Ella Letterpress

Ella Letterpress was created purely out of my passion for the craft, and so I love explaining the rich history behind this old fashioned art form. Developed in the 14th century by Johannes Gutenberg, letterpress is the oldest form of printing and remained the primary print method until the mid 20th century. Letterpress is a method of relief printin... g in which raised surfaces (plates) are covered in ink and pressed down into the paper making a deep impression. Historically, movable wood and metal type were used, but have been replaced with photopolymer plates. Setting type involves placing each individual letter on the base to make your desired word. Today, designs are created on the computer and any design can be transformed into a plate. Letterpress has recently become the go-to printing technique for wedding invitations because these photopolymer plates allow for the use of design elements that make a paper suite more unique than the traditional method of engraving. The main appeal of letterpress is the use of soft cotton paper, which makes the impression feel luxurious to the touch. Although plate making has become modernized, the printing process is still done by hand, one at a time. Each sheet of paper must be run through the press and press set up and getting the perfect alignment is very involved. Also, a separate plate is created for each color and each color requires an additional run through the press. The system of registration comes into play which requires consistent placement for every print. The hands on nature of the craft is what makes letterpress printing an art worth celebrating. My hope is that this brief history lesson will influence my clients to appreciate the art of letterpress and what goes into to creating these luxurious paper suites. Ella Letterpress production consists of everything from start to finish, including design, platemaking, printing, cutting down paper to handcutting and lining the envelopes, so a lot of love goes into each piece of staitonery. Printing is FUN and I ...Read More