Abstract: An offset lithographic printing method and machine having a plurality of in-line liquid application stations, at least one of which is an ink image-printing station for printing lithographic ink images on a suitable receptive copy sheet, and at least the final downstream liquid-application station is a coating application station for printing a protective, and/or aesthetic coating over selected portions of, or over the entire ink image-printed surface of the copy sheet. The present method and apparatus involves the placement of a drying station between liquid application stations to evaporate volatile solvent or vehicle from the ink images and/or to solidify the liquid coating applied at upstream stations before the application of a continuous or spot coating thereover at the next downstream coating station.