This term describes any process, plate, or press that transfers ink from a flat surface rather than a raised or incised one. The technique relies on treating image areas to accept oil-based inks while non-image areas attract water to repel the ink. It forms the basis of offset printing, the standard method for high-volume commercial production.
Heard on the job
Make sure the lithographic plates are properly desensitized before we mount them on the cylinder.
Insider tip
While the original process used heavy limestone blocks, commercial offset lithography uses flexible aluminum plates wrapped around a cylinder.