Mass Mediation

Printed Mass Media

There was a tremendous increase in the volume of printed material during the late 19th century as electricity quickly replaced steam machines and further automation accelerated the production of the presses and paper manufacturers.  Paper was used for almost everything during this era and it had been taken for granted.  There was an abundance of paper.  Advertising grew and mass produced goods proliferated.

Graphic designers became professionals with increasing specialities within the field.  There were specialists in layout, illustration, composition, typesetting, as well as many other areas of graphic design.  

The world was shaped by the opinions regarding style and form, social priorities and prohibitions, as well as behavior and decorum.  Advertising campaigns were developed to coordinate strategies which tried to reach local and national audiences.  

Print Technology

The methods of creating text and images are continually evolving.  During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, new printing presses became available.  At the same time, paper making techniques were also changing.  Earlier paper were made in single sheets from cotton or linen which was expensive and there was tremendous pressure to find a cheaper way to produce paper.  Wood pulp was the answer and paper was then machine made into rolls.  At first, this paper was of poor quality but it solved the issue of cheap and abundant source of paper.  The linotype press was a technical marvel designed in the 1880s.  The setting of type was now aided by a keyboard.  This was a huge leap forward in printing technology.  Without this, people would still have to set type by hand or draw each individual letter.

1. Guttenberg press

2. Linotype press

Other advances include photogravure which was a process of reproducing photographs using ink on paper.  Many manipulations could be done to the photograph such as cropping, adjusting contrast, etc before it was sent to the printers.  This furthered the rise of illustrated papers from previous centuries as replication was now even easier.

Graphic Design and Advertising

Now that the technologies have developed even more, there are far more applications where the graphic designer can reach.  Advertisements were a direct byproduct of the industrial revolution.  More goods were being produces, so ads were created to sell more goods.  Technologies must be invented so that ads could be reproduced quickly and distributed to a wide audience.  

Graphic designers were an integral part of this rise as they were able to reach the consumers.  Not only did the product need branding, labeling, and packaging, but the design of the package was crucial in fostering product recognition.  

Posters and Public Space

Many posters were now created using the lithographic process but it still took an artist's vision to push the poster production to new heights.  Without artists, we would not associate the this period to the golden age of poster art.  The great posters of this time were created by artists like Toulouse-Lautrec, Mucha, and Grasset.  Posters crossed the line between collectable art works and mass produced advertisements.  

3.  A poster by Jan Theodoor Toorop

Glossary

Ephemera - literally, lasting only a dap; printed matter for short-term use such as handbills, tickets, announcements, and menus.

Linotype - a mechanized process of setting type with the aid of a keyboard and casting it in lines of text.

Photogravure - an etching process renowned for rich tonal values that involves coating a plate with photosensitive gelatin and powdered resin, exposing it, and etching it in an acid bath.

Works Cited

"Burlington Press & Electrical Press." Metal Type. 28 Oct. 2008

Gutenberg - The Printing Press - 1440. 28 Oct. 2008