In German illustrated books, the texts, formatted in regular book-size letters were set in one or two columns in the middle of the page and the commentaries in small letters were arranged around the text like a border whereas, in illuminated manuscripts, the letters had no regular arrangement since the amount of commentary varied for each section of the text and therefore each new page had to be planned separately. Most illuminated manuscripts used decorations of animals and the amusing wild men and women playing in the flora border whereas German illustrated books were printed in wood blocks and copper engravings.
Both illuminated Manuscripts and German illustrated Books were in the form of a paper manuscript written in a cursive hand, illustrated with pen-and –ink drawings, and painted with light colors. Additionally, both illuminated Manuscripts and German illustrated Books used many pictures decorations and few words to popularize religious and moral instructions.