Printing is a process for making texts or pictures on paper using a printing press. It is an essential part of paper-based publishing, transaction printing and commercial printing (see also book publishing). For example, if you print out directions from Google Maps, this is a form of printing.
The word is most commonly used to refer to a large-scale industrial process for making books, newspapers and other printed materials. But it also applies to the production of photographs, maps and all types of financial instruments such as checks, stock certificates, postage stamps and banknotes.
An important characteristic of printing is the extent to which ink covers a surface, as expressed by terms such as light, medium and heavy. Another key characteristic is the clarity of images, which is affected by dot gain, smudging and other factors.
For the most part, printers are specialized businesses that produce high-volume, quality output. Depending on the type of printing, they may be called commercial, newspaper, offset or lithographic printers.
Some people choose to sell custom-printed t-shirts and other goods in various marketplaces like RedBubble, Zazzle, and Etsy. This is known as print on demand or POD. However, unless you’re producing one-off designs or selling to a niche audience, this method of printing can be expensive and time-consuming. In this article we’ll look at a simpler way of printing, a process that uses less ink and can be completed more quickly. It’s also less expensive than traditional in-house printing.