Raised ink refers to the engraving-like effect achieved by raised ink printing, a printing process technically known as thermography.
Purpose
Engraved printing is traditional for formal stationery, such as wedding invitations and business cards, because of its rich, elegant appearance.
Engraving
In engraving, stationery is pressed onto an engraved copper plate, which causes the printed letters to rise slightly off the page. Hence, "raised ink."
Thermography
In thermography, the design is printed on the sheet and the sheet is then passed under a powder funnel that sprinkles a powder-like substance on the sheet. The sheet is then passed under a heated oven that fuses the powdered particles to the wet printing ink, and a high-powered vacuum is used to remove the excess powder. The fused mixture creates the "raised" appearance when the mixture hardens.
Benefit
Thermography produces the effect of engraving without the expensive, time-consuming engraving process, making the traditional effect affordable.
Considerations
Raised ink printing requires the use of materials specially designed for the technique, or problems can occur, such as the curling of paper, because of the high temperatures used in the process.
