letters to make words, paragraphs and pages. Then someone else would roll ink on the tightly packed letters, put a piece of paper in the press, and mash the tightly packed letters Understanding printing is a rite of passage for all professional graphic designers. Some designers never understand it. Good thing the Internet came along to keep them employed. I truly love printing. It’s a detailed, tactile process with possibilities limited only by imagination (and budget). When Johannes Gutenberg built his press in 1436, he invented an artform that would lead to the social and industrial revolutions that followed. The Chinese invented a system of printing using movable type as early as the 9th century, but it was Gutenberg’s movable metal type that granted permanence and durability to the printed word. Gutenberg’s press was all about getting ink on paper. Basically, someone would organize metal letters to make words, paragraphs and pages. Then someone else would roll ink on the tightly packed letters, put a piece of paper in the press, and mash the tightly packed letters aruly love printing. It’s a detailed, tactile process with possibilities limited only by imagination (and budget). When Johannes Gutenberg built his press in 1436, he invented an artform that would lead to the social and industrial revolutions that followed. The Chinese invented a system of printing using movable type as early as the 9th century, but it was Gutenberg’s movable metal type that granted permanence and durability to the printed word. Gutenberg’s press was all about getting ink on paper. Basically, someone would organize metal letters to make words, paragraphs and pages. Then someone else would roll ink on the tightly packed letters, put a piece of paper in the press, and mash the tightly packed letters form that would lead to the social and industrial revolutions that followed. The Chinese invented a system of printing using movable type as early as the 9th century, but it was Gutenberg’s movable metal type that granted permanence and durability to the printed word. Gutenberg’s press was all about getting ink on paper. Basically, someone would organize metal letters to make words, paragraphs and pages. Then someone else would roll ink on the tightly packed letters, put a piece of paper in the press, and mash the tightly packed letters enberg’s movable metal type that granted permanence and durability to the printed word. Gutenberg’s press was all about getting ink on paper. Basically, someone would organize metal letters to make words, paragraphs and pages. Then someone else would roll ink on the tightly packed letters, put a piece of paper in the press, and mash the tightly packed letters letters to make words, paragraphs and pages. Then someone else would roll ink on the tightly packed letters, put a piece of paper in the press, and mash the tightly packed letters against the piece of paper. Voila! The very first TV Guide.

Since 1436, the process has changed very little. We’re still putting letters together to form words, paragraphs and pages; someone rolls the ink on the letters and then mashes the letters against a piece of paper. The digital revolution didn’t change that. It did change how we put the letters together, and technology moved us from metal type to a more precise printing plate-making process, but we’re still putting ink on paper.

My new clients typically fall into two categories: those who know they need a project designed (i.e. annual report, brochure, direct mail campaign), and those who tried to develop something in-house and gave up when it cam