What is Johannes Gutenberg credited with?
Credited with inventing the technology of printing with moveable type in 1450
Post a photo of the Gutenberg Press.
How did the printing press work?
It was a hand press in which ink was rolled over the raised surface of movable hand-set block letters held within a wooden frame, the form was then pressed against a sheet of paper
What motivated Gutenberg to find a better way of creating books?
His love of reading motivated him
Why did Gutenberg experiment with metal type versus wood type?
Woodcuts were not durable; they split in the press after repeated use, as seen with Chinese moveable type
Post an example of movable type in a type case.
What is moveable type?
The system of printing that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document, usually individual letters and punctuation
What is a matrix?
Hard metal that is hammered into a softer copper bar to create a mold
What ink did Gutenberg develop that he used specifically for the printing press?
Oil-based ink, which was more durable that water-based ink
What is paper made from? Where did paper originate?
A substrate made from wood pulp, created by Ts'ai Lun in 105 AD
What is a "substrate"?
A surface/object that is created out of another object
Who did Gutenberg seek to help with the invention of the press? Close to the end of the 5 years, what happened?
Gutenberg asked John Fust, a wealthy businessman, to invest; Fust agreed, but if Gutenberg could not repay the loan, with interest, after 5 years, Fust would get the press, tools, and materials; Fust sued Gutenberg and the judge ruled in favor of Fust
What was the first book he printed?
A two-volume Bible for 300 Florins each, 1455
Post an example of this book.
How did the Gutenberg Press impact communication?
Perfected script and made it easier to read, books were made more rapidly, current information could be shared locally and around the world, the cost of books decreased allowing more people to buy them, demand grew, and the population became more literate; people then wanted books written in their own language and a greater variety of books; with that, book trade began to flourish, as well as papermaking industries, economy rose, and art and science began to flourish, which led to the beginning of the Renaissance
Who introduced the printing press to England?
William Caxton in 1476
What was the early form of newspapers?
1525, trade newsletters
When was the first news weekly published? What was it called?
1704, the first American news weekly, The Boston Letter, began publication by John Campbell in Boston, MA
What kind of press was built in the US in the mid 1800s?
One completely made from cast iron
Post an example of a 1930s printing press.
By the late 1930s, presses had increased in efficiency and were capable of 2,500 to 3,500 impressions per hour. What is meant by "impression"?
Impression is referring to how many blocks of type it could press onto paper
Which printing process is the Gutenberg press an example of? Briefly describe the process?
Relief printing; moveable type is placed into the press. Ink is spread onto the type. Paper is then placed on top. The press applies the direct pressure needed to transfer the ink to the paper
Post an example of an intaglio press.
What is intaglio printing and how is ink transferred?
Printmaking, Image area is etched into the plate surface to hold the ink. Ink is applied, then rubbed with a cloth to remove the excess. Damp paper is placed on top. The press applies pressure to transfer the ink to the paper
Post an example of a screen (porous) printing press.
What is porous printing and how is ink transferred?
Basic stencil process. Image carrier is attached to a screen; ink is forced through open mesh areas
Post an example of a lithography printing press.
What is lithography and how is ink transferred?
Planographic. Printing from a flat surface, based on the concept that oil and water do not readily mix. Drawing or artwork is made on the plate with greasy ink or crayon, water is then applied
What variation of lithography is used by the commercial printing industry today?
Offset Lithography
How do printing presses used today compare to the Gutenberg Press?
Today's presses are mechanical/electric and can produce things at a much faster, more seamless rate. No more movable type plates are used, and it does not use pressure on top of the paper and type blocks, but stamps onto the paper
Describe four-color process printing using CMYK?
A combination of layers of dots on paper in cyan, magenta, yellow, and black that, when combined, creates the effect of other colors
