Blueprints, more accurately called construction drawings, are actually a copy of a set of plans. The technique of blueprinting was developed around the mid 1800's as a method of copying. The designer would draw out their design on a transparent paper called vellum. This paper was then placed against another paper that was coated with Ferric Ammonium Citrate and Potassium Ferricyanide. These papers were then exposed to a light. The areas of the drawing not obscured by pencil lines would remain white while the remaining drawing would be blue. Thus, the name blueprint arrived on the scene.

As the digital age becomes more mature; we find ourselves relying on printers as a more effective means to copying documents. These printers have helped to boost the accuracy and efficiency of the copying process. However, in the beginning many printers could only print in black. This caused a new print to arrive called the black-line print. This print was desirable because of its' clear and readable. The one draw back, however, was that the design still retained a very "mono-tone" look. This becomes a problem to people that are not designers because they can not tell the difference between many of the symbols used. As printers became more effective people experimented in an effort to achieve a clearer design.

Today printers have the ability to print in color much more effectively and cheaply than was possible several years ago. These new printers have spawned a new type of print called the color print. It's easy to read, you can distinguish between design symbols more readily, and it conveys a more accurate picture of how a design will look.

Surprisingly enough many designers and Architects still use the old pencil and paper style blueprint. There does not seam to be a specific answer for this other than "this is the way I have always done it". Yet, pencil drawings are harder to reproduce, not very clear, and mistakes can be costly.

At Celestial Graphics we have matched color prints with today's computer technology. We use only the best design software and color plotters. This combination has made it possible to create workable and understandable drawings not just for builders but also for the consumer. I challenge you to find this type of quality at our affordable price.