When you think about ancient churches and cathedrals in Europe, what pops into your head? Bet you've got those cool 'stained glass' windows in mind that light up when the sun hits. Those stained glass vibes started getting popular in French Gothic architecture from the mid-12th to late 14th century. Back then, architects were wowed by the glam, especially after checking out the Basilique de Saint-Denis in France. As glass techniques improved and tech got fancier, stained glass became this awesome, flashy way to rock that medieval Christian vibe.
Additionally, stained glass was used like a picture book, illustrating stories from the medieval era through the colorful glass to convey the narratives in the Bible to people who were new to the Bible. Before Gutenberg's printing revolution around 1450, getting hold of paper books was tough, making it challenging for people to read the Bible. As a result, many people didn't have a chance to read the entire Bible's contents back then. Therefore, stained glass served not only as a beautiful artistic element but also played a crucial role in education.
The Gutenberg Bible, also known as the 42-line Bible, the Mazarin Bible or the B42, was the earliest major book printed in Europe using mass-produced metal movable type. It marked the start of the "Gutenberg Revolution" and the age of printed books in the West. The book is valued and revered for its high aesthetic and artistic qualities[1] and its historical significance.
Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press around 1450, and from 1452, over a span of three years, he printed the Gutenberg Bible. Printing 180 copies in those three years, he was 15 times faster compared to the speed of producing handwritten copies. Subsequently, the movable-type printing technique rapidly spread, and from 1450 to 1500, over 50 years, a total of 30,000 different books were printed, amounting to 20 million copies. This surpassed the quantity of books published in the previous 1,000 years.
Then, how many pages would be needed to express a Braille Bible? When displaying the size and volume of a Braille Bible in numbers, it translates to a massive volume of over 6,000 pages with dimensions like those shown in the image, measuring 278 cm in width and 277 cm in height.
Take a look at the Braille version of the Bible—it's packed with such an incredible amount of paper!
The Braille Bible currently available in the market consists of 15 volumes for the Old Testament and 5 volumes for the New Testament, totaling 20 volumes, priced at around $200~300 depending on the region. Due to the high cost and weight, carrying traditional Braille Bibles poses a challenge for many visually impaired individuals. So, many opt for audio versions, although this method has its limitations. As a solution, some people with Braille assistive devices choose to read digital Braille Bible books.
Moving from Braille to audio and then to digital Braille, increasingly accessible and advanced versions were being developed. What if we add a tactile graphic? Adding pictures could make it easier to understand and more interesting. Imagine listening to the book, feeling images or Braille with your fingers, and looking at pictures – it would truly make the stories come alive!
It got us thinking. We found the process of depicting the stories of the Bible through images to be reminiscent of the way medieval architects created 'digital stained glass.' We thought a lot on how to convey the contents of the Bible more easily through the 2,400 pins on the Dot Pad. :)
(Left) Stained glass with doves gracefully soaring toward the sky. (Right) A tactile graphic display depicting a dove bringing an envelope.
(Left) Stained glass illustrations of a lamb and a cross. (Right) A tactile graphic display depicting the shape of a lamb and a cross.
(Left) Stained glass with a praying hands pattern (Right) A tactile graphic display depicting a praying hands pattern.
Our goal was to make it easier for kids with visual impairments or adults not familiar with Braille to understand. We began by creating simple pictures that highlight important parts of the book. The visually impaired individuals working with our team found that having real-time illustrations helped them understand the book much be easily. They also liked the idea of being able to save pictures that represented parts of the book they enjoyed while reading.
Dot Pad Tactile Display and Dot Canvas Tool
Our 'Digital Stained Glass' project started with a collaboration with artist Kim Jong-du, who majors in Western painting and is working on projects to turn the Bible and Christian classics into comics. We released the Dot Pad version of his work, "The Greatest News in the World," with vivid tactile images through the Dotpad.
Take a peek at the project's video here! :
Imagine if illustrations could be used not only in everyday life but also in various areas such as work and hobbies. We are now collaborating with many partners worldwide to add images to content like books, movies, webtoons, and games. What if visually impaired people could instantly access images or webtoons they want to read or see, such as Marvel or DC?
Stay tuned for more diverse updates in Dot's 'Digital Stained Glass' project. If you're interested in collaboration, please reach out to dot@dotincorp.com.