There are two primary types of printing processes – digital printing and lithographic (offset) printing. Digital printing, unlike traditional printing methods, does not require printing plates. Instead, a digital printer presses the image directly onto the intended item. This enables printed communications to be produced more efficiently. Lithographic or offset printing operates on the principle that ink and water don’t mix. Art and text are put on thin metal plates dampened by water and ink by rollers on a printing press. The oil-based ink adheres to the image area, while the water bonds to the non-image area. The ink is then transferred onto paper via a rubber cylinder. Lithographic printing is still considered to produce clearer, more defined results, but digital print quality is improving every year. Due to this, people who are looking for highly detailed pictures and rich colours would typically lean towards the lithographic method.