Printing is the process of producing printed material, either as pages in books or cards, or as signs and posters. Modern printing uses a process called digital printing where the images are created with electronic software and sent to a special printer that produces the actual prints. There are many types of digital printing equipment and methods including laser, inkjet and thermal.
The earliest known printed document is from China and is of silk printed with flowers in three colors dating back to the Han Dynasty (before 220 A.D). Movable type enabled much more rapid communication and helped shape alterations in social relations brought about by industrial development and economic transformations.
Whether you need to print an important report for work or want to provide your customers with high quality photography prints of their favourite artwork, you’ll find it’s possible to do so quite easily and relatively inexpensively these days. However, it’s important to understand what your customers expect and the optimum print quality that you can offer them.
Most towns will have a trade printer with experience of a wide range of media and is worth talking to. These local printers can advise you on the best method and paper finishes to use for your print jobs. It’s also worth remembering that digital printing allows for print jobs to go ‘direct to plate’, bypassing the film stage. This can save time and money, especially on smaller jobs. Typically, printed color is produced by layering the primary printing inks of Cyan (blueish), Magenta (pinkish) and Yellow and black.