Currently CLOSED for printed orders but our digital shop is open. See details.

Currently CLOSED for printed orders but our digital shop is open. See details.

Printing Methods

Here at Scotti Cline Designs we offer three different methods of printing to help accommodate every client's budget - flat, letterpress, and foil printing. 

Flat Printing

Flat printing or digital printing is our most commonly used form of printing. The process is similar to how you print on your home desktop printer but we use professional grade printers for a well saturated and beautiful finish. Flat printing is our most cost effective printing method and requires less production time than letterpress printing. If there's a letterpress design you've fallen in love with, we can also use flat printing to print the design (without the impression into the paper of course). The number of matte colors used does not change the price for digital printing, unlike letterpress and foil printing.

Flat Printing Examples

Photo credits: Dana Cubbage | Hayley Foster | Hayley Foster

Letterpress Printing

Letterpress printing is one of the oldest printing methods in existence. Johannes Gutenberg is credited for inventing this method in 1450 and it has received a resurgence in use lately in the wedding invitation world because of the beautiful impression it creates on paper. Originally it was considered bad letterpress form for the plate to create an actual impression on the paper but today that is actually the desired effect and has evolved into a true art by letterpress printers. 

In order to print your invitation by letterpress, a photopolymer, magnesium, or copper plate is created with your design. Ink is hand mixed to reach the correct color and then laid across that plate by the letterpress machine. The plate is pressed into the paper with enough force that the design is actually pressed deeper than the rest of the paper. Only one color and one sheet of paper at time can be used with each press of the letterpress machine. Because of this unique and time consuming printing method, letterpress printing is more expensive than flat printing and requires more production time. 

 

Letterpress Printing Examples

 Photo credits: Dana Cubbage | Scotti Cline Designs | Dana Cubbage

See all Letterpress Save the Dates

See all Letterpress Wedding Invitations

 

Foil Printing

We don't like to play favorites but foil printing is probably our favorite. If you want a true metallic, foil printing is the way to go. Though foil is also available in many non-metallic colors with gloss or matte finishes. 

Foil printing is similar to letterpress printing in that a plate is made of your design but with foil the plate is usually made of copper or brass. This metal plate is then heated and pressed through a sheet of foil onto whatever material you would like to foil print. Because of the unique print method, we can print on unusual materials like acrylic or suede fabric that are not able to be flat or letterpress printed. Foil printing is close in price but a little more expensive than letterpress printing and similar to letterpress in production timeline. 

Foil Printing Examples

Examples of champagne foil, gold foil, and rose gold foil by Scotti Cline Designs

Examples of champagne foil, classic gold foil, and rose gold foil

 

Cardstock Comparison

See photos below for a comparison between our Signature Stock and Cotton Stock (shown digitally printed and letterpress printed). Both of our stocks are a lovely off white color, not a bright white and not a yellow/cream. Both a brighter white and a more yellow/ecru color can be special ordered in either stock, please let us know at the time of your order if this is something you are interested in so we can let you know pricing and have it ordered in plenty of time so as not to delay production. 

Comparing flat and letterpress printing by Scotti Cline Designs

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