Coating apparatus, printing apparatus, imaging apparatus, printing system and printing method

A multicolor printing apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of print units each including a blanket cylinder of a plurality of blanket cylinders, the blanket cylinder normally-contacting to one of a plurality of impression cylinders each having an outer circumference twice as long as an outer circumference of each of a plurality of plate cylinders, each of the plurality of plate cylinders normally-contacting to a respective blanket cylinder of the plurality of blanket cylinders, and an ink coating apparatus of a plurality of ink coating apparatus for coating a respective plate cylinder of the plurality of plate cylinders with ink, the plurality of ink coating apparatus being arranged in a line with respect to each other in a substantially vertical direction parallel to the direction of gravity;
• a transfer cylinder connecting said plurality of print units and having an outer circumference three times the outer circumference of each of the plurality of plate cylinders;
• and
• a feeding station and a discharging station for respectively feeding and discharging sheets of recording medium to and from said printing apparatus, said feeding station and said discharging station being arranged on one side of the plurality of blanket cylinders opposite the plurality of ink coating apparatus, said feeding station being positioned at a lower level than said discharging station such that the sheets of recording medium flow from a lower side to an upper side.