STATIONERY WEDDING BUSINESS HOLIDAY EVENTS SYMPATHY SALE OUR PRINTING PROCESSES Various printing techniques can add personality to your correspondence. Learn about different printing processes and techniques from the experts at Crane. SET THE TONE Like the elegant decor at a party, where you know the host has thought of every detail, your stationery sets the tone for your correspondence. Professionalism and sophistication for your company’s letterhead. Joyful anticipation for your wedding invitations. Sincerity and gratitude for the thank you notes you’ll send following significant life events and small, thoughtful gestures alike. Rather than starting from a blank canvas, you can convey that tone from first glance through Crane’s masterful printing processes. The way the ink is pressed onto the paper, the raised design you can feel underneath your fingers, an array of colors or a sleek, monochromatic finish — every detail works together to give you a distinctive voice before you even begin writing. MORE THAN 250 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PRINTING However you envision those details, our craftsmen and women will bring your idea to life. Over the past three centuries, Crane has mastered a full range of printing techniques to choose from for any style and personality. With master printers that specialize in each technique, you can trust their knowledge and expertise to help you create your iconic, personalized piece of stationery that will be worthy of the words and sentiments it holds. HOW TO CHOOSE A PRINTING TECHNIQUE FOR YOUR STATIONERY When your recipients receive a greeting, they’ll know it’s from you before they even read a word. The printing technique you choose reflects your own unique personality and the spirit you want to convey. Our range of processes creates an option for every personal style: ENGRAVING Like running your hand over the raised seal on a diploma, when you touch an engraved piece of stationery, you can sense its significance. You feel the raised design and see the rich luster of the ink precisely adorning each letter and stroke. And when you turn the paper over, you can observe the delicate indentation of the text and graphics. Engraved stationery simply embodies sophistication. To bring an engraved design to life, your text and graphics are carefully etched into a copper plate known as a die. With each pass the engraver applies ink to the plate, letting it pool in the hollows of the design, then gently cleans away the remaining ink from the surface of the die with a single wipe, leaving a perfect image of your design ready for printing. Each piece of paper is delicately and precisely pressed in between the die and its handcrafted counter to shape, mold and form the letters into a distinctive, raised, and colored sculptural effect. LEARN MORE ABOUT ENGRAVING THERMOGRAPHY Thermography creates a similar tactile experience as engraving, with vibrant raised graphics and letters. Each card is printed using a high-speed process in which ink is applied with a kiss of polymer plate to the very top of the paper. Then, a resinous powder is dusted across the surface of the card, attaching to the wet ink. Finally, heat is applied to activate the powder, resulting in a raised, luscious texture that you can feel on the surface of the paper. It’s not only the tactile nature of thermography that makes it memorable, however; it also produces a unique visual effect. The heated ink results in a wonderfully glossy finish, adding luster and brightness that immediately catches your eye. Offering polish and elegance, this technique is most often requested for invitations, certificates, and letterheads. LEARN MORE ABOUT THERMOGRAPHY EMBOSSING Whether you want to place your company’s logo on letterhead or personalize greeting cards with your monogram, embossing can help you create a minimalist, elegant look. Because this printing technique uses no ink, it’s sometimes referred to as blind embossing. Embossing, like engraving, creates a raised image by pressing paper onto a copper plate. However, because ink isn’t used in the process, the raised image stands on its own. Blind embossing leans into the power of light and shadow, creating visual depth that can be used on its own or integrated with other printing processes. Whether you use this technique to add a subtle frame to a business card or prominently feature a monogram on the front of your personal stationery, embossing can elevate your correspondence with timeless elegance. LEARN MORE ABOUT EMBOSSING LETTERPRESS You can experience the luxury of letterpress both visually and tangibly. Examine a piece of letterpress stationery—a wedding invitation, for example—and you will feel the indentations of the graphics and text pressed into the paper and see the rich, deep tones of the ink. Once a primary method for printing books, letterpress originated in the 1400s. Now considered more of an art form, letterpress can be used to elevate invitations, prints, and stationery. In some ways, you can think of this printing technique like the inverse of engraving. Letterpress printers set type and motifs in reverse on a letterpress plate, which they then ink and press onto the surface of the paper. The pressing process transfers the ink and leaves a deep impression on the paper, creating a three-dimensional print. It’s an ideal printing technique for designs that are rich in color or feature bold fonts. Letterpress works best on heavier weight paper that has been crafted specifically to absorb the impression and ink of letterpress. Crane’s Lettra paper has become that paper, the gold standard for letterpress printing across the world. LEARN MORE ABOUT LETTERPRESS FOIL STAMPING Special occasions call for special printing techniques. Foil stamping, which creates the metallic details that often adorn wedding invitations and holiday cards, can give a glimpse into how special, decadent and memorable your upcoming event will be. For this printing technique, foil made of metal or other colored materials is transferred through a heated stamping process onto paper. Metal dies heat the foil, and the pressure adheres the foil to the paper. You’ll often see metallics, like gold, silver, or rose gold used for this technique, but you can also use other standout colors, like black or pearl white. LEARN MORE ABOUT FOIL STAMPING DIGITAL PRINTING For detailed designs that require crisp details or a full range of colors—like a photo on a holiday card or birth announcement—digital printing is an ideal printing technique. Unlike the traditional printing you might use in an office or at home, our state- of-the-art printers use six ink colors and microscopic dot patterns called rosettes to build vibrant, high-contrast images and clearly defined graphics. The rich colors achieved through high-end digital printing allow the printer to create an accurate reproduction of an image, whether a photo, digital art, or a hand- drawn illustration. Combined with a smooth, bright paper—like Crane’s Kid Finish in Fluorescent White —digital printing absolutely dazzles. And if you’re up against a deadline or need to get your thank you notes out yesterday, digital printing can help you move faster. It’s a quick, high-quality method that doesn’t sacrifice style. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIGITAL PRINTING ABOUT US When you reflect upon your past, it’s easy to see how individual moments aligned to lead you to where you are now. LEARN MORE ETIQUETTE Etiquette rules have changed over the years, and today, etiquette looks different LEARN MORE OUR PAPERS Crane’s high quality paper is made from cotton for premium softness and texture. LEARN MORE POST SCRIPT BLOG OUR PRINTING PROCESSES Learn about different printing processes and techniques that set the tone for your correspondence VIEW POST OUR PAPERS: THE PERFECT CANVAS Discover what makes our high quality cotton papers so memorable VIEW POST ABOUT CRANE When you reflect upon your past, it's easy to see how individual moments aligned to lead you to where you are now VIEW POST ACCOUNT My Account Shipping & Delivery Order Status COMPANY About Crane Printing Processes Papers Etiquette Post Script Blog Careers HELP Store Locator Crane Concierge Returns FAQs Accessibility CONNECT Email Facebook Instagram © 2021 Crane Stationery LET'S STAY IN TOUCH Be the first to know about special promotions, new collections and more when you sign up for our emails! Your Email SUBMIT