Letterpress, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways

For pretty much anyone into print and packaging design, letterpress holds a special place in people's hearts for being one of the most beautiful ways to make an impression on paper. And for print nerds like me who design for letterpress, there's just something that is pure magic; inking up colour by colour, one layer, one impression at a time. 

So when I got the idea to start my print studio, I wanted to offer letterpress printing because of how gorgeous, unique and tactile the results are. 

Thinking of choosing letterpress for your next project? Here are my top five reasons for choosing this one-of-a-kind print method:

5. The process and machinery date back hundreds of years. Want a printed piece with character? Something non-digital, set by hand using actual people power? This is it. 

4. It's high-end. There is a true craft to letterpress printing, and it's a process that can be just as much time-consuming as it can be rewarding in getting stellar results. No wonder it's commonly used in marking life's most meaningful events (wedding invitations, anyone?).

3. Ink colours delightfully layer up and play together. Letterpress inks are transparent, so when you print one ink colour over another, a new colour is created. Magic!

2. Your hands know the difference. Holding a letterpress-printed piece feels so different from other print methods. You can run your fingers over the design and feel the impression or "bite" made into the cotton paper.

1. Your eyes know the difference - nothing else looks like it. If uniqueness is what you're going for, letterpress is a visually delicious way to communicate something with elegance and authenticity.