Free PaperSpecs Webinar "Texture: From Engraving to Thermography" Offered on July 21

Free PaperSpecs Webinar – “Texture: From Engraving to Thermography”

July 21, 2011, 2:00 p.m. Eastern (11:00 a.m. Pacific)

“Texture: From Engraving to Thermography,” a free webinar hosted by PaperSpecs and Neenah Paper, will show you how the oldest printing technique known is still a highly desired method today for elevating identity materials to fine art status and how it differs from the contemporary method of thermography.

Authentic, enduring, tactile, handcrafted – these are just some of the attributes used to describe the look and feel of pieces printed with the engraving process, also known as intaglio printing.

In this electronic age, these same characteristics are precious assets that set brands apart in a highly competitive environment and may explain why so many designers are taking a fresh look at engraving as well as the 20th century process of thermography when printing invitations, notecards and corporate identity materials like letterhead and business cards.

“Wanting to achieve that feeling – a depth of ink that sits above the surface of the paper is very appealing to designers and print buyers today,” says Sabine Lenz, founder of PaperSpecs.com. “But they are savvy buyers who have lots of questions about the cost of the materials and processes and their environmental implications. That’s why we asked expert Don Burdge to lead this webinar.”

Burdge, president of BurdgeCooper, the largest engraving company in the world, says, “Both engraving and thermography provide a sensory attribute which improves reader retention and response. Beyond that, one is hard pressed to think of two printing processes that are greater opposites.”

Don will compare engraving and thermography and answer questions like:

• What papers work best for each method?
• Which process is more environmentally friendly?
• Is one process more economical than the other?
• How do I prepare my artwork for these printing methods?
• Will I be able to print solids and fine details?
• What types of products are best suited for each technique?

You don’t want to miss “Texture: From Engraving to Thermography.” This webinar is free thanks to the generous support of Neenah Paper. Space is limited, so reserve your seat today for this special event at www.paperspecs.com/webinar.

About Don Burdge

Don Burdge learned how to etch into steel and copper at the side of his grandfather, Charlie Burdge, a master engraver. During summers, he worked at his father’s printing and engraving shop doing everything from hauling paper to setting up presses. After graduating from USC with a degree in public relations, Burdge looked for a job in marketing and landed a position at the ad agency Dailey & Associates in Los Angeles. At the same time, he enrolled as a graphic design student at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena with the hope of one day running a graphic design studio of his own. Eventually, Don bought out his father’s engraving business where tens of thousands of printed projects have come across his desk. Some simple, like black ink on white paper; others, like the project he did for Disney, involved ten engraving passes in tight registration on a single sheet before embossing and hand deckling the edges. Last year, Burdge merged his company with Stuart F. Cooper. BurdgeCooper is now the largest engraving company in the world and one of the biggest small-format commercial printers in the country with over 50 (under 25”) presses in Los Angeles and Atlanta.