Print MediaA Brief History

Scribes

Originally all publications were prepared by hand, a long and quite expensive process.

It was continued in monasteries which boasted small collections of books.

5th Century (or thereabouts)

George Cattermole (1800-1868), The Scribe

Egyptian papyrus showing the god Osiris and the weighing of the heart

Block Printing

This is where the image to be printed is carved onto wooden blocks and then coated in ink

Fabric or Paper is then laid over the image then rubbed down to transfer the image/text

8th CenturyThe intricate frontispiece of the Diamond Sutra from Tang Dynasty China, 868 AD (British Museum)

Moveable Type

Johannes Gutenberg is credited as developing the first moveable type press

Uses similar method to block printing, but with the ability to change the text to be printed.

16th CenturyA case of cast metal type pieces and typeset matter in a composing stick

Printing House

Started around the time of the Gutenberg press

Pivotal in selecting material which was available for print and distribution.

16th CenturyA Gutenberg press replica as the Featherbed Alley Printshop Museum, in Bermuda

Offset Printing

A cost effective way to produce a large number of high quality prints.

This is where ink is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface.

Modern PrintingThe folder of newspaper web offset printing press