A Look Back at the History of Printing

A Look Back at the History of Printing

We would know little about the history of humanity if we were unable to document its events, which is why printing has been such a crucial aspect of civilization. As technology has developed, the techniques involved have become more refined. Continue reading for a look back at the history of printing.

Ancient Printing

The crudest form of printing can be traced back to cavemen, who carved simple pictures into walls using basic tools. The engraving of texts even reaches back to the second century, when Confucian scholars would lay paper over concrete slabs to copy their engravings. The process of printing continued to develop following the printing of the first book in the year 868, and the thirteenth century saw bronze typing in Korea. Over the next hundred years, the Europeans learn to print using wooden blocks.

Printing Press

Johannes Gutenberg developed the printing press in the fifteenth century, which had the ability to apply pressure at a rapid pace. This would revolutionize printing and set the groundwork for the processes we understand and utilize today. Printing continued to spread across the world, with illustrated books surfacing in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and printed art coming about the same time. Lithography and Japanese color prints were two more stepping-stones on the way to modern printing.

Modern Printing

Centuries after the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press came the digital printing press. This type of printing only began in the 1990s, and has nonetheless grown leaps and bounds since then. Today digital printing is used for countless purposes across all different industries.

If you would like to see just how far printing has come, contact Reproductions, Inc. or visit our website. It is our goal to offer high quality digital printing services from black and white printing to full color booklet binding. Feel free to give us a call at (520) 622-7747 for more information.