Intro to Modern Digital Printing Techniques – A guest post by James at Photo Art Canvas.
1993 was the year that Jurassic Park came out…..
It was also the year that digital printing came in existence. It’s been just over two decades and even know there is some speculation about whether the industry is “dead” because there is a perception that people no longer print photographs, digital printing is as strong as ever.
A lot has happened within the industry in the last 20 years. Even though there have been developments in printing techniques, the four main technologies that existed in 1993 are still primarily used. They are inkjet, digital photo printing, dye sublimation and eletrophotography. Let’s have a look at each one in a bit more detail.
Inkjet
Inkjet printers are the most common type of printer. They can range from cheap models used at home to industry machines that can be extremely expensive. Inkjet printing creates digital images from a computer by placing droplets of ink onto products like plastic and paper.
The first inkjet photo was printed in 1989, but it wasn’t until digital printing that it exploded in popularity. There are two main technologies used in modern inkjet printers – continuous Inkjet, which creates a continuous steam of ink drops by using a high press pump and a thin nozzle, and drop on demand, which uses thermal heating to propels droplets of ink on a surface.
Digital Photo Printing
What differentiates digital printing with tradition methods is the plates have to be replaced in lithography and letterpress, while in digital printing they don’t.
The two main processes of digital photo printing are inkjet (mentioned above) and laser printers (which can print onto a wide array of surfaces including paper, canvas, glass, metal and marble. Instead of soaking into the surface, like convention ink does, digital photo printing places a thin layer of ink or toner on the surface.
The advantage of this is that the surface can be repeatedly painted over, allowing for a more versatile and complex image.
There are photographers who swear by digital photo printing, believing it is superior to other technologies. However, no printing technology is the best. It really comes down personal choice and how specific features benefit the user.
Dye Sublimation
While it is not the most common type of printing, dye sublimation is still employed by certain photographers wanting to get a specific look. The process uses heat to transfer dye onto surfaces. Initially, the image is printed onto transfer paper (from an inkjet printer) and transferred to the surface using heat and pressure. This is particular beneficial when transferring to metal as is very durable and easy to clean.
Electrophotography
Just like the name suggests, electrophotography can print an image with an electrostatic charge, an invention that dates back to 1938. The Chester Carlson created an electrically charged drum that could print imagines with dry powder and toner.
Electrophotography is also known as dry printing, because it doesn’t need wet ink. Originally, the technology could only produce grey scale reproductions, but a machine capable of printing colour has seen been developed.
Post provided by James from Photo Art Canvas, Canvas Printing experts based on the sunny shores of Perth, Australia.
