Vanessa Medina's Portfolio

Friday, March 9, 2012

#7 The Linotype Machine | 1886 AD

Who is credited with the invention of the typewriter?
Christopher Sholes
What is a "stenographer"?
A stenographer is someone skilled in the transcription of speech.
Post an example of Shole's typewriter.

Why did Sholes send a prototype of his typewriter to Clephane?
He sent a prototype because he realized stenographers would be among the first and most important users.
After the typewriter began production, why did Clephane pursue another machine?
He pursued another machine because the typewriter only solved part of his problem. It still took long to typeset and copy the words. He wanted a machine that would bridge the gap between the typewriter and the printed page.
Who spent a year redesigning Clephane's typesetting machine?
Ottmar Mergenthaler
What is meant by "typesetting"?
Typesetting is when you arrange or generate the type for a piece of text to be printed.
Post an example of Linotype Machine.

How does the Linotype Machine differ from the typewriter?
The Linotype Machine allowed type to be set mechanically rather than by hand. It produced a solid line of type by casting hot lead into a series of molds that corresponded to individual letters. It produces an entire line of metal type at once.
How did this machine change the newspaper industry?
The newspaper industry changed radically making it possible for a small number of operators to set type for more pages on a daily basis.
Post an example of a Linotype keyboard.

How did the keyboard of the Linotype Machine differ from keyboards that we use today?
There were 90 characters on the keyboard. There was no shift key. Uppercase letters had separate keys from lowercase letters. The arrangement of keys was based on letter frequency.
Post an example of a Linotype slug.

What is a slug?
A slug is an assembled line of type that is casted as a single piece.
Post an example of a person operating a Linotype Machine.

Why is the Linotype Machine the greatest advanced in printing since movable type?

It took the world by a storm, winning a Grand Prix. It was used throughout the world and made type easier to produce.

#6 The Gutenberg Press | 1450 AD

What is Johannes Gutenberg credited with?He is credited with inventing the technology of printing with movable type.Post a photo of the Gutenberg Press.

How did the printing press work?
Ink was rolled over the raised surface of movable hand-set black letters held within wooden form. The form was then pressed against a sheet of paper.
What motivated Gutenberg to find a better way of creating books?
He was motivated to find a better way to create books from spending time with his father at the mint, watching goldsmiths and jewelers.
Why did Gutenberg experiment with metal type versus wood type?Wood type was not durable and they split in the press after repeated use. New blocks had to be carved for each new impression, Blocks were discarded as soon as slightly different impressions were needed. Metal type could be reproduced more quickly once a single mold was made.Post an example of movable type in a type case.

What is moveable type?
Movable type is the system of printing that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document.
What is a matrix?
The matrix is something that can be reused so the same character appearing anywhere within the book will appear very uniform.
What ink did Gutenberg develop that he used specifically for the printing press?
Oil-based Ink
What is paper made from? Where did paper originate?
Paper is a substrate made from wood pulp. It originated in China.
What is a "substrate"?A substrate is a substance or layer that underlies something, or on which some process occurs, in particular.
Who did Gutenberg seek to help with the invention of the press?
John Fust invested money. Peter Schoffer was hired to help with the project.Close to the end of the 5 years, what happened?
It Guttenberg could not repay the loan, with interest, after 5 years, Fust would get the press, tools, and materials. What was the first book he printed?
The Bible
Post an example of this book.

How did the Gutenberg Press impact communication?
It perfected script and made it easier to read. Books were made more rapidly. Current information could be shared locally and around the world. The cost of books decreased allowing more people to buy them. Demand grew and the population became more literate. People wanted books written in their own language and a greater variety of books. Economies became stronger.
Who introduced the printing press to England?
William Caxton
What was the early form of newspapers?
Trade Newsletters
When was the first news weekly published? What was it called?
It was published in 1704. It was called The Boston Letter.
What kind of press was built in the US in the mid 1800s?It was a cast iron press.
Post an example of a 1930s printing 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"?
An impression is a print.
Which printing process is the Gutenberg press an example of? Briefly describe the process?Relief Printing, which is when movable type is placed into the press. Ink is spread onto the type. Paper is placed on top. The press applies the direct pressure needed to transfer the ink to the paper.Post an example of an intaglio press.

What is intaglio printing and how is ink transferred?Intaglio printing is when an image area is etched into the plate surface to hold the ink. The ink is transferred when the press applies pressure to the paper.
Post an example of a screen (porous) printing press.

What is porous printing and how is ink transferred?
Popous printing is a basic stencil process. Ink is forced through open mesh.
Post an example of a lithography printing press.

What is lithography and how is ink transferred?
Lithography is printing from a flat surface. Artwork is made on the plate with greasy ink or crayon. Water is applied. When ink is spread on top, the greasy parts accept the ink; the wet parts do not.Post an example of a offset lithography printing press.

What variation of lithography is used by the commercial printing industry today?
Lithography is used for most commercial printing.
How do printing presses used today compare to the Gutenberg Press?
The printing process does not require much effort or work. The Gutenberg Press required a lot of hard work.
Describe four-color process printing using CMYK?
CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and black. It is used when printing.

#5 The codex and the illuminated manuscript | 1 Centry AD

Post an example of a scroll. 

What were the drawbacks of the scroll? 

One drawback was that they only allowed for sequential usage. Readers must read the text in the order it was written. 

Post an example of a codex.

What is a codex? 

A codex is covered and bound collection of hand written pages.  "Codex" is derived from the Latin meaning "block of wood". Why? 

It was very compact, sturdy, and had an ease of access.  What is the difference between "sequential access" and "random access"? Sequential access is when one must go through the scroll to find a certain passage. Random Access is when one can go to any point to find information.

What were the advantages of using the codex? 

Some avantages were "random access" which means one can go to any point to find information, it can be open flat to any page, and they are more portable.  What helped spread the use of the codex? 

They believe is spread with the rise of christianity. Christians adopted the format for the early Bible.  What replaced papyrus? Describe the process used to create it? Parchment which was a substrate made from animal skin such as sheep, goats, and cows. Hair and fat were removed and the skin was smoothed out. He hide was soaked in water. Calcium, flour and salt were added. The skin was stretched out, flattened and dried. What is vellum? 

Vellum is finer qualities of parchment were made from the skins of young calves.  Name several examples of current technology that utilizes the format of the codex? 

Kindle and Ipad  What led to a period of cultural and economical deterioration? 

The decline of the Roman Empire led to fewer books being created.  Post an example of an illuminated manuscript.

Who began creating books by hand, taking the creation to an art form?

Monastic Monks

What does "illumination" refer to? What was included in this ornamentation?

Illumination refers to the borders, illustrations and ornamentation added to each page of text. Ornamentation included initials of chapters or paragraphs, painting in margins, borders, and around text.

What tool was used for creating the illuminated manuscripts?
They used natural quill pens to create highly intricate and detailed work. Why were these manuscripts reserved for religious purposes?
They were reserved because their work was laborious illuminated manuscripts.
What is craftsmanship? Why is it important?

Craftsmanship is practicing a traded skill or handicraft. It is important because some of it still exists today.

#4 The Roman Alphabet | 7 Centry BC

What was the basis of the Roman uppercase alphabet?
The romans used a variant of the Greek alphabet as the basis for their uppercase alphabet.
What were the purposes of the formal and informal styles of lettering?
Formal script was used for important manuscripts and official documents. Informal style was used for letters and routine types of writing.
Why is the Roman alphabet the most widely used and what contributions did it make?
It was the institution of the baseline in typography and penmanship. Romans insured that the type was perfectly aligned in rows.
From where did serifs originate?Serifs originated with the carving of words into stone. Stones-man added little hooks to the tips of letters to prevent the chisel from slipping.
When and where did lowercase, or minuscule, letters develop?
They developed in Europe in the 1300s.
What is a ligature and why were they utilized?A ligature is a thing used for typing or binding something tightly. They were used to bind stuff together.
Post an example of the Roman alphabet in visual form.

#4 The Greek Alphabet | 800 BC

How did Greeks come in contact with the Phoenicians?
The Phoenicians regularly traveled to Greece and established trade agreements with them.
How was the Greek adaptation of the alphabet different from its predecessor?
The arrangement of the Phoenician alphabet was much less suitable for Greek languages. Several of the consonants were adapted as vowels.
Why is the Greek alphabet considered to be the world's first true alphabet?
It is considered the first alphabet because it has given ride to many other alphabets in Europe and the Middle East.
Name several similarities and differences between the Greek and modern English alphabets?The English alphabet was adapted from the Greek alphabet. They both have consonants and each letter represents a character.
Post an example of the Greek alphabet in visual form.

#4 The Phoenician Alphabet | 1050 BC

The Phoenician alphabet is based on what principle?
It is based on the principle that on sign represents one spoken sound.
Describe the shape of the letters and what tool created them?
A stylus created them. They are angular and straight shapes.
What two reasons made the Phoenician alphabet so successful?
It was so successful because it was contrasted with other scripts at the time which used complex characters, and the trading culture of the phoenician merchants spread the use of the alphabet into parts of North Africa and Europe.
What long term effects on the social structures of civilizations did the Phoenicians have with the creation of their alphabet?
One long term effects on social structures was of the civilizations which came into contact with it. It was the first wide spread script.