Printing design requires understanding what lithography is

Printing design requires understanding what lithography is

Plate printing can be divided into lithographic printing, offset printing, and collotype printing according to the properties of the plate material. The common feature of lithographic printing, offset printing, and collotype printing is that the printed text and images (ink covered parts) and non printed spaces (non ink covered parts) are almost on the same plane, and there is no distinction of height to the eye.

This is currently the most common and widely used printing method.

When printing, the principle of mutual repulsion between water and ink is utilized, with the graphic and textual parts accepting ink and not water, and the non graphic and textual parts accepting the opposite. The printing process adopts an indirect method, where the image is first printed on a rubber roller and the text and images are reversed, and then the text and images on the rubber roller are transferred to paper. This printing method can be used for brochures, art magazine advertising samples, calendars, etc

1. Lithography printing

Lithography was invented by Czechoslovakian Yaros Sonnefeld around 1778. He accidentally discovered while printing music scores that the porous limestone surface coated with grease could absorb ink, while the uncoated part could not absorb ink due to being wet with water. Based on this phenomenon, he discovered the principle of oil-water repulsion and invented lithography. At that time, this printing process was simple, fast in plate making, and easy to modify graphics and text, which was an important breakthrough in printing technology. However, the stone plate material was relatively bulky and could not withstand pressure, which could easily cause damage. In addition, the printing speed was also slow and the overprinting was not very accurate. Therefore, to this day, this technique is only used in printmaking art and has long been eliminated in printing factories.

Lithography has special significance in reproducing colored images, as it can replicate a variety of rich tones. At that time, many advertising designers used this printing technology to replicate and print advertising posters. Some designers even directly paint on the slate and then print it, rather than copying and processing it through skilled workers. The works produced in this way are different from ordinary printed materials, as they often exist as works of art and are favored and sought after by some people.

2. Offset printing

Offset printing is another flat printing technology developed on the basis of lithography. In 1817, Sonnefeld replaced bulky stone slabs with thin zinc plates and adopted a circular cylinder printing method to solve the problem of difficult alignment in stone plate technology. In 1905, American Rupert added a rubber cylinder to Sunfield's lithography press, allowing the graphics and text on the printing plate to be transferred onto the paper surface through the rubber cylinder without direct contact between the printing plate and the paper, creating an indirect lithography printing method. This printing method has a short production cycle, simple plate making process, fast printing speed, fine graphics and text, rich layers, and good image and color reproduction effect. It is suitable for printing books, newspapers, manuals, and other products with colorful and layered illustrations or photos. Due to the production cost of lithography, especially offset printing, compared to other types of printing methods

The characteristics of low cost, simple process, low wear, fast speed, and wide applicability, coupled with the cooperation of new light sources, new photosensitive materials, precision photographic equipment, and the gradual scientific plate making and continuous improvement of printing quality, have led to the continuous development of this printing method, thus becoming the mainstream of today's printing industry.

3. Corolla version

Koro printing is also a type of planographic printing method, invented by the Frenchman Helbato in 1869. It originally used frosted glass as the plate material, so it is also known as the glass plate printing method. This printing method can use photography to make plates. Its plate making does not require the density of network cable dots to reflect the brightness and darkness levels, but rather uses the hardness, softness, and height changes of the adhesive film to represent the brightness and darkness changes and levels in the image. The printing plate of the collo plate has weak printing resistance and usually cannot print a large number of products. However, the printed products are extremely fine and can accurately print celebrity paintings, inscriptions, artworks, and ancient books. Unfortunately, this printing technique is rarely adopted by printing factories nowadays.

Printing design requires understanding what lithography is