Camera operators photograph and develop negatives of the copy. Lithographic dot etchers retouch film negatives. They work by hand, using chemicals, dyes, and special tools. Dot etchers use their knowledge of the characteristics of paper in order to produce fine shades of color. Dot etchers are also known as letterers or retouchers.
Strippers arrange and paste film or prints of type and artwork on the layout sheets.
Then they pass the sheets onto platemakers who use a photographic process to make printing plates. Platemakers put the negative sheets on metal plates that are treated with a light-sensitive chemical. Then they expose the negatives and the plates to ultraviolet light. Next platemakers develop the plates in a solution that removes the unexposed areas. Some typesetting systems can produce printing plates without the help of platemakers.