Harness the Power of Digital Printing on Your Next Design Project

In case you haven’t been paying attention to what’s happening in the printing industry, you might be surprised to learn just how much digital technology has transformed the client’s both visual and tactile experience. Now clients can employ a wide range of special digital printing techniques to take their designs from “good” to “wow” while saving time and money. And they can personalize materials in ways that go far beyond traditional mail merge services.

“Foil stamping, embossing, die cutting — those methods used to be how we created standout pieces for clients,” explains Judd Plattenburg, president at Oregon Printing. “But it was expensive. We had to send those jobs to specialists, and it would add a minimum of $500 to every project. But today we can create embellishments using white ink, print on an assortment of substrates, print highly personalized materials using databases, and so much more.”

The popularity of digital printing is undeniable. According to recent research, by 2032 digital printing will soar to $230.5 billion, reaching about a quarter of the global value of all print and printed packaging.

According to Judd, personalization mixed with creative ideas is the key to success with this growing technology. “There’s so much we can do now with different paper — mirror coatings are particularly cool, and metallic inks have become popular, too.”

Short on Time, Impact on Design

To invite guests to attend their special 40^th Anniversary Gala, The Wellington School in Columbus, Ohio, reached out to Hucklebuck Design, who in turn reached out to Oregon Printing for help creating an impactful invitation that would feature some type of embellishment, but they were limited to a short timeframe. Judd suggested they explore solutions using their HP Indigo printer, one of the most productive commercial digital printers on the market. Taking advantage of how this printer uses white ink they designed a square invitation that featured white ink on dark paper stock and employed a gate or “barn door” fold.

“I felt like it was a great solution since we wanted the project to have impact while still getting completed quickly,” explains Judd. “The nice thing about our HP Indigo is that liquid white ink can go on first, followed by the other ink. This is unique because we can entirely prevent registration issues — basically it’s revolutionary.”

From Short Runs to Complex Campaigns: Getting Things Done in Record Time

Amanda Farrell, senior creative director at The University of Cincinnati Foundation, has been working with Oregon Printing for years and is thrilled with what they’ve been able to accomplish using digital printing techniques. “They have provided this inspiring place to test, learn, and experiment,” explains Amanda. “They are such an accommodating partner when it comes to finding creative and affordable ways to create whatever we dream up.”

There was one project where they discovered the perfect finish for an invitation by accident. “We achieved the illusion of a gloss finish without doing it,” explains Amanda. “We experimented with black uncoated paper using the HP Indigo and noticed that the ink on the black paper provided the perfect sheen once it dried. It resembled the depth and dimension traditionally achieved using offset printing.”

Open Collaboration Between Designer and Printer Is Key

The digital printing industry is constantly evolving as emerging technologies hit the market. To understand the possibilities and to help you achieve your desired results, you need a printing partner who is not only knowledgeable but willing to experiment and innovate in their approach to your project.

Charlotte Edlin has been partnering with Oregon Printing since 2019 to create the Women of Influence Campaign for the YWCA of Dayton, Ohio. She was excited when Oregon Printing reached out to her for help and says the team is wonderful. “Judd provides a lot of good points,” says Charlotte. “He comes up with ideas that will work well with the Indigo and pushes the boundaries in terms of design in a good way.”

In 2022, the Women of Influence campaign included creative pieces that featured metallic ink from Oregon’s HP Indigo. Clients like the YWCA can maintain their brand standards while adding metallic effects to their printed designs using digital printing techniques.

If you’re looking to create something different for your customer, give Judd or the Oregon Team a call to learn more about the possibilities digital technology offers. They will show you samples and explain how you can save money and time with digital vs. traditional printing.