The Gutenberg Press | 1450 AD

What is Johannes Gutenberg credited with?

He is credited with inventing the technology of printing with moveable type in 1450

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

What is moveable type?

The system of printing that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document

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?

An oil-based ink, which was better than 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 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 to invest. But Gutenberg could not repay the loan, after 5 years; Fust sued Gutenberg and the judge ruled in favor of Fust. Fust got the press, tools, and materials

What was the first book he printed?

A two-volume Bible for 300 Florins each, 1455

How did the Gutenberg Press impact communication?

Made it easier to read, current information could be shared locally and around the world, the cost of books decreased, demand grew, and the population became more literate. Led to the beginning of the Renaissance

Who introduced the printing press to England?

William Caxton introduced the printing press to England in 1476

What was the early form of newspapers?

1525 Trade Newsletters

When was the first news weekly published? What was it called?
In 1704, the first American news weekly, and The Boston Letter, began publication by John Campbell in Boston, MA

What kind of press was built in the US in the mid 1800s?

A complete iron 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-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 placed on top, then the press applies the direct pressure to the paper

What is intaglio printing and how is ink transferred?

An area is etched into the plate surface to hold the ink. Ink is applied, and  then rubbed with a cloth to remove the excess. Damp paper is placed on top and then the press applies pressure to transfer the ink to the paper

What is porous printing and how is ink transferred?

Image carrier is attached to a screen; ink is forced through open mesh areas

What is lithography and how is ink transferred?

Planographic- based on the concept that oil and water do not mix. Printing from a flat surface, 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 electric and can produce things at a much faster. No more movable type plates are used, and it does not use pressure on top of 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