Embellishments are as old as print. The first printed book, the Bible printed by Gutenberg, contained illuminated letters and ornaments in gold or colored ink. Today we might call it metallics and spot colors.

Gutenberg decided that the letter at the beginning of each book should be illuminated separately. An empty area on the printed sheet contained only a small letter to indicate which letter the illuminator should draw in large format. The letter could be festively and colorfully decorated - depending on the client's wallet and taste.

Already in this earliest case of enhanced print some common topics of print embellishments prevailed: