printing

I recently read the first chapter of a penguin reader on inventions and it was about printing. The history of printing is rilly interesting I think, so I took notes and made a handwritten mini zine for a friend. I thought I would copy the notes here before sending it. I plan to use the info for teaching some history during zine workshops. (enjoy and learn something new?)

A brief History of Printing:
A long time ago in a galaxy far away (China): FULL PAGE woodcut block printing was used.
1041-8: Bi Sheng makes the first MOVEABLE (reusable) type. This idea spreads throughout Asia. It results in more affordable books & education ( = more and better jobs).

Germany 1450- : Johannes Gutenberg makes the metal type used in his printing press (adapted from a wine press!).
Gutenberg dies poor and unknown. His lawyer (who he borrowed money from) Johann Fust continues his work and starts using color text.

Venice 1494: Aldus Manutius (Aldine Press) produced the first small and affordable books - pocket sized. (The first zines!?) They were new copies of classics and informative books mostly. These were reprinted after the readers corrected and sent comments and suggestions. This was a way to provide faster information. Like the internet.

1530: Now 60% of Europe was literate!

1638: Mrs. Glover brings a printing press to America & uses it at Harvard College! (At the expense of her husband's life.)

PRINTING uses a lot of paper.
By 1970: Lots of trees were cut down & caused a danger of changing the world's climate. Computers didn't help. More is printed because of desktop printers. The "Paperless Office" still doesn't exist.

People like to distribute information. Let's try to be nicer to the environment when we make zines & stuff.