Printing methods are used extensively in all businesses, and they have been used for as long as humans lived. Early human beings also used printing methods to draw and to make inscriptions.  The printing methods have evolved with the evolution of the world, and newer methods are aimed towards more precision and faster speed.  The evolution of printing methods can be attributed to technology and advancements in the field of science.  As new inventions are being done and newer principles are being revealed, the methods of printing are also advancing. The evolution of printing methods is a steady process and has been continues for centuries.  

Early Stages of Printing

The earliest evidence of printing can be traced back to Mesopotamian civilization. In about 3000 BC, the people from this civilization printed beautiful images into sand using stamps.  The method employed stamps that were carved with different shapes to make prints on the sand or in soft rocks. This is before machines came into being.  This printing method was used back them to make architecture beautiful or to make paintings. Artefacts that have been found from this time show that people from that time used stamps for printing and these stamps were mostly wooden.  

Printing with Blocks

After the use of seals for printing, the printing methods evolved to use blocks for printing. These blocks are made of bronze or silver and are normally used to print on fabric.  The evidence of this method having being used comes from Europe and Asia. From the 6th century, there is an evidence of this method being used as there was found an inscription of stone made in a mirror.  Another kind of block that was used for printing was wooden blocks. These blocks were used to print on paper. This was the first type of printing that was used for printing on paper. In today’s world, this method is called as xylography.  The wooden blocks were originally used to print on textiles in East Asia. Asia was the hub of colourful textile and fabric, and this was due to the printing that was done with wooden blocks.  • Later, printing with wooden blocks was done on papyrus.  • This kind of printing was done under the influence of Buddhism.  • Ukiyo-e is a Japanese artefact of this kind of printing, and it is the best kind of printed wooden print that has been ever seen.  

Lithography

After this method, the most notable method for printing is lithography. It is the type of printing that used chemical techniques to print on any surface. This method was first implemented by Aloys Senefelder. It uses a chemical method, using the scientific methods. This method came into being using the scientific knowledge about the chemical interactions between molecules.  

The method employed is as follows: 

• The positive part of the image that needs to be projected may be hydrophobic or water-hating. • On the other hand, the negative part is hydrophilic which is water-loving • Both the parts are made to come in contact with the compatible type of ink and paper.  • This is how the image is printed on to paper.  This method is extensively used to print books, poster, and magazines. The best part of this method is that it can be used to print on smooth surfaces and that increases its functionality for the press and the book industry.  

Colour Printing and Offset

After this method, changes were made in this process to give rise to chromolithography. This evolution finally resulted in colour printing and use of offset for printing. In offset technique, the image that is to be printed is transferred to a block, and from there it is transferred to a rubber plate. From there, it is finally printed on to the object.  This method is often combined with lithography to get a smoother image which is more accurate and precise. The only drawback with this method is that it is quite slow and takes some times due to triple transferring that is involved in the method.  

Flexography

After this method, came flexography which is commonly known as Flexo. In this method, the ink is deposited on to the surface of the material to give a 3D print. This method is mostly used for custom packaging or to make labels of all kinds.  

Thermal Printing

Thermal printing used thermal paper for printing, and it involves heating of the coating material. When the certain part of the thermal paper is heated, it makes the paper turn black, and the image is then produced.  

Modern Day Printing Methods

The evolution of printing methods finally led to the methods that are being used today. These are: • Digital Printing: It involves the printing of a digital image on to a smooth surface.  • Laser Printing: It involved the use of laser and its back and forth movement for printing.  Thus, it is sure that the printing methods have evolved and they have evolved for good.