CUSTOMER RESOURCES

Artwork

All original copy, including type, photos and illustrations, intended for printing. Also called art.

A4 Paper

ISO paper size 210 x 297mm used for Letterhead.

Alteration

Any change made by the customer after copy or artwork has been given to the service bureau, separator or printer. The change could be in copy, specifications or both. Also called AA, author alteration and customer alteration.

Author's Alterations (AA's)

At the proofing stage, changes that the client requests to be made concerning original art provided. AA's are considered an additional cost to the client usually.

Back Up

(1) To print on the second side of a sheet already printed on one side. (2) To adjust an image on one side of a sheet so that it aligns back-to-back with an image on the other side.

Bleed

Printing that extends to the edge of a sheet or page after trimming.

Blind Image

Image debossed, embossed or stamped, but not printed with ink or foil.

Body

The main text of work not including the headlines.

Bond paper

Category of paper commonly used for writing, printing and photocopying. Also called business paper, communication paper, correspondence paper and writing paper.

Calender

• To make the surface of paper smooth by pressing it between rollers during manufacturing.

Carbonless Paper

Paper coated with chemicals that enable transfer of images from one sheet to another with pressure from writing or typing.

CMYK

Abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black), the four process colors.

Collate

To organize printed matter in a specific order as requested.

Colour Balance

Refers to amounts of process colours that simulate the colors of the original scene or photograph.

Colour Correct

To adjust the relationship among the process colors to achieve desirable colors.

Colour Gamut

The entire range of hues possible to reproduce using a specific device, such as a computer screen, or system, such as four-colour process printing.

Comb Bind

To bind by inserting the teeth of a flexible plastic comb through holes punched along the edge of a stack of paper. Also called plastic bind and GBC bind (a brand name).

Commercial Printer

Printer producing a wide range of products such as announcements, brochures, posters, booklets, stationery, business forms, books and magazines. Also called job printer because each job is different.

Composite Proof

Proof of color separations in position with graphics and type. Also called final proof, imposition proof and stripping proof.

Cover

Thick paper that protects a publication and advertises its title. Parts of covers are often described as follows: Cover 1=outside front; Cover 2=inside front; Cover 3=inside back, Cover 4=outside back.

Coverage

Extent to which ink covers the surface of a substrate. Ink coverage is usually expressed as light, medium or heavy.

Creep

Phenomenon of middle pages of a folded signature extending slightly beyond outside pages. Also called feathering, outpush, push out and thrust. See also Shingling.

Crop Marks

Lines near the edges of an image indicating portions to be reproduced. Also called cut marks and tic marks.

Crossover

Type or art that continues from one page of a book or magazine across the gutter to the opposite page. Also called bridge, gutter bleed and gutter jump.

Cut Sizes

Paper sizes used with office machines and small presses.

Cutting Die

Usually a custom ordered item to trim specific and unusual sized printing projects.

Deboss

To press an image into paper so it lies below the surface. Also called tool.

Die

Device for cutting, scoring, stamping, embossing and debossing.

Die Cut

To cut irregular shapes in paper or paperboard using a die.

Digital Proofing

Page proofs produced through electronic memory transferred onto paper via laser or ink-jet.

Dot Gain

Phenomenon of halftone dots printing larger on paper than they are on films or plates, reducing detail and lowering contrast. Also called dot growth, dot spread and press gain.

Dot Size

Relative size of halftone dots as compared to dots of the screen ruling being used. There is no unit of measurement to express dot size. Dots are too large, too small or correct only in comparison to what the viewer finds attractive.

Dots-per-inch

Measure of resolution of input devices such as scanners, display devices such as monitors, and output devices such as laser printers, imagesetters and monitors. Abbreviated DPI. Also called dot pitch.

Drill

In the printing arena, to drill a whole in a printed matter.

Dry Back

Phenomenon of printed ink colors becoming less dense as the ink dries.

Duplex Paper

Thick paper made by pasting highlights together two thinner sheets, usually of different colors. Also called double-faced paper and two-tone paper.

Encapsulated Post Script file

Computer file containing both images and PostScript commands. Abbreviated EPS file.

End Sheet

Sheet that attaches the inside pages of a case bound book to its cover. Also called pastedown or end papers.

Estimate

Price that states what a job will probably cost. Also called bid, quotation and tender.

Fifth Colour

Ink color used in addition to the four needed by four-colour process.

Film Laminate

Thin sheet of plastic bonded to a printed product for protection or increased gloss.

Finished Size

Size of product after production is completed, as compared to flat size. Also called trimmed size.

Foil Emboss

To foil stamp and emboss an image. Also called heat stamp.

Foil Stamp

Method of printing that releases foil from its backing when stamped with the heated die. Also called block print, hot foil stamp and stamp.

Folder

A bindery machine dedicated to folding printed materials.

Fold Marks

With printed matter, markings indicating where a fold is to occur, usually located at the top edges.

Folio (page number)

The actual page number in a publication

Four-colour Process Printing

Technique of printing that uses black, magenta, cyan and yellow to simulate full-colour images. Also called color process printing, full color printing and process printing.

Gate Fold

A sheet that folds where both sides fold toward the gutter in overlapping layers.

Grain Long Paper

Paper whose fibers run parallel to the long dimension of the sheet. Also called long grain paper and narrow web paper.

Grain Short Paper

Paper whose fibers run parallel to the short dimension of the sheet. Also called short grain paper and wide web paper.

Grammage

Basis weight of paper in grams per square meter (gsm).

Graphic Arts

The crafts, industries and professions related to designing and printing on paper and other substrates.

Graphic Design

Arrangement of type and visual elements along with specifications for paper, ink colors and printing processes that, when combined, convey a visual message.

Graphics

Visual elements that supplement type to make printed messages more clear or interesting.

Grey Balance

Printed cyan, magenta and yellow halftone dots that accurately, reproduce a neutral grey image.

Grey Component Replacement

Technique of replacing grey tones in the yellow, cyan and magenta films, made while colour separating, with black ink. Abbreviated GCR. Also called achromatic colour removal.

Grey Levels

Number of distinct grey tones that can be reproduced by a computer.

GSM

The unit of measurement for paper weight (grams per square meter).

Gutter

In the book arena, the inside margins toward the back or the binding edges.

Halftone

(1) To photograph or scan a continuous tone image to convert the image into halftone dots. (2) A photograph or continuous-tone illustration that has been halftoned and appears on film, paper, printing plate or the final printed product.

Halftone Screen

Piece of film or glass containing a grid of lines that breaks light into dots. Also called contact screen and screen.

Highlights

Lightest portions of a photograph or halftone, as compared to midtones and shadows.

Imposition

Arrangement of pages on mechanicals or flats so they will appear in proper sequence after press sheets are folded and bound

Ink Jet Printing

Method of printing by spraying droplets of ink through computer-controlled nozzles. Also called jet printing.

Inserts

Within a publication, an additional item positioned into the publication loose (not bound in).

Job Number

A number assigned to a specific printing project in a printing company for use in tracking and historical record keeping.

Job Ticket

Form used by service bureaus, separators and printers to specify production schedule of a job and the materials it needs. Also called docket, production order and work order.

Kiss Die Cut

To die cut the top layer, but not the backing layer, of self-adhesive paper. Also called face cut.

Laid Finish

Finish on bond or text paper on which grids of parallel lines simulate the surface of handmade paper. Laid lines are close together and run against the grain; chain lines are farther apart and run with the grain.

Laminate

A thin transparent plastic sheet (coating) applied to usually a thick stock (covers, post cards, etc.) providing protection against liquid and heavy use, and usually accents existing color, providing a glossy (or lens) effect.

Landscape

Artist style in which width is greater than height. (Portrait is opposite.)

Laser Bond

Bond paper made especially smooth and dry to run well through laser printers.

Logo (Logotype)

A company, partnership or corporate creation (design) that denotes a unique entity. A possible combination of letters and art work to create a "sole" entity symbol of that specific unit.

Looseleaf

Binding method allowing insertion and removal of pages in a publication (e.g., trim-4-drill-3).

Mark-Up

Instructions written usually on a “dummy."

Matte Finish

Flat (not glossy) finish on photographic paper or coated printing paper.

Metallic Ink

Ink containing powdered metal or pigments that simulate metal.

Metallic Paper

Paper coated with a thin film of plastic or pigment whose colour and gloss simulate metal.

Midtones

In a photograph or illustration, tones created by dots between 30 percent and 70 percent of coverage, as compared to highlights and shadows.

Mock Up

A reproduction of the original printed matter and possibly containing instructions or direction.

Moire

Undesirable pattern resulting when halftones and screen tints are made with improperly aligned screens, or when a pattern in a photo, such as a plaid, interfaces with a halftone dot pattern.

Nested

Signatures assembled inside one another in the proper sequence for binding, as compared to gathered. Also called inset.

News Print

Paper used in printing newspapers. Considered low quality and "a short life use.”

Opacity

(1) Characteristic of paper or other substrate that prevents printing on one side from showing through the other side. (2) Characteristic of ink that prevents the substrate from showing through.

Onion Skin

A specific lightweight type (kind) of paper usually used in the past for air mail. Seldom used today (in the typewriter era).

Overprint

To print one image over a previously printed image, such as printing type over a screen tint. Also called surprint.

Page

One side of a leaf in a publication.

Page Count

Total number of pages that a publication has. Also called extent.

Page Proof

Proof of type and graphics as they will look on the finished page complete with elements such as headings, rules and folios.

Pagination

In the book arena, the numbering of pages.

Parallel Fold

Method of folding. Two parallel folds to a sheet will produce 6 panels.

Perfect Bind

To bind sheets that have been ground at the spine and are held to the cover by glue. Also called adhesive bind, cut-back bind, glue bind, paper bind, patent bind, perfecting bind, soft bind and soft cover. See also Burst Perfect Bind.

Perf Marks

On a "dummy" marking where the perforation is to occur.

Perforating

Taking place on a press or a binder machine, creating a line of small dotted wholes for the purpose of tearing-off a part of a printed matter (usually straight lines, vertical or horizontal).

Pica

A unit of measure in the printing industry. A pica is approximately 0.166 in. There are 12 points to a pica.

Pixel

Short for picture element, a dot made by a computer, scanner or other digital device. Also called pel.

PMS

Obsolete reference to Pantone Matching System. The correct trade name of the colors in the Pantone Matching System is Pantone colors, not PMS Colors.

Point

(1) Regarding paper, a unit of thickness equating 1/1000 inch. (2) Regarding type, a unit of measure equaling 1/12 pica and .013875 inch (.351mm).

Portrait

An art design in which the height is greater than the width. (Opposite of Landscape.)

Printer Pairs

Usually in the book arena, consecutive pages as they appear on a flat or signature.

Printer Spreads

Mechanicals made so they are imposed for printing, as compared to reader spreads.

Printing

Any process that transfers to paper or another substrate an image from an original such as a film negative or positive, electronic memory, stencil, die or plate.

Proof

Test sheet made to reveal errors or flaws, predict results on press and record how a printing job is intended to appear when finished.

Proofreader Marks

Standard symbols and abbreviations used to mark up manuscripts and proofs. Also called correction marks.

Ream

500 sheets of paper.

Resolution

Sharpness of an image on film, paper, computer screen, disc, tape or other medium.

RGB

Abbreviation for red, green, blue, the additive color primaries.

Saddle Stitch

To bind by stapling sheets together where they fold at the spine, as compared to side stitch. Also called pamphlet stitch, saddle wire and stitch bind.

Satin Finish

Alternate term for dull finish on coated paper.

Score

To compress paper along a straight line so it folds more easily and accurately. Also called crease.

Screen Printing

Method of printing by using a squeegee to force ink through an assembly of mesh fabric and a stencil.

Self Cover

Usually in the book arena, a publication not having a cover stock. A publication only using text stock throughout.

Self Mailer

A printed item independent of an envelope. A printed item capable of travel in the mailing arena independently.

Shadows

Darkest areas of a photograph or illustration, as compared to midtones and high-lights.

Slip Sheets

Separate sheets (stock) independent from the original run positioned between the "printed run" for a variety of reasons.

Solid

Any area of the sheet receiving 100 percent ink coverage, as compared to a screen tint.

Specifications

Complete and precise written description of features of a printing job such as type size and leading, paper grade and quantity, printing or binding method. Abbreviated specs.

Spine

Back or binding edge of a publication

Spiral Bind

To bind using a spiral of continuous wire or plastic looped through holes. Also called coil bind.

Spot Colour or Varnish

One ink or varnish applied to portions of a sheet, as compared to flood or painted sheet.

Spread

(1) Two pages that face each other and are designed as one visual or production unit. (2) Technique of slightly enlarging the size of an image to accomplish a hairline trap with another image. Also called fatty.

Step and Repeat

Prepress technique of exposing an image in a precise, multiple pattern to create a flat or plate. Images are said to be stepped across the film or plate.

Substrate

Any surface or material on which printing is done.

Supercalendered Paper

Paper calendered using alternating chrome and fiber rollers to produce a smooth, thin sheet. Abbreviated SC paper.

Tint

Screening or adding white to a solid color for results of lightening that specific colour.

Trim Size

The size of the printed material in its finished stage (e.g., the finished trim size is 5 1\2 x 8 1\2).

Uncoated Paper

Paper that has not been coated with clay. Also called offset paper.

Undercolour Removal

Technique of making color separations such that the amount of cyan, magenta and yellow ink is reduced in midtone and shadow areas while the amount of black is increased. Abbreviated UCR.

Universal Copyright Convention (UCC)

A system to protect unique work from reproducing without knowledge from the originator. To qualify, one must register their work and publish a (c) indicating registration.

Unsharp Masking

Technique of adjusting dot size to make a halftone or separation appear sharper (in better focus) than the original photo or the first proof. Also called edge enhancement and peaking.

Up

Term to indicate multiple copies of one image printed in one impression on a single sheet. "Two up" or "three up" means printing the identical piece twice or three times on each sheet.

UV Coating

Liquid applied to a printed sheet, then bonded and cured with ultraviolet light.

Varnish

Liquid applied as a coating for protection and appearance.

Viewing Booth

Small area or room that is set up for proper viewing of transparencies, color separations or press sheets. Also called color booth. See also Standard Viewing Conditions.

Virgin Paper

Paper made exclusively of pulp from trees or cotton, as compared to recycled paper.