explaining printing processes

• it is the process of printing on a flat surface using printing plates
• the image is transferred onto a printing plate (made from metal or paper)
• the plate is chemically treated so that the areas of where the image is will only accept the ink
• water and ink is applied to the plate
• ink only sticks to the image areas which will reject the water
• and areas without the image will reject the ink
• the plate is rolled onto a rubber cylinder (or blanket) applying the ink areas and then the rubber cylinder applies the image onto paper.

the system is offset as the plate does not come in contact with the paper

• main printing process used for commercially print packaging materials
• it uses a relief image on thin flexible printing plate that are made of rubber
• often used for printing on plastic shopping bags
• it can also be used for newspapers and paperback books
• ink plates with a slightly raised image are rotated on a cylinder which trasnfers the image

• the screen is made from a fine mesh material which is fixed to a wooden frame
• the stencil is placed under the screen
• ink is forced through the stencil onto the material using a squeegee

screen printing is good for using block colours

• image is made up of small holes which are sunk into the surface of a printing plate
• the holes are filled with ink
• paper comes in contact with the ink in the holes when the paper is pressed against the plate

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