| Letter printing is a technique of printing which has | | | | individual set of carved engraved wooden blocks. |
| been in existence since the 15th century. It was | | | | A faster type setter can set the page within a |
| used to print the Gutenberg Bible by Johannes | | | | few minutes. |
| Gutenberg. There has been a conflict of facts | | | | The basic components which a letterpress includes |
| whether the letterpress printing was developed in | | | | are a press bed, rollers for ink, and it also contains |
| East or west, this conflict arouse because there | | | | a tympan. Tympan is nothing but a slightly |
| was a suggestion that the Chinese used a similar | | | | stretched drum or disc shaped on which the |
| method of printing before the Gutenberg Bible | | | | paper is placed. There are some letter presses |
| was printed. Before the development of offset | | | | where the tympan is rolled across the bed for |
| printing letterpress printing remained the primary | | | | printing, while on the other hand a flat tympan is |
| technique of printing for the purpose of | | | | pressed against the bed for the formation of an |
| communicating information. Offset printing was an | | | | impression. In case you want to use multiple |
| extremely significant technological innovation. It | | | | colors then in such a situation multiple passes of |
| has facilitated printed material available to several | | | | the press are to be taken or in some cases the |
| classes of people. | | | | printers also use a split fountain technique wherein |
| Letterpress printing includes the locking of the | | | | several colors of ink are split on the rollers. |
| movable part into a bed of press and then inking | | | | Letterpress printing while it is not in common use, |
| it, and rolling or pressing paper against it to form | | | | letterpress printing though it is valued by many |
| an impression. Before the letterpress technique | | | | artisans. Incase the letterpress printing uses high |
| the technique followed earlier to it both in the | | | | quality paper and inks, then they can create lush |
| east and west was technique which made the | | | | impressions. Letterpress printing is sometimes |
| usage of wooden blocks and carved engravings. | | | | used to create special invitations, art projects, and |
| However Gutenberg was the individual who has | | | | announcements. |
| been credited for the introduction of a movable | | | | Letterpress printing is more time consuming |
| printing technique which could be reused and reset. | | | | technique than offset printing. It also results in |
| This technique revolutionized printing because each | | | | higher costs. There have been several methods |
| page of the book was not characterized by an | | | | developed to make the process more effective. |