For a print run of 10,000 copies of a full-color fashion magazine, the best printing method would be rotogravure. Rotogravure is well-suited for high volume runs like this because the setup costs are recouped over many copies. It can produce detailed, high quality images in full color. While the initial setup is expensive, the per-copy costs are very low, making it the most cost-effective option for a print run this large. The quality would meet the needs of a fashion magazine and the speed of the machines could handle such a high volume. For these reasons, rotogravure printing would be the optimal choice.

1. Producing Print Based
Media
LO1
Your name

2. To do
• Explain method in own words
• When it was invented/by who (if information is available)
• How the method works/what do you need to do to use this
method
• What does the method look like when used (include images)
• What are the costs involved with using this method
• How quickly the process can be done
• Provide images to illustrate discussion
• Reference at least one example with a image.

3. Hand Printing Methods

4. Etching
Etching first came about in the 1500’s to print by hand. Etching uses a metal printing surface to
print out and etches the print design in to it using strong acid. The method to etch is quite
technical for the era that it was founded; A waxy ground is applied to the metal printing plate. This
is resistant to acid and products the plate. The artist then uses an etching needle to scratch the
design in to the metal plate. The equipment for this method is metal which would usually be some
sort of copper/zinc/steel. A waxy acid resist called ground, hot plate, beeswax and a shard tool
which would be use to etch with. You etch away at the parts you do not want. The acid will eat
away at the parts you do want. Once the plate is finished, it goes in to a bath of acid. The acid
reacts with the metal, leaving small lines that sink in to the plate. The waxy ground is then washed
off before ink is applied to the plate. The ink is rubbed in to the lines cut by the acid and wiped
away from everywhere else. The plate is ready to be put through a printing press to achieve a
print.

5. Etching
This method of printing is very expensive. It also takes up a lot of time as you can imagine. The materials for this
method make up most of the cost as there very expensive to buy. Then you have the print presses usually being
about £1000+ mark. Of course all equipment costs are separate. The time all depends on the artist and how
perfect they want the print to be it can from 2 hours to 6 hours +
This picture shows
Etching in progress.
As you can see its
very detailed and it’s
done by hand which
takes a lot of time.
Artists still use this
method of printing.
However big
companies do not as
it’s very expensive
and time consuming.

6. Linocut
Linocutting was first used as a method of printing in 1905 in Germany. This method includes
Designs are draw on to the linoleum and then material is removed using a knife, a chisel or a
gouger. The artist cuts away the parts of linoleum that are not required for the image. This type
of print produces a reversal of the image you cut or a mirror image. Letters have to be reversed
on the lino if they are to come out the right way round on the final print. Lino cuts are a relief
printing method as the printing surface is raised up. The equipment used with this method
includes linocut, shard bladed knife and a inker roller. Once you have cut the lino, ink or pain can
be applied before you press it against whatever you are printing on. You can make images with
several colours if you cut different versions of your lino, each one planned for the particular
colour. This design will end up and come out as a mirror image. So when you are producing the
design that is something you need to think about. You can do this method lots and lots of times.

7. Linocut
This method is incredibly cheap compared to the etching. The materials do not cost that much to purchase
compared to the etching to. However like this etching this method is again very time consuming it also depends on
the skill that you have to how long it may take you. Lino cut is quite a cheap method to start working with and
creating simple designs is easy. It is often used in schools as an introduction to printing.
Lino cut is still used
today but big printing
companies do not use
this as they are more
better ways to print
with a lot bigger
results than this
printing method. On
the right you can see
some example of lino
cutting. They can
make really
interesting and
detailed prints.

8. Comparison
• As I have already said Linocutting is a lot cheaper than etching is. The materials for
etching are a lot more expensive than the materials for Linocutting. This make lino
cutting a lot more available in schools and for artists. Whereas schools do not use
etching. Etching however gives more detail than lino cut which is one of the better
qualities to etching. Both of these methods use ink. Etching was one of the first
printing methods which means it has been around a longer than lino cutting has.
As it was founded in the 1500’s.

9. Mechanical Methods

10. Letterpress
Around the 1500’s a printing method was founded called letterpress. This again was one of the
early printing methods. This method of printing includes a set of letter blocks, ink and printing
press. This method is not complicated compared to other methods. . Individual letters are
arranged in order to create a page of type. This is then inked before being put in to the printing
press. The press creates a large amount of pressure which transfers the ink on to the paper. The
moveable type then allows for the letter to be rearranged to create another page. This is a relief
printing method, like lino cut, because the printing surface is raised. The print is also a reverse of
the printing plate so letters and words are created as mirror images to ensure they come out the
right way around when letterpress printing creates an interesting look and indents the page
slightly. It works very well of heavy paper stock such as wedding invitations and business cards.

11. Letterpress
Letterpress is very simple which makes it a lot less time consuming. This replaced the method of copying books by
hand writing each one to make the copies. It is not longer that expensive as time and technology has progressed.
This method pays for itself depending how much you use. This method is easy to learn. You get better and better
at it the more times you do it
Letterpress is still used
today to create
different types of
celebration cards.
More smaller cards
companies will use this
method as the bigger
companies have better
ways to print cards
which can print larger
batches. The images on
the right show finished
results of this method.

12. Rotogravure
This printing method was founded in the late 19th century. With rotogravure printing an
image is etched on the surface of a metal plate or cylinder . The etched areas are filled
with ink and the raised portions of the plate or cylinder are wiped free of ink. This is very
similar to the etching process. Once the printing plates are prepared, paper or other
material is pressed against the inked plate or cylinder to make a print. This method is
similar to the etching method. This is because you have to etch the design into the
cylinder. This method can produce fine and detailed images like etching can do. It is like a
more advanced etching method.

13. Rotogravure
This method It can be used for short print runs but it is most cost effective on long runs as there is a
considerable cost associated with setting up for printing. It can be used for CMYK printing where each
colour is applied with its own plate or cylinder with drying steps in between. This is not a time consuming
method which makes it so likeable. However it is very expensive.
This method is still used
today with commercial
printing companies. It is
used to produce large
runs of print copies
such as magazines and
newspapers.
Companies will have
owned these machines
for a long time which
makes this method for
them cost efficient.
Here is an image of the
machinery used with
this method.

14. Comparison
• Rotogravure is used more in commercial environments compared to letterpress
which is more for an artists or a smaller independent companies use. Rotogravure
is a lot more expensive than letterpress because of the machinery that you have to
buy. A letterpress is a lot easier to own yourself than the machinery of the
rotogravure. A rotogravure is more efficient and faster at printing lots of things at
once such as magazines whereas letterpress is better at printing short runs of
products such as birthday cards for a independent company.

15. Digital Methods

16. Photocopying
This printing method is a lot more modern than some of this other that I have talked
about. The first proper photocopying machine was created in 1960. In photocopying it
is normally all done by one machine which can be many sizes. Larger companies use
very big photocopiers whereas you can purchase small photocopies for your home.
Every photocopies has a cylinder which is covered in a photoconductive material that
becomes conductive when exposed to light. When the lamp shines on the original
document the white areas reflect the light onto the surface of the cylinder. The areas of
the cylinder that are exposed to light become conductive. The area of the drum not
exposed to light, the black parts of the document are negatively charged. The toner
used in a photocopier is a positively charged powder which is attracted to the areas
that are negatively charged (black areas).

17. Photocopying
Photocopying is very cheap. If you already have the machine then you will only need to buy
paper and ink if you don’t have any. It gets expensive if you need to buy the machine for this
method. Most people can access a photocopier at schools, home, libraries, work.
Photocopiers are both
good for long runs and
short runs. This machine is
very much used today.
Most businesses, schools,
homes and work places
will own a photocopier so
they are very easy to find.
Most electrical shops will
also sell them like pc world
or curry's. They are not
really used to print out
magazines and newspapers
by big companies as there
a more efficient methods
of printing to do this.

18. Laser Printing
Laser printers work in the same way as a photocopier, with a laser beam charging
specific parts of a cylinder which then allows the powdered ink to stick to the negatively
charged sections. Heat and pressure is then used to stick the ink to the page. Laser
printers are often smaller than a photocopier and cheaper to run. They produce good
quality prints and do it quite quickly, making them perfect for small office use. Colour
laser printers are faster than inkjet printers. They are usually how a lower cost per page
cost. They can be used at home because they are very small. However big companies
do not use them as there quality of printing is to much for this method. The price of
one is around £100, This is a relatively good price for what this method of printing can
do for you at home and at offices.

19. Laser Printing
This is a cheaper way of printing compared to other types of printing I have discussed.
It’s very much like a photocopier its cheap if you have the equipment it’s expensive if
you have to buy it all. They are very well designed for office use and home use.
Laser printing is still a
modern type of
printing and is till used
in offices and at
home. They are cost
efficient for people
and they can produce
long runs and short
runs of prints. The
outcome of the prints
still look professional
for the cheap price.

20. Comparison
• Both laser and photocopying have the same type of technology behind them. They
both can be use in office and home use and can come in a verity of sizes. They
both can give you coloured prints. They are both good value for money for the
standard of prints that they produce however a laser printer costs a lot cheaper to
buy than a photocopier. But they are both relatively cheap once you have bought
all the equipment. They both can be incorporate into the same product.

21. Print Methods Situations

22. To Do
• For each of the following scenarios, you need
to decide on the best printing method to use.
• You need to explain your choice of method
considering technical and aesthetic qualities,
cost, speed and the skills and knowledge
required.

23. 100 high quality wedding invitations.
• Your client wants very high quality wedding
invitation and is prepared for them to cost a
lot of money and take time to produce. The
invitations will be on high quality paper. The
invitations will only have text on them.

24. Decision and justification
For this I would use a letterpress. The letterpress method is a better method for making
high quality cards/invitations. Letterpress allows the invitations to have a lot of detail at a
high quality standard it also allows the invitations to be printed on high quality paper like
the brief wanted. However this method would take a long time to print each card when
there is 100 that need to be printed but the brief does state that they are happy for it to
take a long time. The cost of this print would be expensive costing at least £300 it would
be advised that a professional company should be paid to do this as then the result
would be to a high standard and they would have all the equipment.

25. 50 special edition greetings cards.
• Your client, a talented local artist, wants to
produce small print runs of greetings cards.
They do not want to use electronic printing
methods. They need a cheap and simple
method of printing so they can produce small
runs of different designs but it needs to look
arty and handmade when it’s finished.

26. Decision and justification
For this client I would recommend the linocut. This method is perfect for individual
artists because it creates a handmade look with each card because each card will be
different which makes it look arty. This method is perfect for short print runs because it
takes some time to create each card. It is quite time consuming. Another great quality of
this method is that its very cheap to create. This is why it is perfect for independent
artist use. This method is very simple to use this is why it is very popular in schools. It is
not electronic which was one of the points in the brief and there is only a few tools that
you need but nothing to complicated. If they run out of equipment it is very cheap to
buy compared to other printing methods like etching. They can pick the tools up very
cheaply for example a set of Linocutting tools on eBay can cost £7.99 and the linocut
costs £6.99-£15.99. This is why I think it is the perfect method for this brief.

27. 3000 flyers for coffee shop.
• You client has a one week only special coming
up and wants 3000 basic, single colour flyers
to promote it. As the flyers will be given out in
the street they only need to be cheap, in fact,
the cheaper the better. They also need to be
produced quickly.

28. Decision and justification
For this brief I would recommend the method of printing to be a photocopier. This method is
good for long runs of printing which in this case is perfect for. As 3000 prints need to be
printed. They can single colour by changing the colour of the paper instead of using white
paper. This is a very fast process and can be very cheap. As they are very easy to get hold of.
Libraries will have them and other public places like schools and business centres. They are
very easy to get. It only gets expensive if you buy one yourself. One print usually costs 3p at
the minimum it could be more at some places. They are still a lot cheaper than a lot of other
printing method and a lot more faster and effective for this type of print product.

29. 100 copies of the village news letter.
• The parish council want to produce a monthly
news letter for the village. It will be a single
side of A4. It will mostly contain text but might
occasionally have a black and white picture. It
will be given away for free so should be cheap.
The council would be interested in printing it
themselves to save money.

30. Decision and justification
The photocopier will be the cheapest printing method that they can use. As they say it will be in
black and white it will be even cheaper for them to print it off a photocopier. As the minimum
cost is 3p per copy they will be saving on the extra cost for colour. This method is great for long
runs as it is fast and print off an A4 sheet of paper really fast. The council will own a photocopier
because they are a large establishment running a business so this will sae them money as they
can do it themselves and they won’t have to ask a company/pay to do it for them. This method
most suits this brief because it is most effective as it is very fast taking about 20 seconded to
print each sheet depending on how much text and images are on the one side. This will be very
fast for the amount they need to print. This will make is monthly and they will not be pushing
for time each month which they might be if they sent it off to a company to do.

31. 10,000 copies of a fashion magazine
• WM Fashion want to produce a new catalogue
to send out to its current customers as well as
its existing ones. It needs to be high quality
colour printing but it needs to have a low per
copy cost.

32. Decision and justification
Rotogravure is most effective for long print runs. This is how to make the most of this
printing method. This method is quite expensive if you need to buy the machine but
cheap if you already have one. The other option is to pay a company to print them on
their machine which could also be expensive. But overall the cost mixed with the time it
takes is overall is worth the money. The actually copy cost is cheap costing as little as 10p
a sheet in some companies. This printing method can also use colour which is perfect for
this magazine. As they want high standard printing this is what this machine gives you. A
lot of big print companies will use this method to print magazines and magazines because
of the high standard of printing and of how fast it is with long runs.