Reviving an Ancient Way of Printing

What is this Block?

Tibetan printing block 3D printed using PLA filament

The Tibetan wooden printing block at the heart of this project is a rare artifact estimated to be 100-200 years old, historically used to create prayer flags. Printing blocks represent one of the most significant innovations of the Tang (618–906) and Song (960–1279) dynasties, revolutionizing knowledge-sharing by enabling the mass publication of texts and enhancing literacy (Asian Art Museum, n.d.).

This block was part of a large group of printing blocks that was acquired at auction from the estate of Philip Gould, who was a professor of Art History at Sarah Lawrence before his retirement in 1993. The existing information about the block is based on comparative research and conversations with faculty colleagues who have expertise in the history of the book in the Himalayas. Professor Xiaotian Yin, an art historian specializing in the art of Inner Asia and China wrote:

“The motif at the center visualizes the seed syllable of the Kalachakra system in Tibetan Buddhism, surrounded by the Tibetan transliteration of a Sanskrit Mantra.” The four mystical animals—Lion (seng), Tiger (stag), Garuda (khung), and Dragon (’brug)—adorn its corners, reaffirming the block’s spiritual significance.”

Why is it Substantive to Replicate this Block?   

These historical artifacts are too delicate to use in practical demonstrations. Anne Peale, the Chapin Librarian for the Sawyer Special Collections, would like to create replica of the printing blocks to demonstrate how these would be used. A replica would allow the library to safely make many prints, using a variety of print materials, without worrying about damaging the original blocks.

Anne Peale is also the professor of ASIA 325: The Arts of the Book in Asia for Spring 2025. I asked her about the importance of replicating the printing block and she responded:

“Printing blocks carry the history of how they’ve been used in the ink traces on their surface. Moreover, some blocks become damaged or fragile over time, and we need to ensure that the blocks remain available for future generations of Williams students.”

There are a few features of the printing block that must be preserved. Preservation is a meticulous process, prioritizing the smoothness of the printable surface, the clarity of the text, and the precision of the carved motifs.

3D Scanning with CR-Scan Raptor

The CR-Scan Raptor is a 3D scanner with metrology-grade accuracy, with a maximum accuracy of 0.02mm. Using a blue parallel 7-line laser and a 2.3-megapixel high-resolution camera for scanning, it produces rich details, sharp edges, and restores the 3D shape of the object accurately (Creality, 2024).

Scan Configuration:

  • Scanning Mode: Blue Light
  • Resolution: 0.1
  • Color Mapping: No
  • Turntable: No

Recommended System Operation

Windows

  • Windows 10/11 (64 bit)
  • i7-Gen7 CPU, Nvidia graphics card (6GB VRAM)
  • 16GB RAM or higher

MacOS

  • 7.7 and above (Big Sur/Monterey/Ventura)
  • Apple M1/M2/M3 series processors
  • 16GB RAM or higher

Tibetan printing block preparing to be 3D scanned.

Step 1: Set-up the Printing Block to be Scanned

The printing block was placed on top of a scanning pad. I then arbitrarily surrounded with Creality’s reflective circular markers. These marker points were crucial in assisting the scanning process. The more markers, the better.

 

 

 

3D scan of the printing block in creality.

Step 2: Scan the Printing Block

I connected the CR-Scan Raptor USB cable to our relatively powerful desktop computer. Then, I started slowly scanning the printing block. During the scanning process, Creality Scan provides a colormap that indicates its confidence in the point clouds it is creating for the whether the current scan quality: red indicates a relatively poor quality of scanning, while an object that appears uniformly green, indicates a relatively good quality scan.

 

Optimized 3D scan of printing block.

Step 3: Optimize the 3D Scanned Model  

After scanning the object, I initiated an optimization of the pointcloud. The smaller the point distance, the better the detail, but it requires more processing time and RAM.

 

 

Printing with Resin

3D printed Tibetan printing block using resin.

The dimensions of the actual Tibetan printing block are as follows:

  • Length: 134.66mm
  • Width: 153.48mm
  • Height: 4.24mm

We coordinated with the Science Center to print the 3D scanned block with resin. Resin 3D printing has the advantage of producing higher resolution and finer details compared to 3D printing with the use of filaments. The printing process was handled by Jason Mativi, Senior Science Center Shop Engineer. Resin is expensive, and to reduce material costs we intentionally printed a very thin object — essentially just the raised print characters with maybe ⅛” backing — and then glued two pieces of custom cut ¼” acrylic plastic to create a rigid backing and protect the resin print.

Why It Matters: Preserving the Past for the Future

In today’s world, ancient artifacts face constant risks of damage or loss. Projects like this show how technology can help preserve cultural treasures while keeping them accessible. By using 3D scanning and resin printing, we can create accurate replicas that protect the original artifact while allowing people to engage with its history.

Replicating this Tibetan printing block doesn’t just save its physical form—it keeps its story alive, inspiring and educating future generations about the rich culture and artistry it represents.

Community

Exquisite ancient artistic artifacts like this Tibetan printing block are continuously depleting in terms of numbers. It is hard to maintain these numbers in place because it can only go down and never go up. This is something inevitable as we proceed in time.

“We anticipate using this block to demonstrate woodblock printing processes with ARTH 325: The Arts of the Book in Asia, and also to use it in co-curricular programming, since it is durable and easy to transport. Hands-on printing is a fantastic way of teaching book history to all kinds of learners,” said Professor Peale.

Why It Matters: Balancing Preservation and Accessibility

The replication of this block is more than a technical achievement—it’s a cultural imperative. In an era when ancient artifacts are steadily depleting, projects like this ensure their stories endure. By blending tradition with technology, we not only preserve history but also make it accessible to new generations.