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letterpress printing

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LETTERPRESS PRINTING

Letterpress began in Europe in the 14th century as a way to quickly reproduce books, which had, until that point, been handwritten one by one. The invention of the printing press was revolutionary, and today, artisans still use the very same process to produce exquisite stationery, books, posters, and broadsides. Letterpress is a relief process in which a raised surface such as movable type, metal dies, or photopolymer plates is inked and then pressed against a surface (generally paper) to create an impression.

Impression is key in letterpress, setting it apart from other printing processes. Too light of an impression, and one can't tell that it is letterpress. Too deep of an impression crinkles and bends the paper, creating a wrong-reading braille on the other side of the paper. Here at Joie Studio, we strive to create a "just right" impression, balancing impression with the properties of the paper to create beautiful and elegant letterpress printed stationery and paper goods.