The printer’s work included multiple tasks. Among these were responsibility of choosing which types of letters to use, mixing of colors, and making sure the printing press was working.
The printer picked out the letters from a set of loose types. After this they were placed in a frame, where they were placed in the correct order as needed. Being precise in this process was crucial, seeing as a mistake could lead to the printed text being full of errors. After this process of placing the letters, he then had to make the printing color, which was made by being mixing a color pellet on a marble surface. The color was then added into the loose types. This was done by using a “rubber pellet” that distributed the colors over the letters. When the color finished being properly added then the printing process itself started. The parchment or paper was placed on the printer and pressed against the letter types. This was hard physical labor. A large amount of power was needed for the printing to be clear and even.
When the sheet was done being printed it was hung up to dry. The amount of the time it took to dry was dependent on the type of ink used in the printing.
