How to Print and Assemble Quartos

To print and assemble your own copy of Marlowe’s books you will need:

  • A computer, tablet, or other handheld device to download the pdf files
  • A printer that can print A4 (US letter size) or A3 (US tabloid size)
  • Scissors
  • Needle (for quarto assembly)
  • Thread (for quarto assembly)

Printer Settings and Instructions:

First, select and download the play or plays you wish to print. You can find pdfs for download on the Marlowe’s Plays page. Depending on your printer capabilities, you can choose to print the pages in either A4 (US letter 8.5 X 11 inches) or A3 (US tabloid 11 x 17 inches). Although the A3 sizing is closer to the printed page in the 1500s, we have included the A4 size since most home and office printers are not able to print the A3 size.  

Next, open the pdf in a pdf reader on your computer, tablet, or other handheld device. Some free pdf readers include:

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (Mac and PC)
  • Preview (Mac only)
  • PDF Viewer (Chrome)
Dr. Faustus (1611) printing open in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC on a Mac

Once you have the pdf file open, select print from the upper menu to open the print dialogue. You may need to adjust some settings depending on your printer’s setup. We recommend that you check:

  • Print Range: Select as many pages as you wish to print. If you wish to print the entire quarto, simply select “Print All.”
  • Page size: Check to see which page size you have downloaded. (For most home and office printers, we recommend using the A4 page size.) If your printer does not print paper in that size, you will need to scale it down. In Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, tick the box “Fit” to scale down the pdf image to your specific printer needs. 
  • Orientation: The images are designed to be printed in the “portrait” orientation.
  • Double-sided printing: In order to fold like a book, the images should be printed on both sides of the paper. In Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, tick “Print on both sides of paper” 
  • Important: The image needs to “flip” on the short edge to print properly. For most printers, choosing “portrait mode” achieves this. In Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, you must tick “flip on short edge.”
Print Screen for Dr. Faustus in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC on a Mac. Print tasks indicated with a red arrow.

Assembling Marlowe’s Books

Instructions for assembling and stitching Marlowe’s books here

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