Lithographic printing is a style of printing in which an image is transferred to a printing plate, which is then covered with both water and oil-based ink. Lithography utilizes the natural resistance of oil and water to mix. ... The rubber blanket then applies the image to the final print surface (usually paper).

How does the lithographic process work?

lithography, planographic printing process that makes use of the immiscibility of grease and water. In the lithographic process, ink is applied to a grease-treated image on the flat printing surface; nonimage (blank) areas, which hold moisture, repel the lithographic ink.

How does the offset lithographic printing process work?

In offset printing, the image area and the non-image area co-exist on the same flat surface. Offset lithography works on the principle of oil and water separation. The plates have been treated to make image areas attract ink and non-image areas attract water to repel the ink.