Letterpress printing

Letterpress printing is a relief-printing technique in which raised surfaces—traditionally metal or wooden type—are inked and then pressed into paper to create an impression. In a letterpress form, everything you want printed is raised, and everything you want blank is recessed. Ink is rolled onto the raised areas, paper is pressed against them, and the pressure transfers the ink, leaving a crisp, tactile imprint. For centuries, this method was the primary way text was reproduced, from single-page broadsides to lengthy books.

The process is accomplished through several steps. First, individual pieces of type (each representing a letter, punctuation mark, or spacing element) are arranged by hand into words and lines. These lines are locked into a metal frame called a chase to hold the composition tightly in place. After inking the type surface with rollers, the printer operates a press—either manually or mechanically—to apply pressure and transfer the inked design onto sheets of paper. Modern letterpress artists often use photopolymer plates instead of metal type, allowing digital designs to be produced with the same relief-printing method.

Historically, letterpress printing revolutionized publishing. Introduced in Europe by Johannes Gutenberg around 1450, movable type allowed books to be reproduced faster and more consistently than scribal hand-copying, fueling the spread of literacy, religious texts, scientific knowledge, and political ideas. For roughly 500 years, letterpress dominated the publishing industry, powering newspapers, novels, pamphlets, and virtually all printed communication. Its importance began to decline in the 20th century with the rise of offset lithography and digital typesetting, which were more efficient for mass production. Today, letterpress survives primarily as a craft and artistic practice—valued for its tactile quality, visual richness, and connection to the historical roots of printing.