the non-printing areas and then inked. The ink is then transferred to the paper by pressure. Perhaps no invention over the last six hundred has had more impact on our civilisation than letterpress printing. |
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Being essentially the same process used by Gutenberg, who in 1450 invented moveable type - and by association the printing press - letterpress printing is a craft. Although we have enjoyed over five hundred years of experience and become more mechanised, the production of high quality letterpress printed material is due to the skill of the pressman, using his bank of experience and knowledge. Thus there is inevitably “good letterpress” and “not so good letterpress”. Unlike ‘modern printing’, where the results depend almost solely on the high technology of the press, letterpress should be considered an art form. Whilst having the right equipment is paramount, letterpress clients should search for a letterpress printer with strong recommendation and a proven track record. |
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| Up until the late fifties, the majority of printing in the UK was done by letterpress. Most small towns had their own jobbing printers and Gutenberg and Caxton would have felt quite at home in their print shops. In the major cities, the clatter and bustle of the newspaper presses all added to the nightly background noise. In the last fifty years letterpress has been swept away by a tidal wave of technology. There remain a few ‘fine presses’ producing beautiful bookwork, some gifted amateurs and hobby printers and a small number of companies, like Piccolo Press, who love the skill and challenge of producing good letterpress. |  |
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| Having resisted the temptation to engage with new technology, they now find themselves in a niche market where they are able to produce printed material that no modern press can achieve. If for instance, you want a quality thick card, with a strong crisp impression and firm inking, letterpress is for you. | ||
 USA Rep Holly with Piccolo MD, Tim |
In the USA, demand for letterpress has increased five-fold over the last few years. It is particularly strong in social stationery where it is perfect for wedding invitations and marketing of a quality message. This renaissance has been aided by the ability to make letterpress relief printing plates “in house” direct from computer-generated artwork. This has greatly expanded the scope and variety of design that can be printed and negated the need to buy ever more fonts of cast lead. There is no doubt but that this trend is also being seen within the UK, where designers and print buyers are recognising the unique properties of letterpress printing. It is a joy for Piccolo Press to be associated with a timeless craft that no amount of high technology, can transcend. Just click here to visit our main web site. |
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| Tim Honnor, the owner and managing Director of Piccolo Press has taken a few pictures of letterpress items that he hopes you will find of interest. | ||