Concept in Definition ABC

Considered one of the most important inventions of Modernity, the printing press made its first appearance in scene in the 15th century, at which time technological advances abounded and simply sought to improve people's lifestyles. The creator of this wonderful invention was the German Johannes Gutenberg, who sought to simplify the system of writing using stamps and basic shapes that would be repeated over and over again helping to save time with each job written.

Technique that reproduces texts and images on paper from movable type

Gutenberg's invention allowed the reproduction on paper, or other simile supports, texts and images, through movable type, plates and many others procedures. This new and innovative technique consisted in the application of a normally oily ink in the fonts to later be transferred to the paper or other material through the exercise of pressure.

What are movable rates?

The movable type, also created by Gutenberg and inspired by very old similar pieces that had been used in China and Korea, are pieces of metal shaped like a prism and made from an alloy that combines lead, antimony and tin. The material used is not something capricious but the situation of having to use them over and over again demanded the fact of using a molten material.

Meanwhile, each piece represents a character or symbol in relief and that appears inverted like an object reflected in a mirror.

The great advantage that Gutenberg's movable type brought is that if an error occurred only the character had to be changed and the whole plate not to be re-carved as was the case before its creation.

Contributed to cultural, intellectual and commercial development

The creation of the printing press is directly related to the commercial and commercial opening that occurred when the cities were reborn and it is also associated with intellectual development.

With this reopening of trade (shelved during the Middle Ages), the intellectuals and literati of Europe were able to have access to an endless number of works and manuscripts and thus the demand of all kinds of texts increased, and the number of people who were interested in buying books. Gutenberg then sought to create a system that would allow the printing of books in a more accessible and faster way and that is why he designed and made the printing press a reality in the year 1440. Thus, manuscripts slowly began to fall out of use and the demand for printed books began to become increasingly important.

Gutenberg had an important knowledge about metals and this helped him to create templates of letters and characters on which ink and a paper would be placed where all the letters and words would be registered desired. In this way, the templates allowed the letters to be arranged according to the needs of the text and thus rearm each word as needed without having to to write pages and pages of text.

The printing press became undoubtedly one of the most important inventions of the time since it contributed greatly to the Renaissance cultural and intellectual that was also becoming visible in many places and regions of Europe.

While time and evolution In terms of technology, they allowed the creation of new printing mechanisms and technologies, such is the case of flexography, serigraphy, lithography and digital methods, the advent of printing as a method could not be overcome in the story.

Workshop in which books, brochures and others are printed

The term is also widely used in our language to name the workshop, place, in which the printing procedure is carried out and therefore It is equipped with machines that allow it and also has specialized personnel in its handling.

At present, printers have a great relevance when it comes to printing brochures or other merchandising materials and also in the printing of copies of the various graphic media such as newspapers and journals.

Topics in Printing