Construction printing is a modern luxury that has only developed within the last 200 years. Architecture has been a craft for nearly as long as humans have existed, long before the founding of Tampa Bay. But, before even ancient civilizations could build homes and other buildings, it was necessary to draw up design plans.
For centuries, drafters worked tirelessly to hand-copy plans to build structures. The development of digitally-drawn plans allows for faster distribution, which results in speedier construction and smoother development.
Early Architecture
Long before construction printing came to Tampa Bay, architectural plans were drawn by hand. One of the oldest preserved blueprints comes from the 9th century. One theory is that most masons from before the medieval period did not have a grasp on scale or perspective.
Architecture and Engineering in the Renaissance
Brunelleschi was one of the Renaissance era’s most brilliant architects. In contrast, Leonardo da Vinci can be thought of as a wildly creative engineer. Both of these men relied on drafting ideas to bring their inventions to life. During the Renaissance, drafters created designs like the blueprints that came along later.
As time went on, the development of special tools made drafter’s work more accurate. It was also faster to produce. However, it was a 19th-century astronomer that changed the production of these designs forever.
The Invention of the Blueprints
In 1842, John Hershel created the blue reproductions most people recognize. Though outdated, they are still a classic symbol of architecture and engineering design. Herschel discovered a chemical mixture that turned blue when exposed to ultraviolet light.
A blueprint starts with the placement of an original drawing on top of a chemically-coated paper. When exposed to light, the chemicals turn blue, except in the spots overlapping the lines drawn on the original design. The result is a replica of the initial design. However, the copy is blue paper with white lines rather than white paper and black lines.
Modern Construction Printing Companies: LDI Printing
Today, construction printing in Tampa Bay is effortless and takes only a few minutes. Photosensitive paper has been replaced with white paper. This brought about the new term “whiteprints.” Often, drafters will create their models digitally or scan them into a computer. This allows copies to be saved online and printed from a computer.
At LDI Printing, we are a leader for construction printing and plotting in the Tampa Bay area. Our company promotes the use of digitally-generated bond copies over traditional blueprints. In addition, we also offer scanning and archiving, CAD plotting, enlarging, same-day delivery and pickup, and more. For more information on our services, visit us online or call us at (727) 573-9070.
