Deep Impression vs. Kiss Impression

which do you prefer?

I recently had a long discussion with my mother-in-law about letterpress printed invitations and cards and what makes them different than offset to a “civilian”. people who don’t knowa what letterpress printing is, thinks it can only be letterpress if you have a deep impression ? at least that’s what my mother-in-law understood it to be until I explained to her that back in the day when all there was was letterpress printing, deep impressions (punch) was a no-no. And with technology, letterpress was then replaced with offset. But in more modern times, letterpress printing re-emerged as embossed printing and perhaps have contributed to the survival of letterpress or maybe have at least helped it gain exposure to the average person.

I have a Golding Pearl OS #3 and I don’t push my luck on deep impressions, at least not the kind you can get on a Vandercook or C&P using say a 600gsm paper. so far I’ve found that she can only hand about 300gsm.

so for those of us who may not have a press that can make such a deep impression, how do we market our products as letterpress and not have clients think they’ve been had because the print isn’t punched. it seems that kiss impressions are standard in letterpress printed posters and broadsheets.

thanks for your time ladies and gents.

Sam

Sam,

That’s always a good debate. I still love the idea of not pushing my C&P too hard or Vandy for that matter. I try to do something in between. So you can see a an impression but not over punching it. Especially not so deep that the paper warps etc. It can be difficult to market that but if your design is good and your craftsmanship is excellent, I think most people will see the beauty of it. The conversation with them is always good. That probably didn’t help you with your question on how to market your products. Happy printing!

Kathryn

thanks Kathryn. good point on the design. I have yet to decide on whether to stick with just photopolymers or add in handset type. I also have cuts that I have collected over the years just because they look cool to me. 

sam

Recon it depends on the design. There is a great discussion on the Golding Pearl group/forum that says that the Pearls can handle no more than 1/8 of the platen in ink. I just test pressed a design on my Pearl OS #3 that was type and line art onto 600gsm Cranes Lettra and it made an awesome pillowy deep (too deep in my opinion as it punched through leaving an extrusion through the other side ) impression.

But I agree, the impression is generally what gives letterpress point of difference although many would argue that this is not the case. (I am a newcomer to the craft) I recon it depends on you background. I can understand the argument for both cases of kiss v’s impression. but to the  ‘Un-initiated’, a deep impression is the go!

Unfortunately the Pearls seem to complain and moan a lot if you try an push them too far (well mine anyway). Temperamental old girls!

Davina

Hi Davina,

I was able to acquire some sample papers from Legion Paper and I was able to test run them through my pearl. Looks like she can handle up to 600 gsm. Though I reduced my packing a bit to compensate for the thicker stock. i was able to get a deep impression and not too deep. so perhaps you can try reducing the packing. 

sam

Well I think of it in these terms, I want some impression to show on the front without it making the back of the card look ugly.

Often you need to educate your client about the process, part of what you are selling with letterpress is that it the item is hand made and your taking the time to tell them about how it’s done helps emphases this. When we are talking papers, design etc. I tell clients that what paper you use really makes a difference on how much of an impression you can get, softer cottony, thicker paper allows for more impression than hard, thin stock – so if that blue paper they love only comes in 80lb stock they will be trading color for level of impression. There is a limit to how much impression you can get from a press which varies depending on the presses size and also in the amount of plate area you are trying to print – you are going to get a stronger look of impression with just a line of type as apposed to a paragraph of it (walk on grass in tennis shoes and you get a little dent, wear heels and you are going to sink in.) Also that deeper impression will thicken and some ways distort the type a little bit – which is to say if they picked a delicate looking typeface then pounding the crap out of it is going to take away from that. There are trade offs to be made, getting the client to understand this and to make some choices really helps with being able to deliver a product everyone is happy with.

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