In order to create a physical object in a printmaking process, it is necessary to use some kind of heat to transfer the ink from an illustration onto a piece of paper, fabric, or other surface. There are many different methods used to transfer the ink from the illustration to the surface, including stamping, roller printing, and pressing. Ink transfer methods can be further classified by their function: hand printing, roller printing, and heat transfer. These three methods of ink transfer are often combined into one device. The first commonly used method is hand printing. This is accomplished by placing a sheet of paper or fabric in contact with the illustration and pressing it with a hand-held tool until the ink transfers. This method can be time-consuming as there is a large amount of labor required. Another common method is roller printing. This is accomplished by placing a sheet of paper or fabric in contact with both the illustration and the roller at the same time and pressing it repeatedly with a hand-held tool until the ink transfers. Roller printing can also be time-consuming. The third most common method is heat transfer. This is accomplished by placing an illustration on a piece of metal and passing it under an adjustable heat source for a specific amount of time until the ink transfers. Heat transfer does not require as much labor as other methods, but there is still a large amount of work that needs to be done by hand.