When and how was the first book in Europe printed?

Goldsmith Johannes Gutenburg printed the first book (the bible) in Europe in Strasburg in 1445. This was done by using the printing press, a revolutionary invention by Gutenburg himself, where he in fact developed his idea from the hand screw press.

He created individual letters that could be put into lines to create sentences, ink would be rolled onto it and then it could be pressed onto a sheet of paper. He used this to print the bible using 42 lines and this way of using the printing press revolutionised the world of literature and made the materials cheaper and the end result more available to the public.

The Experts: Su Blackwell

Su Blackwell is one of my all time favourite artists. Although a sculpture I like to call her an illustrator as well. I find her sculptures absolutely amazing and the detail and time that has gone into every single one of them is exquisite, as I am a sucker for detail she automatically stood out to me. Her theatrical take on fairytales and stories is also a key feature as to why I like her and the fact that she used actual illustrations from the book she is cutting suggests that the story is growing and coming to life right before your eyes, they are children’s paradises and I feel I still have that curiosity inside of me as well as an appreciation for craftsmanship. She has a way of giving a book a sense of life and mystery that completely amazes me, her use of light also interests me as it can create so much more depth and also helps to tell the story without even reading it.

After studying a foundation course I looked at Su Blackwells work for an essay and I found a new love for sculpture, installation and 3D, finding that you really can mix media and genres together to create something rather unique and enchanting because of her work. She also inspired me to look more into book illustrations and putting my own creative identity upon a story. Illustration doesn’t have to be stuck to drawing, it can be something that you can touch and it becomes a whole other world