1. A method for the preparation of a transparent original containing both text and images for use in the production of printing forms and plates comprising the steps of preparing a reproducible text on a surface wherein the text is arranged according to a predetermined layout in which areas are provided for the images and the layout is registered with respect to a correlating grid, preparing a unitary image film containing a plurality of images thereon, each of said images having any desired size without any predetermined relationship to the size of the image areas provided in the layout and said images being arranged in any desired order without any predetermined relationship to the relative locations of the image areas provided in the layout and registered with respect to said correlating grid, defining the respective locations and sizes of said areas with at least two pairs of first position coordinates correlated to said correlating grid and defining the respective locations of said images with at least one pair of second position coordinates correlated to said correlating grid, exposing a light sensitive collection film wih the reproducible text such that exposure of portions of said collection film corresponding exclusively to the images and to any special text parts which are to be printed in a different color is prevented, automatically positioning the image film with respect to the collection film by calculating the coordinate relationship between the corresponding ones of said first and second pairs of position coordinates so as to align at least one of the images with the unexposed area provided therefor on the collection film, exposing the at least one image onto the collection film by lighting the at least one image with a sharply defined light beam which is automatically sized in dependence on the corresponding pairs of said first position coordinates so as to fall within the area of the collection film intended for the at least one image.