Poster advertising excursion on the paddle steamer Marseilles.

Early posters were loaded with written information and artistic design was a minor consideration. There was an emphasis on conveying information, rather than prioritising style. Posters were usually produced with a letterpress, a printing technique which allows the use of only one colour at a time. The invention of lithography in 1796, a printing method which uses simple chemical processes to create an image, led to affordable mass production of posters. Rhyl and the Isle of Man had been popular seaside destinations since the middle of the 19th century, especially for holiday makers from the North West.