Letterpress Printing

Letterpress printing is a technique of relief printing using a printing press, a process by which many copies of the same print are made by repeated direct impression of an inked, raised surface against sheets of paper. Letterpress printing is good for business cards, wedding invitations, specialty packaging - anything that you want to print multiples of and want to be unique!

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How Much Does It Cost?

Letterpress printing projects are priced out based on the variables of printing, which are outlined below. If you would like a free quote on a project or would like any of this information clarified, please feel free to  email lyz@pranksterpress.com!  Also keep in mind that many of these charges are waived for larger orders. 

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• Cost of Printing Labor will be the bulk of the cost of letterpress printing. Letterpress projects are typically charged per impression, which means that each time your design is printed onto your paper, there is a small charger.

  • Designs with multiple colors require multiple impressions per sheet because each color needs to be printed separately. Double sided prints also require multiple impressions, because we’ll be printing once on the front of the paper, and once on the back.

  • Keep in mind that small designs can sometimes be printed more efficiently by arranging the design in multiples on your printing plates (such as one design repeated twice on one printing plate), and then printing onto one sheet of paper which can be cut down to the correct size after the ink has dried. By doing this, we can cut down on your number of impressions and the overall price of printing your project!

  • Have pricing questions or a letterpress project in mind? Email lyz@pranksterpress.com for a free quote!

• Cost of Paper & Ink. We can provide guidance as you choose your paper and ink.Thicker papers will take a deeper impression better than thin papers, and smoother papers will print more evenly. However, textured papers can create an interesting printed effect.

• Cost of Printing Plates, which are the raised relief plates your designs will be made into for printing. Each plate must be small enough to fit in the printable area of the press, which means plates must be less than 8 inches by 11 inches.

  • Magnesium Die Cut Printing Plates typically cost between $50 – $200 each, depending on the size.

  • Photopolymer Plates cost between $35 – $75 per plate, depending on the size. They are less durable, but still very effective depending on your specific project. 

• Cost of Additional Consultation. We provide up to 2 hours of free consultation  for every project – additional consultation beyond that is $35/hour. Consultation includes, but is not limited to, editing images/designs accommodate the specifications of printing on a letterpress, consulting with designers to create the best layout, etc. 

• Cost of Specialty Material Preparation. This typically only applies to projects require very specific papers or paper sizes that need to be cut down by hand, or have corners rounded by hand to the extent that substantial additional time is added to printing services. 

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Need clarification about any of these charges? Email lyz@pranksterpress.com with any questions or a free estimate!