Chronologies in Print - Lecture Notes

Definition of print: 

• applying media to one surface to transfer onto another surface, 
• pattern
• to publish

The printed word is seen to be more truthful and we are more likely to believe it over something we read online. Writing something down makes it 'exist' and we presume (rightly or wrongly) that it is correct and factual. 

DOCUMENTATION - COMMUNICATION - REPRODUCTION

The earliest forms of printings were cave paintings.

200AD: Woodcut printing methods were being used in the East. This involved carving into wood with a sharp, metal tool which is a technique still used today. They would print onto cloth rather than paper and the main uses for printing at this time were related to religion; capturing beliefs and writing things down to share. Europe then started printing in 1400AD.

Reading physical text means that everyone gets the same message with no slip-ups in verbal communication. A verbal message can get distorted when being passed on, the same was as Chinese whispers. 

COMMUNICATION - REPRODUCTION - DISTRIBUTION

Knowledge is power, and if information is mass communicated, it is possible to make changes in society. 

Moveable print - Asia (1000) and Europe (1450 - Gutenberg Press)

Developments in literacy, learning and reading initially only affected the higher classes but now printed writing was being distributed more freely, the middle classes were also starting to read the material that was out there. It started to bring societies together through common knowledge and shared beliefs. There was a huge increase in how much printed information was produced between the 15th and 18th Centuries. 

300 years after Europe, these printing processes reached South America.

So far, print has just been about getting information out into the world to be shared and learned from. However, people then started developing letterforms, looking at tone of voice and which letterforms would be more appropriate for religious texts, scientific writing, etc. Punctuation was also developed.  

Hot Metal Type: lasts longer, used a mould to create the letter blocks so they were easier to mass produce. 

Linotype: first used in 1884, immediate full lines of type, purely scientific and mechanical. 

This printing method revolutionised newspapers in the 1960s and 1970s, especially the New York Times. Newspapers were no longer restricted to 8 pages, they could print as much information as they wanted. 

Etching/drypoint: mainly used for religious images because people involved with religion were wealthy and could afford this process. Similar process to woodcut in the sense you are removing areas from a surface and then printing with it. 

Lithography: lies between painting and printing, it was all about art and design being mass produced for advertising and selling art work. Used for fly posting because it was quick, cheap information. You would apply wax and then ink which would resist the wax, this would then be used to print a reverse image. 

Pattern: The industrial revolution meant that wealthy people were very wealthy and had money to spare. They wanted their homes to look nice which is where print started being used for decoration. Designs had arabic influences and religious iconography. 

War Propaganda: quick communication and high impact message. People were making decisions based on things that looked nice, they didn't understand consumerism and how they were being manipulated. Although education and literacy was advancing, you didn't need to be able to read to understand the message of most war propaganda - this is where print became understood by all of society. 

Modernism: style and limited colour suited printing techniques. 

Screen printing: stencil cutting, less skill required for this process. 

Daily Star: an example of print being abused. Manipulating the truth and leading people to misinterpret information because their information is often twisted but people still believe it to be the truth as it is printed on paper and distributed to the public. 

Youth Culture: printed work, particularly featured on fly posting appeals to the younger generation (subculture). Politics in America tapped into this to reach this subculture and make voting and politics appeal to them.