Term |
Definition |
4C Printing |
Printing process using 4 ink colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) to print full color |
AAs |
Author Alterations: Any change made by the customer to previously provided artwork or specs |
Acid-free Paper |
Neutral pH (7) paper; used for fine art prints, limited edition printing and archiving |
Adobe® Creative Cloud |
Subscription-based access to the Creative Suite, including InDesign®, Photoshop®, Illustrator® and more |
Antique Finish |
Uncoated paper stock with a natural, rough appearance |
Aqueous Coating |
A water-based protective coating |
B2B |
Business-to-Business: Goods and services marketed to businesses |
B2C |
Business-to-Consumer: Goods and services marketed to consumers |
Back Up |
The direction of artwork for two-sided printing |
Bind |
Any method of securing and joining together paper sheets |
Bindery |
Production-based department whose expertise is finishing printed pieces |
Bitmap |
Pixels on a grid to create an image, resolution dependent |
Blanket |
A rubber-coated pad used to transfer images from the cylinder to the printing surface |
Bleed |
Printing that extends beyond the edge of the sheet before printing |
Bleedthrough |
Imperfection caused by heavy ink coverage that shows through the other side of a printed sheet; also called showthrough |
Blind Deboss |
Stamping any image or text into paper surface to produce a depressed effect, without the use of ink |
Blind Emboss |
Stamping any image or text into paper wrong-side to produce a raised impression, without the use of ink |
Blind Package |
Ship directly from second-party vendor without identifying the second-party |
Blister Pack |
Preformed plastic forms for small goods, sealed with paper board or aluminum backing |
Brand |
Symbols, words and ideas used to define a business strategy, often used to market |
Brightness |
Light reflecting property of paper when measured under a specially calibrated blue light |
Buckslip |
Loose slip of paper placed into another publication; also called an insert |
Burst Perfect Bind |
The process of gluing complete signatures into a notched spine |
C1S |
Coated One Side: Paper that has coating on just one side of the sheet |
C2S |
Coated Two Sides: Paper that has coating on both sides of the sheet |
Caliper |
Measurement of the thickness of paper stock |
Camera-Ready |
A general term for a document that is ready for print |
Carton |
Cardboard box used for shipping |
Case Bind |
Binding signatures into a hard-case cover; also called hard cover |
Chipboard |
Paperboard made from recycled paper |
CMYK |
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black: the four colors in four-color process printing |
Coated Paper |
Compounds coated on paper that improves upon its quality; common coatings include gloss and matte |
Collating |
To assemble pages in a predetermined order |
Color Balance |
Adjustment of process colors to create accurate color simulation |
Color Cast |
Imperfection caused by ink and/or color on text and/or images |
Color Control Bar |
Squares of color printed in the trim area used to evaluate color quality; also called color bars |
Color Correct |
Adjustment of CMYK levels to achieve desired color accuracy; also called balance |
Color Correct Proof |
Simulation of a printed piece's color and/or impo |
Color Curves |
Broad color changes made to CMYK levels to output correct printed color |
Comb Binding |
Bindery method using plastic spines with teeth set into rectangular punched holes |
Copy |
Text; also called body copy |
Cover |
Outside pages of a publication |
Cover Paper |
Sturdier, thicker paper stock; often used for book cover application |
Cover Wrap |
The front and back covers plus the spine of a perfect-bound book |
Coverage |
Extent to which ink covers the printed surface |
Creep |
Location adjustment of inner pages in a saddle-stitched signature due to the extension (or creep) past the outer pages |
Crop Marks |
Small lines outside of the trim area that provide cutting directions |
Crossover |
Images or text that continues over a gutter |
CS |
Adobe Creative Suite: A series of programs used for web, print and media design |
Cure |
Time allowed for inks and coatings to dry to ensure adhesion |
Cyan |
Cyan puts the C in CMYK |
Deboss |
Stamping any image or text into paper surface to produce a depressed effect |
Die |
Tool used to cut, score, stamp, emboss or deboss |
Die Cut |
The process of using a shaped tool to make cut-outs |
Digital Printing |
Large-scale laser or inkjet printers used for on-demand, short run printing |
Direct Mail |
Bulk postal mail marketing campaigns |
DPI |
Dots Per Inch: Printing term for the quantification of dot density in an image |
Drill |
Cut any size hole(s) into printed matter |
Dry Trap |
Printing over dry, cured ink |
Dull Stock |
Flat-finish paper coating, also called matte or satin |
Dummy |
Mock-up of a finished piece |
Emboss |
Stamping any image or text into paper's wrong-side to produce a raised impression using heat and/or pressure |
End Sheet |
Paper mounted inside case-bound books that is used to attach inside pages |
EPS |
Encapsulated Post Script: A file format for images that will be placed in another document for printing |
Estimate |
Rough price calculation of a job and its specific details; also called a bid or quote |
Face |
Side of a bound piece that is opposite the spine |
Feeding Unit |
Printing press part that moves paper sheets into the press |
Felt Finish |
Paper stock with a woven pattern |
Finish |
Description of a paper's surface |
Finished Size |
W"xH" dimension of a piece after all production |
Flat |
Imposition proof used for print production |
Flat Size |
W"xH" dimension of a piece after trimming, but before folding |
Flood |
Covering a printed sheet entirely with ink and/or coatings |
Foil Emboss |
Combination of foil stamping and embossing |
Foil Stamp |
Application of metallic film-backed foil with a heated die-cut |
Folder |
Finishing equipment used to create folds |
Folio |
Page number |
Font |
A series of uniquely designed characters including numbers, letters and symbols |
FPO |
For Position Only: Designation indicating a proof or placeholder content |
French Fold |
Half-fold vertically followed by a horizontal half fold |
FSC |
Forest Stewardship Council: A non-profit organization that promotes responsible management of forests |
FTP |
File Transfer Protocol: Network used to transfer documents |
Fugitive Glue |
Low-tack, removable adhesive; also called booger glue |
Fulfillment |
Processing and delivering orders from a warehouse to a customer |
G7® |
Color calibration certification for printers |
Gang Run |
Printing two or more pieces on the same press sheet |
Ghosting |
Imperfection caused by heavy-coverage ink and/or coatings transferring where it should not be |
GIF |
Graphics Interchange Format: A file format for online use only |
Gilding |
Gold-leaf on the edges of printed material |
Gloss Finish |
Shiny coating applied to a press sheet |
Gloss Stock |
Shiny-finish paper coating |
Glyph |
A symbolic character, for example Æ, ©, ∑, ï |
Gray Scale |
An image with color information that has been converted to gray |
Gripper Edge |
Side of the paper that first feeds through a sheetfed press |
Gutter |
The binding edge, or center, of a printed piece |
Hairline |
Thin lines (less than .25 pt or .003") that do not print well |
Hickey |
An imperfection on a printed piece |
HSB |
Hue, Saturation, Balance: Color space for graphics and illustrations |
Imposition |
The arrangement of pages for proper collation; also called impo |
Imprint |
To print again on a previously printed sheet |
Inserts |
Loose slip of paper placed into another publication; also called a buck slip |
ISBN |
International Standard Book Number: A unique number assigned to publications |
Job Number |
A unique number assigned to each project for internal tracking |
Job Ticket |
An order for a printed piece, includes all details and instructions |
Jog |
Straighten paper sheets by tapping on a flat surface |
JPEG |
Joint Photographic Experts Group: A universal file format for images |
K |
Abbreviation for black in CMYK |
Kerning |
Adjustment of space between characters |
Kiss Die Cut |
A shaped cut that does not completely remove the cut-out |
Knockout |
Printing around an image or type's shape that will allow the substrate to show and form the image; also called reverse |
Laminate |
Transparent plastic sheets that are applied via heat/pressure/adhesive to protect printed matter |
Landing Page |
Front page of a website used for online marketing |
Lay Flat Bind |
Method of perfecting binding that allows a book to completely lie flat when open |
Leading |
Adjustment of space between lines of type |
Letterfold |
Two folds that create 3 equally sized panels |
Letterpress |
Printing method of relief printing with raised metal type using a printing press |
Live Area |
Printable area on a document for any copy or image that should not be cut off; usually .1875" from the trim |
Lo-Res Flat |
A printed proof indicating layout and specs, not to be used for color accuracy |
Loupe |
Magnifying glass used to examine printed matter |
Mail Permit |
Certified paid permission to mail |
Make Ready |
The process of preparing a press to print |
Margin |
Space surrounding the content of a page |
Matte Finish |
Flat coating applied to a press sheet |
Matte Stock |
Flat-finish paper coating, also called dull or satin |
Metallic Ink |
Special ink with small metallic particles or pigments that create a metal-like shine |
Microfold |
Multiple folds to make a printed piece small or any fold made to a small printed piece; finished size as small as 2"x2" |
Mill |
Factory that produces paper |
Misting |
Imperfection caused by small ink blots being thrown off of printing rollers |
Native Files |
Any editable, working file from a software program |
NCOA |
National Change of Address: US Postal Service's registry of people who have moved and/or changed address |
Offset Paper |
Uncoated, light-weight paper |
Offset Printing |
Printing method in which ink transfer from a plate to a blanket to the paper |
Opacity |
Ink that does not allow visibility of the paper or printed backside of a sheet |
Over Run |
Copies printed in excess of print order; industry standard is 10% |
Overprint |
1. Printing ink over previously printed ink; 2. An effect in design software that will be removed during preflight |
Overprint Varnish |
Printing spot varnish over previously printed ink |
Pagination |
Numbering of pages |
Panel |
One side of one section of a folded piece; also called a page |
Pantone |
A system for matching printing color standards; also called PMS |
Paper Weight |
Term for describing paper density |
PCW |
Post-Consumer Waste: Amount of recycled content in paper stock |
PDF |
Portable Document Format: A universal file format viewable on most platforms; recommended for high resolution printing |
PDF Proof |
Digital simulation of a printed piece |
Perfect Bind |
The process of gluing pages into a spine |
Perforating |
Straight dotted cut lines created on press to allow easier tear-off |
Pica |
Basic unit of measurement in typography; 6 picas/inch |
Pixel |
Smallest controllable dot composing a digital image |
Plate |
Thin metal sheet used to reproduce artwork |
Platemaker |
Equipment used to produce printing plates |
PMS |
Pantone Matching System: A system for matching printing color standards |
Post Bind |
Binding method using screw and posts insert into a drilled hole |
Pound |
Term for describing paper density, for example 80 lb.; also called weight |
PPI |
Pixels Per Inch: Design term for the quantification of dot density in an image |
Preflight |
The process of in-depth reviewing of files before printing |
Prepress |
Department responsible for preflighting, imposition, proofing and platemaking |
Preprint |
Printed sheets that will later be used for imprinting |
Press Check |
Examination of press proof by client to check for print quality |
Press Proof |
Test print run on a press |
Proof |
A visual simulation or test print of a print project; available as a PDF, lo-res flat or color correct |
PURL |
Persistent Uniform Resource Locate: personalized web pages created for each individual recipient |
QR Code |
Quick Response Code: Mobile bar codes embedded with information |
Rasterized |
A resolution-based graphic or image; cannot be re-sized without affecting the resolution |
RGB |
Red Green Blue: the three colors in digital output for screens and monitors |
Register Marks |
Crosshairs used to align overlapping colors |
Registration |
Lining up various plates to create a composite printed image |
Reprint |
An exact re-run of a previously printed piece |
Resolution |
Definition and sharpness of any image; defined as low (under 150) or high (over 300) |
Retail-Ready |
Ability to be sold directly to a consumer |
Rich Black |
Mixture of 3 or more CMYK colors to create a solid black color when printed |
Roll Fold |
Four or more panels folded inward over one another, as if to roll the piece up |
Saddle Stitch |
Bindery method using staples along the spine |
Sans Serif |
A font style without serifs |
Satin Finish |
Flat-finish paper coating, also called matte or dull |
Score |
Crease created for ease of folding |
Self-Cover |
Printed project created with one paper stock throughout |
Self-Mailer |
Any printed piece capable of being mailed without the need of an envelope |
Serif |
A font style with small flourish lines accenting the ends of letters |
Sheetfed Press |
Any printing press that prints on individual sheets of paper |
Shrink-Wrap |
Heat-sealed protective plastic film |
Signature |
Printed sheet that will be folded and trimmed to become part of a publication; must be divisible by 4; also called sig |
Skid |
A pallet used for shipment |
Skin Pack |
Goods placed on a paper board backer and heat-sealed with thin, clear plastic |
Slip Sheets |
Blank paper inserted between printed pieces |
Soy-based Inks |
Vegetable oil-based dyed liquid ink, instead of petroleum-based |
Specifications |
Written description of all print details including paper, ink, coating, finished size, bindery, mail and shipping |
Spine |
Binding edge |
Spiral Bind |
Bindery method using looped wire or plastic inserted into drilled holes |
Spot Color |
1) A single color printed in addition to 4C process; 2) Ink applied to precision areas |
Spot Varnish |
Varnish applied to precision areas |
Spray Powder |
A medium used to separate printed sheets; allows air to naturally dry the printing ink |
Spread |
Two pages that face each other across the gutter |
Step and Repeat |
Creating multiple repeating patterns on a page or impo using one image |
Stock |
Refers to any type of paper |
Substrate |
Material that is printed on |
Tab |
Clear seals used to close print pieces for mail; also called a wafer seal |
TIFF |
Tagged Image File Format: Used solely for pixel-based images |
Tip On |
Inserting and/or adhering a loose sheet to another printed piece |
Trap |
Prepress method for accounting for misregistration by overlapping page elements |
Trim Size |
W"xH" finished size after printing and cutting |
Uncoated Paper |
Paper stock that has no additives covering the surface |
Up |
The number of images printed per sheet; expressed as 3 up, 4 up, etc. |
UV Coating |
A liquid protective coating that is cured using ultraviolet light |
UV Ink |
CMYK or spot ink printed and then cured using ultraviolet light |
Value |
Darkness or lightness of a color |
Varnish |
An oil-based protective coating |
Vector |
A graphic where size is independent from its resolution, can be infinitely scaled |
Vellum Finish |
Paper stock with a slightly rough finish; highly absorbent |
Vellum Paper |
Paper stock that is thin and translucent; non-absorbent |
VOC |
Volatile Organic Compounds: Gas emission from petroleum-based liquids |
Wafer Seal |
Clear tabs used to close print pieces for mail; also called a tab |
Watermark |
A translucent, but visible mark that appears in paper stock; usually only visible when held up to a light source |
Web Press |
Printing method in which ink is printed directly onto a roll of paper |
Wet Trap |
Printing over wet, uncured ink |
Window |
A die-cut hole in a printed piece or envelope |
Wire-Binding |
Bindery method using metal wire double loops inserted into drilled holes |
Wireframe |
A website's basic layout used for design |
Wove |
Paper stock with a fine texture |
Wrong Reading |
A backwards, reverse image |
Z Fold |
Alternating left and right folds; also called zig fold |
ZIP File |
Compressing a document or folder to reduce its size for transmission |