Letterpress Printing
PRINT IS NOT DEAD!
Letterpress printing looks back onto nearly six hundred years of history. It involves the use of raised metal or wooden type that are inked and pressed onto paper or other surfaces.
The process of letterpress printing begins with the selection of typefaces, which are carefully arranged on a composing stick. The type are then locked into a chase, a metal frame that holds everything in place.
Once the type and images are set, ink is applied to the surface of the type using a roller or a brayer. The ink adheres to the raised surfaces of the type, leaving the recessed areas free of
Next, a sheet of paper is carefully placed on top of the inked type and images. Pressure is then applied to the paper, either by hand or using a printing press.
It is the refraction of light in the well of impression that makes relief printing spectacular.
- Adrian Wilson
Letterpress printing offers a unique and distinctive look and feel that cannot be replicated by modern printing methods. The impression left by the type on the paper adds depth and texture to the printed piece, creating a sense of craftsmanship and quality.
At TOC, we design digital layouts, then transfer the data to polymer printing plates, using our own lasersetter.
Digital layouts are then transfer the data to polymer printing plates, using our own laser-setter.
Printing those plates on traditional letterpress machines combines the virtues of analog and digital processes, resulting in the best of both worlds: refined typography and a smooth analog reading experience.
Our books are printed on an Original Heidelberger Cylinder Press from 1954 @dielettertypen Berlin.
TOC is a Berlin-based Letterpress Publishing House combining the advances of modern typography with the quality and artisanship of centuries-old knowledge of book printing.