What makes some printing more expensive than other printing?

What makes some printing more expensive than other printing? 

(Blog Topic Week 2)

I believe in a lot of things that go into more expensive printing. Some key factors are the paper size and color. the paper size can vary in different jobs and projects the bigger the paper the more ink for color and that will lead to more money. A very bright color or very dark color can need a more ink intake. Can the funds for a different gloss or texture color will also be more expensive. The more actions it takes for your design to come alive the more money you will need.

 Another expensive printing option will be the weight of the paper. Different jobs and projects may request a curtain paper weight (look) to the design. It may be business card and they want it to have a thicker look and feel that will cost more money to print. Letter head paper could be one of the request , Companies tend to want a more heaver look and feel to the letter heads to have a more bold and professional look. Paper weight and texture can make or break a design and is very important to always re evaluate what look you are creating and printing should always be in the back of your mind while designing.

  INFORMATION FOUND ON: http://www.moosewalkstudios.com

There are two methods of creating reproductions of fine art in use today. The older, traditional method is off-set lithography where hundreds or thousands of prints can be produced at one time allowing for a less expensive and frequently inferior print. The newer, more sophisticated process is called giclee (pronounced zhee-clay) where prints are produced one at a time with great color and texture accuracy.
With off-set lithography, a photographic image of the original work is created. The image is then separated into individual color plates corresponding to the color inks to be used in the final printing process. Each color is printed individually from a metal plate requiring any number of runs through a press with the printer trying to match the position of each layer of ink printed (not always successfully) to the layer of ink below (called registration). The quality and weight of the paper is limited by the capabilities of the press and the colors can vary depending on the quantity and quality of the ink used. The process is not unlike the process used to print newspapers and magazines.

Offset Lithography	Giclee Printing
Photograph of original work Colors printed separately Multiple passes from the same original Ink quality varies Print media is limited	High resolution computer image original Digital image editing/correction Prints produced on at a time All colors printed in a single pass High quality inks Variety of print media (paper, canvas, etc.)

With the giclee process, a computer image of the original work is created. The image created is very high resolution and is true to the original in terms of brushwork, texture and color. A technician then manipulates the computer file to get the appearance even closer to that of the original, with the correct color being the key element. Once the artist approves a proof, the image is stored as a file on the computer. Each print is then produced one at a time to guarantee accuracy. Unlike the off-set process, which requires multiple passes through the press with the hope of producing accurate colors, all of the colors of the giclee are produced using archival pigments with one pass allowing complete color, texture, and brushwork accuracy for each print. Furthermore, the printing can be done on the same type of surface (canvas, paper, etc.) as the original work of art.
When a giclee is placed next to the original, it is nearly impossible to tell which the original is and which the giclee is.
How permanent is a giclee? In recent years the ink industry has developed stable, light-fast, pigment inks for large format computers used to produce the giclee. At the same time, the paper industry has expanded and improved lines of paper to make them compatible with specialized, computer printers. This combination has made giclees viable as permanent pieces of art. You can purchase a giclee knowing that it will increase in value just as the original work of art.