smudged with ink

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The ink application in this 1730 publication is described as problematic, exhibiting poor alignment and insufficient interlinear space. The process resulted in frequent smudging, which created opaque dark spots that obstructed legibility. Conversely, some areas suffered from under-inking, where letters were barely visible (p. 57).

Evidence

"the typeforms are frequently smudged with ink, creating dark spots on the page and rendering individual letters illegible; in other instances individual letters are barely inked and difficult to see at all."

Remarks

This sample from the Müteferrika press demonstrates the challenges of early Ottoman movable type printing compared to manuscript traditions. The haphazard appearance is attributed to inconsistent spacing, varying angles of vertical strokes, and poor control over the ink volume during the printing of the Gülšen-i ḫulefā (p. 57).