Invitation Printing, Personalized Invitations

Invitation cards are sent out to people to request their presence at a particular event. Regardless of the type of event, an invitation card is an important aspect of the planning process. The type of invitation card will depend on the event you are planning, whether it is a birthday, a wedding, graduation, baby shower, or just a business gathering. Invitations typically convey the nature of your gathering. These days, invitation cards are often printed on rich and exotic designer papers.

The most popular methods used for printing invitation cards include thermography and engraving. The printing plate used for thermography is made of a metal or plastic sheet, which is very thin and flexible. This form of printing is also known as ‘poor man's engraving’. It produces raised printing that looks quite similar to engraving, however the process is entirely different. In this process, a special powder is added to the ink after it is printed on the paper. The next step is to heat the printed piece, so that the dried ink and powder mixture produces a raised effect on the paper. Due to the raised effect, this form of printing is also called raised printing. Thermography is also known as offset thermography. It is generally used as an inexpensive alternative to engraving. It is frequently used to print business cards, wedding invitations, and letterheads. This process requires three drums cylinders that churn out the printed images in bulk quantities.

Engraving is the traditional method of printing, which is usually used for special invitations such as wedding cards. Words are etched into heavy cotton paper in this form of printing. In the past, small pieces of tissue were used to separate the enclosures in engraved invitations to avoid the smudging of slow drying inks. Tissues are not required these days, as the ink is of superior quality. However, tissues are still used in invitation cards to impart a rich and elegant look to the invitation. Although engraved invitations are expensive to print, they are truly a class apart.

For the purpose of engraving, copper, steel, or magnesium dies are used. The images to be printed are etched underneath the surface of the plate. A ‘counter’, which is a mirror image of the printing area, is required to act as a ‘receiver’ to the master die. When engraving, the area around the engraving plate should be made smoother and flatter than the paper stock itself. The engraving presses used for this purpose are very heavy in order to exert pressure on the paper sheet while engraving. First, the ink is spread evenly over the die, to fill the recesses on the sheet to be printed. The excess ink is eventually removed with the help of a ‘squeegee’. You will generally find significant impressions on the reverse side of the sheet. On the printed side, the print is slightly raised, similar to thermography printing, although its sheen is absent.

The ink used for engraving is thick and opaque. The opaque ink is known to produce dramatic results on dark papers, and has the ability to produce detailed and elaborate images. By using a technique of overprinting on the opaque inks, you can create multi-colored designs by adding layers. The process of engraving takes a longer time compared to thermography. Even the engraving dies used are comparatively more expensive. However, unlike plates used for offset printing, engraving dies can be used repeatedly.

You can even print your invitation cards for those special occasions at home. The modern desktop printers available these days are of superior quality, producing excellent images. Proper setting of the printer and good quality paper stock is all that is required to begin your printing assignment. Make sure that you set the correct margins before starting. It is advisable to test print before purchasing paper stock. You can select a nice border for your invitation card to enhance its visual appeal.

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