Before the invention of the typewriter, people used various methods to produce documents, including:
1. Handwriting: The most common method of document production was handwriting. People used pens, quills, or pencils to write on paper, parchment, or other writing materials.
2. Calligraphy: Calligraphy is the art of beautiful writing. Skilled scribes and calligraphers were employed to create elaborate and decorative documents, often for official or ceremonial purposes.
3. Illuminations: Illuminated manuscripts were books or documents decorated with elaborate, often colorful, illustrations, borders, and initial letters. These were often produced by monks or other skilled artists.
4. Woodblock printing: This technique involved carving characters or images onto wooden blocks, which were then inked and pressed onto paper. It was used in East Asia for centuries before being introduced to Europe in the 14th century.
5. Letterpress printing: Developed in the 15th century, the letterpress printing method used movable type. These individual pieces of metal or wood with raised letters were composed into a printing form, inked, and pressed onto paper to produce printed documents.
6. Lithography: This method of printing was invented in the late 18th century and involved drawing or writing on a smooth stone surface with a greasy substance. When water was applied, the greasy areas repelled it, and an oil-based ink could then be applied. When paper was pressed onto the stone, it picked up the ink, creating an image.
7. Stencil duplication: Stencil duplication, also known as mimeography, was invented in the 19th century. It involved creating a stencil on a sheet of thin material, such as wax paper, and then using it to transfer ink onto paper. This method was often used for reproducing multiple copies of documents.