Printing of Different things (Books Newspaper Magazines Posters etc)
Printing is the method or process to putting text and Images on paper is called Printing .
Topics Covered
- How was Printing done earlier time ?
- How was Printing advanced over time ?
The first Printed book
The earliest kind of print technology was developed in East Asia
Hand Printing-China japan Korea
In earliest time there was only print technology which developed in china japan and Korea that was hand printing
Print in China-594 AD
- Method used-Woodblock printing (Hand printing )
woodblock printing was a technique of printing text or images on paper of rubbing of inked surface of wooden block.
Problem-Paper were thin and porous so only one side of the paper could be printed (Accordion book)
why were china printing books ?
China → Conduct exams for bureaucratic jobs →Bureaucratic system→Printing of printed material had started in large scale →Many Chinese candidates used to prepare for bureaucratic jobs that’s why they headed text books
By 17th Century
(Urban culture boomed (uses of print diversified )
- Print was no longer used just by scholar officials Merchants also used print to collect trade information
- Reading had become a leisure Activity
New Readers started giving preferences like
- Functional narratives
- poetries and autobiographies
- Anthologies of literary masterpieces
- Romantic plays
- Rich woman started Reading books
- Many women had started publishing their own books
All the printing that was being done till now was being done through hand printing because mechanical printing had not come before late 19th Century
Late 19th Century
- Mechanical printing had arrived in china from western countries
- due to mechanical printing the production of printed material were increasing rapidly
- then Shanghai became the hub of the new print culture
- Before 19th Century-Hand printing
- After 19th Century -Mechanical printing (gradual improvement )
Print in Japan 768-770 AD
- Buddhist Missionaries travelled china to japan along with they carried hand printing technique
- The first printed Japanese book is the Buddhist-Diamond Sutra
- Oldest book of Japan(published in 868 Ad)
- Containing six sheets of text and woodcut illustrations
- pictures were printed on textiles playing cards and paper money
In Media eval Japan 13th-15th Century
- Poets and prose writers were regularly published books
- books had come in abundance so the book had become cheap
- printing of visual material become an interesting publishing practice
Late 18th Century (Painting expand )
- City that time Edo(Tokyo now) creates lot of paintings which depict urban culture
- Liberals & bookstores were packed with Hand printing Materials
Kitagawa Utamaro (Famous Japanese Artist )
- Born in 1753 in Edo (Tokyo)
- He made different types of painting like depicting the floating world, depicting the ordinary human expressions
- This art form is called Ukiyo’s
Print comes to Europe
As we know silk route where people travelled along with spices disease also paper . Chinese paper reached Europe Via silk route through paper -Manuscripts created
How did print Technology come to Europe ?
Marco polo (Italy famous Explorer )
- Exploring china
- Lear printing Technology
In 1295
- Marco polo returned to Italy after many years of exploration in china
- they carried hand printing woodblock printing to Italy (Europe)
- Now Italy began producing books with woodblocks
- Rich people in society (Aristocrats) didn’t prefer printed books because of poor paper quality and very cheap they think it will be low standard (this will bring down their standard)
- for rich people (Aristocrats ) special type of Manuscripts written is called Vellum
Vellum
- Made up of animal skin (very expensive )
- European students and Merchants were very happy because they could afford these printed books
- Hand printing (woodblock printing ) technique was not very popular in Europe
Books→Demands high→But supply less
- Then book sellers started hiring scribers (high skilled writers )
- Scribers -Who make Many manuscripts by copying Manuscript by writing but Manuscript were not fulfilled these rising demands of books
Reason
- Writing Manuscript was a time consuming process
- And very expensive process
- Marco polo hand printing began to become popular in Europe
- Now woodblock printing was a visible alternatives for book sellers
- still there was a great requirements for that technology which
- very cheap to manage
- printing can be done quickly
Now Entry (Johan’s Gutenberg ) German Inventor
1930’s
- Invented the worlds first Mechanical printing press
Gutenberg and the printing press
- Gutenberg was the son of Merchant and grow up on a large agriculture state
- from his childhood he had seen wine and olive presses
- Subsequently he learn the art of polishing stones become a Master goldsmith
Johan’s Gutenberg First Printing Press
- Screw platen
- Handle print block
- By 1448 Gutenberg perfected his printing press
- with the help of this printing press first book print is bible (about 180 copies were printed and it took 3 years)
- The new technology did not entering displace the existing art of producing books by hand
- borders were illuminated by hand and patterns Images and illustrations were also painted by hand
By 1550
- Printing press were setup in entire Europe
- Books production boomed
- Mid 15th Century-20 million
- Mid 16th Century-200 million
- Hand printing to Mechanical printing shifting is called print Revolution
Print Revolution and its Impact -Before print revolution only
Elite people(Rich people )
- These were the literate people
- they were very rich they could easily afford books
Common people (Poor peoples )
- These were the illiterate people
- They were very poor they couldn’t easily afford books
- They followed only oral culture (Printed materials were only transmitted )
A new Reading public -During Print Revolution
- Books prices decreased
- Common people could easily afford the books but common people think (why should they buy books when they are illiterate)
- Book Publishers , book launched such books would be profusely illustrated with pictures
- common people could easily understand these books even they were illiterate
- Earlier there was a hearing public now a reading public came into being
Religious debates and the fear of print
Some people were also fear of print , it was feared that if there was no control over what was printed then rebellious and irreligious thought might spread
1517 Martin Luther-Religious Reformer
- Written 95 thesis
- Criticising many of the practices and rituals of the Roman catholic Church
- Challenged the church to debate his ideas
- Group divides -Catholics , Protestant
Martin Luther- “Printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one “
