The history of printing and the graphic technician
From letterpress to digital printing
Every time you hold a newspaper, a book or a beautiful package in your hand, you're holding the result of a craft that has developed over centuries. As a graphic technician, you're the one who makes text and images hit the paper precisely — in exactly the right colors and in large quantities.
§The development of printing
The history of printing is the history of being able to reproduce the same thing precisely many times. Each technological shift made it faster, cheaper and more detailed.
| Period | Development. |
|---|---|
| Mid-15th century | Book printing with loose metal type made it possible to produce books in large numbers in Europe. |
| 1800-tallet | The printing press and lithography make printing faster and more widespread. |
| 1900-tallet | Offset printing becomes the dominant method for newspapers, magazines, and packaging. |
| Last part of the 1900s | The computer takes over the setup; printing is prepared digitally. |
| The present | Digital printing makes small print runs and personalized printing possible without printing plates. |
§From lead to pixels
Once each page was assembled letter by letter with lead type. Today everything is prepared on computer and files are sent directly to the printing press. But even though the tool has become digital the goal is the same: sharp uniform and error-free printing in the right quantity.
§The graphics technician today
The graphics technician operates and controls the machines that print and post-process. It requires both technical understanding, sense of colour and quality — and the ability to maintain a high pace without quality declining. History shows that the trade has always followed technology, and it continues with digital printing and automated machines.