The Gutenberg Press | 1450 AD

What is Johannes Gutenberg credited with?
The technology of printing with moveable 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 block letters held within a wooden form and then the form was pressed against a sheet of paper.

What motivated Gutenberg to find a better way of creating books?
He loved reading; he also loved spending time with his father (a goldsmith) and jewelers.


Why did Gutenberg experiment with metal type versus wood type?
The wood cuts were not durable enough to go through repeated processes.


Post an example of movable type in a type case.
What is moveable type?
Moveable type is the system of printing that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document (usually individual letters and punctuation).


What is a matrix?
The hard metal punch hammered into a softer copper bar, used to keep the letters.


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?
From 105 AD from Ts'ai Lun. The paper was made from wood pulp.


Who did Gutenberg seek to help with the invention of the press? Close to the end of the 5 years, what happened? 

John Fust, a wealthy businessman. Gutenberg was sued by Fust after 5 years. Gutenberg had to give him  the press, tools, materials, and the 180 Bibles he made with the press in those 5 years.


What was the first book he printed? Post an example of this book.
The Bible.

How did the Gutenberg Press impact communication?
More books are being printed, thus furthering the spread of literacy and Christianity, and current information was easier to read and spread around the world.


Who introduced the printing press to England?
William Caxton.


What was the early form of newspapers?
Trade newsletters became early forms of newspapers.


When was the first news weekly published? What was it called?
In 1704, The Boston Letter was the first weekly paper.


What kind of press was built in the US in the mid 1800s?
The steam powered rotary press was invented in 1843. 


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"?
The letters "impressing" themselves onto the paper.

Which printing process is the Gutenberg press an example of? Briefly describe the process?Relief printing, the ink is spread across the letters, the paper is then placed and pressed on the paper.

Intaglio Press

Screen (porous) Press

Post an example of an intaglio press.
What is intaglio printing and how is ink transferred?
The image area is etched into the plate surface to hold ink, then damp paper is placed on top, add pressure, and then the ink is transferred to the paper.

Post an example of a screen (porous) printing press.
What is porous printing and how is ink transferred?

Lithography Press

The image carrier is attached to a screen and then the ink is forced through open mesh areas.


Post an example of a lithography printing press.
What is lithography and how is ink transferred?


Drawings or artwork is made on a plate with greasy ink or crayon; then the ink is spread on top, the greasy parts accept the ink.


How do printing presses used today compare to the Gutenberg Press?


The presses used today are faster, cheaper and can do more than just letters on paper.


Describe four-color process printing using CMYK?
Different color ink (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) can make many colors, when mixed correctly. This color process is best for printing because it uses ink, not light like the Internet. 

The Codex and the Illuminated Manuscript | 1st Century AD

Post an example of a scroll.
What were the drawbacks of the scroll?Readers had to read the text in the order it was written and they were only allowed for sequential usage.

Post an example of a codex.
What is a codex?
Sort of like a book, bound together with wood and string.

"Codex" is derived from the Latin meaning "block of wood". Why?
It was bound with wood and it isn't supposed to be rolled or folded.

What is the difference between "sequential access" and "random access"?
With random access, a reader can read a certain page or part of the page; sequential access required the reader to read the entire thing.

What were the advantages of using the codex?
It was compacted, sturdy and easy reference because it was random access. It was also good for libraries because the title could be written on the spine.

What helped spread the use of the codex?
The rise of Christianity and the creation of the Bible.

What replaced papyrus? Describe the process used to create it?
Parchment was made from animal skin, smoothed out, soak the hide in water, add calcium, flour and salt, and then they dried it.

What is vellum?
Finer quality of parchment, made from the skins of young calves.

Name several examples of current technology that utilizes the format of the codex?Books, paper making, book binding, and the format in general became slightly more sophisticated but the overall format has barely changed.


What led to a period of cultural and economical deterioration?
The decline of the Roman Empire.

Post an example of an illuminated manuscript.
Who began creating books by hand, taking the creation to an art form?
Monastic monks in the Dark Ages.

What does "illumination" refer to? What was included in this ornamentation?
The borders, with the initials of the chapters or paragraphs with painting in the margins, borders and around the text.

What tool was used for creating the illuminated manuscripts?
Quill pens.

Why were these manuscripts reserved for religious purposes?
It was decided that the beautiful books should be used for church use, especially because most of the population was illiterate.

What is craftsmanship? Why is it important?Works of art or a craft. It is important for historians to see what the culture was like.

The Roman Alphabet | 7th Century BC

What was the basis of the Roman uppercase alphabet?
The Greek alphabet.

What were the purposes of the formal and informal styles of lettering?
Formal was used for documents and manuscripts. Informal was for letters and other routine types of writing.

Why is the Roman alphabet the most widely used and what contributions did it make?
Institution of baseline typography and penmanship, aesthetics, serifs, and the Romans made sure it was aligned in straight rows.

From where did serifs originate?
Cave and wall inscriptions so the tools will hold their place on the wall.

When and where did lowercase, or minuscule, letters develop?
The Romans used it for informal letters.

What is a ligature and why were they utilized?
They were put together to help form words, not sounds on paper.

Post an example of the Roman alphabet in visual form.

The Greek Alphabet | 800 BC

How did Greeks come in contact with the Phoenicians?
Phoenicians often traveled to Greece and establish trade agreements with them.

How was the Greek adaptation of the alphabet different from its predecessor?
Additional letters were added and several consonants were adapted as vowels.

Why is the Greek alphabet considered to be the world's first true alphabet?
It gave rise to the Roman and other alphabets.

Name several similarities and differences between the Greek and modern English alphabets?It has several consonants and vowels. Some of the letters look the same, although some of the Greek ones have a line or something extra added to it.
Post an example of the Greek alphabet in visual form. 

The Phoenician Alphabet | 1050 BC

The Phoenician alphabet is based on what principle?
It is based on the principle that one sign represents one spoken sound, much like our way of writing.

Describe the shape of the letters and what tool created them?
The letters were mostly angular and straight. They were made with a stylus, typically right to left.

What two reasons made the Phoenician alphabet so successful?
Easier to trade and communicate with; also, it spread throughout Europe and North Africa to help form the letters we know today.

What long term effects on the social structures of civilizations did the Phoenicians have with the creation of their alphabet?
First widespread script, its simplicity allowed it to be used in multiple languages, it also allowed common people learn how to write, disintegrated class divisions,

Post an example of the Phoenician alphabet in visual form.

Hieroglyphics and the Egyptians | 3,000 BC

In the sixth century BC, what three civilizations invaded Egypt?
Persians, Greeks, and then the Romans.


Post an example of the inside wall(s) of an Ancient Egyptian temple.
What was discovered on the inside of the temples?
Painted images on every wall and surface.

Scholars believe that Ancient Egyptians were inspired and influenced by which written language?
Cuneiform from the Sumerians.

What is the difference between logographic and alphabetic elements?
Logograms use symbols representing ideas or objects. Alphabetic elements use letters.

The term Hieroglyphic derived from what two Greek words?
Hiero--> sacred; glyphic--> engraving or writing.

What is a scribe?
Someone who is hired to write down ideas or events.

Who else was trained to read and write? Why?

Post an example of hieroglyphics on papyrus.
Military soldiers so they could communicate in the field.


What is papyrus and how was it made?
Wet reeds, crossed, flattened, and then dried.

What is a substrate?
Natural stone/ceramic surface of a wall, floor, etc.

What were the Books of the Dead?
Instructions and spells on how to get to the afterlife.

How did Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics become a forgotten language?
The Romans and Persians used different languages, so the language died out.

Post an example of the Rosetta Stone.
What is the Rosetta Stone? Where was it discovered?
It contains three languages and helped uncover the mystery of the hieroglyphs.

What three languages are included on the stone?
Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphs.

Why couldn't the text on the Stone be deciphered?
A chunk was missing and the languages were incomplete.

Who finally deciphered the text? What was his breakthrough?
Jean Francois Champollion. He could match the hieroglyphs with the Greek version.

Why does the interpretation of the Rosetta Stone have such significance?
It unlocked the secrets of the Egyptian hieroglyphs and half their culture.

The Rosetta Stone

Cuneiform and the Sumerians

The Sumerians were one of the earliest types of this kind of civilization? What does that mean?One of the earliest nomadic civilizations, they migrated. They were also a theoretical culture, ruled by a priest king.


Why is the region of Sumer considered the Cradle of Civilization?
The ground was fertile, it had plenty of salt and fresh water resources, and the climate was good for most of the civilizations.


What could the Sumerians practice year round because of the regions climate?
Agriculture



Post an example of early Cuneiform (Sumerian pictograph).
Why was Cuneiform created?

To help keep track of business transactions. 


What medium was used to "write" Cuneiform? Explain the process of preparing and writing on this surface?
Clay tablets.



What did Cuneiform begin as a series of? 
Pictographs, a visual representation of an object.



Post an example of evolved Cuneiform (wedge-shaped).
After it evolved over time, what shape did the characters of Cuneiform evolve into?
Wedged shape language.

Post an example of Akkadian Cuneiform.
After the Akkadians conquered, what happened to the Sumerian culture and written language?
The Akkadians adopted the culture and the cuneiform.


What is a pictograph?
A visual representative of an object.


Why did the creation of Cuneiform allow the Sumerians to become a sophisticated culture?
It was the first written language in that time.

Assignment 14 Research and Inspiration

My poster will be a career poster for advertising photographers....
They take pictures of various subjects, products, and other images for promotional materials, possibly ending up on a billboard, product packaging, or television/ magazine commercials.
Here are some inspirational posters I might use to help me brainstorm...

I kinda like the old fashion poster with a bit of description in the box, which is one of the things I have to do in my next assignment.

The colors are okay, but I'm liking how the background is brick. I'm not thinking brick as my background but it might be something similar to this.

Saw this and an image of a photographer with some sort of product on this poster came into mind. Its kinda funny (if you get the show and the poster idea) but it explains the show using optical views. I'm thinking this is a winner.

.... I GOT IT!!!  

Cave Paintings| 35,000 years ago

1. What are cave paintings? A way of communicating in prehistoric times.


2. Name several common themes found in cave paintings. Large animals (bison, horses, etc.) , tracings of human hands and abstract patterns.


3. How were these paintings created (tools, pigments)? Paints were water, plant juice, animal blood, soil, charcoal, and hematite. Brushes were made of sticks, small stones, leaves, and human hair put together.


4. What is the most famous cave painting site? When was it discovered and by whom? Post example. Lascaux, discovered in 1940 by four teenage boys.

5. Why did this cave have to be closed? What was done to satisfy public curiosity? It was closed because the paintings were being damaged by the carbon dioxide emitted from the tourists. The French government created Lascaux II, a man made replica next to the original.


6. Post a cave painting from Altamira. In Altamira cave, why do most of the paintings have a red hue? The red hue is caused by the red clay in the soil they used.


7. Who discovered this site? How old are the paintings? Discovered by Marceline Sanz de Sautuola and his daughter Maria. About 19,000 years old.


8. What is the oldest known cave painting site? When and who discovered it? Post picture of work. Chauvet-Pont Arc, discovered in 1994 by three speleologists.

9. What was different about the painting techniques? Had a 3D effect and the wall was wiped clear of debris.


10. What is "speleology"? The study and exploration of caves.


11. What three reasons do archeologists and historians believe prehistoric man created cave paintings? To tell a story or recount an event that already happened, instructional visual aid to help teach about hunting techniques, or they were created for magical or religious reasons, as if the painting might come true.

Research and Inspiration

RESEARCH

1. Exquisite corpse is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled. Each collaborator adds to a composition in sequence, either by following a rule or by being allowed to see the end of what the previous person contributed - Wikipedia
2. Used to be played as a parlor game with words.
3. Originated in the late 1920's.
4. Used most often by surrealists.
5. Surrealism is an art form where artists drew from ideas rather than real objects.

BRAINSTORM

1. Silly, not so traditional.
2. Communicating surrealism, fun.
3. Audience is myself, I surprise myself and have a little fun looking at it.
4. Audience would enjoy vibrant colors and non-traditional styles

INSPIRATION


This image stands out to me because I like how each part of the image has something quirky within it. Rather than just creating normal parts, they added interesting things such as the oversize moustache, the clothing, and the little, weird characters at the bottom.

I like this image because of the colors and the interesting sections that you would never imagine to go together. Like the bunny head and some sort of cyborg torso, and green legs. FUN!