Offset Printing 101
Offset printing is a printing technique where an inked image is transferred (or “offset”) from a plate to a blanket, then to the paper. The lithographic process is based on the repulsion of oil and water; the image to be printed obtains ink from ink rollers, while the non-printing area attracts a water-based film (“fountain solution”), keeping the non-printing areas ink-free. In very basic terms: A printing plate (with a positive…