CUSTOMER RESOURCES
Printing Glossary
A
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.
B
Back Up
(1) To print on the second side of a sheet already printed on one 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.
C
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
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
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
Cutting Die
Usually a custom ordered item to trim specific and unusual sized printing projects.
D
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
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.
E
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.
F
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
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.
G
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
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.
H
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
I
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
J
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.
K
Kiss Die Cut
To die cut the top layer, but not the backing layer, of self-adhesive paper. Also called face cut.
L
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)
Looseleaf
M
Mark-Up
Instructions written usually on a “dummy."
Matte Finish
Metallic Ink
Ink containing powdered metal or pigments that simulate metal.
Metallic Paper
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.
N
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.”
O
Opacity
(1) Characteristic of paper or other substrate that prevents printing on one side from showing through the other side.
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.
P
Page
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
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
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.
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.
Q
R
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.
S
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
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
Spread
(1) Two pages that face each other and are designed as one visual or production unit.
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.
T
Tint
Screening or adding white to a solid color for results of lightening that specific colour.
Trim Size
U
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.
V
Varnish
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.