Barcode:
Consists of a series of thin and thick black lines that
when placed in defined patterns represent a numeric or
alphabetic character. Various different symbologies
identify the defined patterns. Barcodes can be one
dimensional -- like the ones found on retail packages or
two dimensional (known as 2D). 2D barcodes, which
consist of a matrix of black and white blocks can
contain large amounts of information. The most popular
is PDF-417, developed by Symbol Technologies.
Bindery:
The finishing department of a print shop or firm
specializing in finishing printed products.
Bleed:
an element that extends to the edge of the page.
To print a bleed, the publication is printed on
oversized paper which is trimmed.
Blind
embossing: An image pressed into a sheet
without ink or foil.
Carbonless:
Pressure sensitive writing paper that does not use
carbon.
Clip art:
ready-made artwork sold or distributed for
clipping and pasting into publications. Available in
hard-copy books, and in electronic form, as files on
disk.
Coated paper:
A clay coated printing paper with a smooth finish.
Collate:
A finishing term for gathering paper in a precise order.
Color
separations: The process of preparing
artwork, photographs, transparencies, or computer
generated art for printing by separating into the four
primary printing colors.
Comb bind:
To plastic comb bind by inserting the comb into punched
holes.
Continuous-tone: Illustrations, photographs
or computer files that contain gradient tones from black
to white or light to dark.
Copy:
All furnished material or disc used in the production of
a printed product.
Crash number:
Numbering paper by pressing an image on the first sheet
which is transferred to all parts of the printed set.
Crop:
To cut off parts of a picture or image.
Crop marks:
Printed lines showing where to
trim a printed sheet.
Density:
The degree of color or darkness of an image or
photograph.
Die:
Metal rule or imaged block used to cut or place an image
on paper in the finishing process.
Display type:
large and/or decorative type used for headlines and as
graphic elements in display pieces. Common sizes are 14,
18, 24, 30, 36, 48, 60, and 72 point.
Dot gain or
spread: A term used to explain the difference
in size between the dot on film v paper.
DPI:
Dots per Inch. A measurement of resolution of the
scanned image.
Drop shadow:
Drop shadows are those shadows dropping below text or
images which gives the illusion of shadows from lighting
and gives a 3D effect to the object.
Drum
Scanner: A type of scanner on which original
artwork is attached to the outside of a spinning glass
drum. The image is scanned by photo multiplier tubes (PMTs)
and is captured to a disk file. This type of scanner
gives the best quality result.
Duotone:
a halftone image printed with two colors, one dark and
the other light. The same photograph is halftoned twice,
using the same screen at two different angles.
Em space:
a space as wide as the point size of the types. This
measurement is relative; in 12-point type an em space is
12 points wide, but in 24-point type an em space is 24
points wide.
Emboss:
Pressing an image into paper so that it will create a
raised relief.
EPS File
Format: Encapsulated PostScript file. A file
format commonly used for photographic and drawn
graphics. An EPS file is created and later placed onto a
page layout in a page assembly program.
4-color-process: The process of combining
four basic colors to create a printed color picture or
colors composed from the basic four colors.
Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y),
Black (K)
Feather:
The process of adding a soften effect around photos
Flood:
To cover a printed page with ink, varnish, or plastic
coating.
Foil stamping:
Using a die to place a metallic or pigmented image on
paper.
Font:
a set of characters in a specific typeface, at a
specific point size, and in a specific style. "12-point
Times Bold" is a font -- the typeface Times, at 12-point
size, in the bold style. Hence "12-point Times Italic"
and "10-point Times Bold" are separate fonts.
Folio:
a page number, often set with running headers or
footers.
FPO Scan: A
low-resolution photographic scan (usually 72 PPI) used
for composition purposes only. After laser hardcopy is
produced, the FPO image is replaced with a different
(high-resolution) scanned image.
French fold:
Two folds at right angles to each other.
Gang:
Getting the most out of a printing press by using the
maximum sheet size to print multiple images or jobs on
the same sheet. A way to save money.
Ghosting:
A faint printed image that is made by reducing the
denser areas of a photo while keeping the detail of the
Image.
Gradient:
A function in graphic software that allows
the user to fill an object/image with a smooth
transition of colors, for example a dark blue, gradually
becoming lighter or red, gradually becoming orange, then
yellow.
Grain:
The direction in which the paper fiber lie.
Greeked text:
in page-assembly programs, text that appears as gray
bars approximating the lines of type rather than actual
characters. This speeds up the amount of time it takes
to draw images on the screen.
Grippers
Margin: The area of the sheet that can’t
contain image because of the metal fingers on a printing
press that holds the paper as it passes through the
press.
Hairline:
A very thin line or gap about the width of a hair or
1/100 inch.
Halftone:
in traditional publishing, a
continuous-tone image
photographed through a
screen in order to create small
dots of varying sizes
that can be reproduced on a
printing press. Digital halftones are produced by
sampling a continuous-tone image and assigning different
numbers of dots, which simulate different sized dots,
for the same effect.
Hard return:
a return created by the Return or Enter key, as opposed
to a word-wrap, or soft return, which will adjust
according to the character count and column width.
High-resolution Image: An image with enough
detail (achieved through having plenty of pixels per
inch) for quality reproduction and use in final film.
How high the resolution should be depends on the image
type: Line-art should have resolution of 600 PPI or
above and photographs should have resolution twice the
anticipated halftone screen frequency.
Hue:
The actual color of an object. Hue is measured as a
location on a color wheel, expressed in degrees. Hue is
also understood as the names of specific colors, like
blue, red, yellow, etc.
JPEG (Joint
Photographic Electronic Group): A common
compression method that shrinks a file's storage size by
discarding non-important picture detail. Excessive jpeg
compression can cause poor image quality.
Kern:
to squeeze together characters, for a better fit of
strokes and white space. In display type, characters
almost need to be kerned because the white space between
characters at large sizes is more noticeable.
Landscape
(orientation): a page or
layout that is wider than it is tall.
Leading:
(pronounced "led-ding") the space between lines of type,
traditionally measured baseline-to-baseline, in points.
Text type is generally set with one or two points of
leading; for example, 10-point type with 2 points of
leading. This is described as 10/12, read
ten on twelve.
Lines per
inch: The number of rows of dots per inch in
a halftone.
Linking
Graphics: An important concept in page layout
software that refers to the fact that page layout files
do not actually contain graphics files within them. Even
though the user positions graphics on the pages of the
page layout file, there is only a pointer stored
internally in the page layout file referring to the
original hard disk location where the graphics file
resides. It is an important note to make that while the
user may see the graphic images on the page layout file
pages, it is necessary to send the original graphic
files along for film output.
Low-resolution image: A low-resolution image
is a low-detail scan made from, for example a
photograph.
Loupe:
A magnifying glass used to review a printed image, plate
and position film.
Mid tones:
The tones in a photograph that are approximately half as
dark as the shadow area.
Moiré patterns:(pronounced "mo-ray") irregular plaid-like
patterns that occur when a bit-mapped image is reduced,
enlarged, displayed, or printed at a resolution
different from the resolution of the original.
Offset printing:
for high-volume reproduction
-- utilizes three rotating drums: a plate cylinder, a
blanket cylinder, and an impression cylinder. The
printing plate is wrapped around the plate cylinder,
inked and dampened. The plate image is transferred, or
offset, onto the blanket cylinder. Paper passes between
the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder, and
the image is transferred onto the paper.
Opacity:
The amount of show-through on a printed sheet. The more
opacity or the thicker the paper the less show-through.
(The thicker/heavier the paper the higher the cost.)
Overprint:
A term used to describe the characteristic of an
overlapping foreground element allowing a background
element to print in the same area. Overprint is the
opposite of knockout. The overprint function is
activated on an element by element basis in illustration
software and can be selectively applied to the line
and/or the fill of the object.
Perfect bind:
A type of binding that glues the edge of sheets to a
cover like a telephone book, Microsoft software manual,
or Country Living Magazine.
Perfecting
press: A sheet fed printing press that prints
both sides of a sheet in one pass.
Pica:
a measurement used in typography for column widths and
other space specifications in a page layout. There are
12 points in a pica, and approximately 6 picas to an
inch.
Pixel:
The smallest building block within a scanned line-art or
photographic image. A pixel is the small square picture
element that is filled with a color, or black or white.
Pixels come in various sizes and their size is expressed
in terms of resolution. Resolution is measured in pixels
per inch (PPI.)
PMS (Pantone
Matching System): a standard
color-matching system used by printers and graphic
designers for inks, papers, and other materials. A PMS
color is a standard color defined by percentage mixtures
of different primary inks.
PNGPortable Network
Graphics format: PNG (usually
pronounced "ping"), is used for lossless compression.
The PNG format displays images without jagged edges
while keeping file sizes relatively small, making them
popular on the web. PNG files are however generally
larger than GIF files.
Point:
a measurement used in typography for type size, leading,
and other space specifications in a page layout. There
are 12 points in a pica, and approximately 70 points to
an inch.
PostScript:
The computer language most recognized by printing
devices.
Printer font:
high-resolution bitmaps or font outline masters used for
the actual laying down of the characters on the printed
page, as opposed to display on the screen.
Ragged left:
Type that is justified to the right margin and the line
lengths vary on the left.
Ragged right:
Type that is justified to the left margin and the line
lengths vary on the right.
Reader
Spread: A term used in page layout software
to describe the pairing of pages on the computer
display. Pages are grouped in numerical order as a
reader would encounter them while reading: 2 paired with
3, 4 paired with 5, etc. This is contrasted to printer
spreads which describe the pairings as they may occur on
a printing press before the binding of the book.
Ream:
Five hundred sheets of paper.
Register:
To position print in the proper position in relation to
the edge of the sheet and to other printing on the same
sheet.
Register
marks: Cross-hair lines or marks on film,
plates, and paper that guide strippers, plate makers,
pressmen, and bindery personnel in processing a print
order from start to finish.
Resolution:
the crispness of detail or fineness of grain in an
image. Screen resolution is measured in dots by lines
(for example, 640 x 350); printer resolution is measured
in dpi (for example, 300 dpi).
RGB (Red, Green,
Blue):
RGB is the model used to
project color on a computer monitor. By mixing these
three colors, a large percentage of the visible color
spectrum can be represented.
Rivers:
spaces between words that create irregular lines of
white space in body type, particularly occurs when the
lines of type have been set with excessive word spacing.
Saddle stitch:
Binding a booklet or magazine with staples in the seam
where it folds.
Sans serif
typeface: a typeface that has
no serifs, such as Helvetica or Swiss. The stroke weight
is usually uniform and the stress oblique, though there
are exceptions.
Score:
A crease put on paper to help it fold better.
Screen angles:
Frequently a desktop publishers nightmare. The angles at
which halftone, duo tones, tri tones, and color
separation printing films are placed to make them look
right.
Screen font:
low-resolution (that is,
screen
resolution) bitmaps of
type characters that show the positioning and size of
characters on the screen. As opposed to the printer
font, which may be high-resolution bitmaps or font
outline masters.
Self-cover:
Using the same paper as the text for the cover.
Serif:
in a typeface, a counterstroke on letterforms,
projecting from the ends of the main strokes. For
example, Times or Dutch is a serifed typeface. Some
typefaces have no serifs; these typefaces are called
sans serif.
Side stitch:
Binding by stapling along one side of a sheet.
Signature:
A sheet of printed pages which when folded become a part
of a book or publication.
Small caps:
capital letters set at the x-height of the font.
Soft Return: Similar to a carriage
return but different: Activated in page layout software
and in most word processors by holding the shift key and
then hitting return. This will create a break in the
copy forcing the keystrokes that follow to go to the
next line but it will NOT define a new paragraph. This
is most often used when a line break is desired but when
proper formatting requires both lines to be in one
paragraph.
Spot color
separation: for offset
printing, separation of solid premixed ink colors (for
example, Black, red, blue, etc.);
Stet:
Proof mark (let original copy stand).
Stock:
The material to be printed.
Stripping:
The positioning of film on a flat prior to platemaking.
Subhead:
a secondary phrase usually following a headline. Display
line(s) of lesser size and importance than the main
headline(s).
Subscript:
a character slightly smaller than the rest of the font,
set below the baseline; used in chemical equations and
as base denotation in math, and sometimes as the
denominator of fractions.
Superscript:
a character slightly smaller than the rest of the font,
set above the baseline, used for footnote markers and
sometimes as the numerator of fractions.
Tabloid:
Using a broadsheet as a measure, one half of a
broadsheet.
Tag: Grade of dense,
strong paper used for products such as badges and file
folders.
Target Ink Densities:
Densities of the four process inks as recommended for
various printing processes and grades of paper. See also
Total Area Coverage.
Template: Concerning a
printing project's basic details in regard to its
dimensions. A standard layout.
Text Paper: Designation
for printing papers with textured surfaces such as laid
or linen. Some mills also use 'text' to refer to any
paper they consider top-of-the-line, whether or not its
surface has a texture.
Thermography: Method of
printing using colorless resin powder that takes on the
color of underlying ink. Also called raised printing.
Thumbnails: Initial
ideas jotted on virtually anything in regard to initial
concept of a future project.
TIFF (Tagged
Image File Format): for digital gray-scale
halftones, a device-independent graphics file format.
TIFF files can be used on IBM/compatible or Macintosh
computers, and may be output to PostScript printers.
Tint: Screening or
adding white to a solid color for results of lightening
that specific color.
Tip In: Usually in
the book arena, adding an additional page(s) beyond the
normal process (separate insertion).
Tone Compression:
Reduction in the tonal range from original scene to
printed reproduction.
Total Area Coverage:
Total of the dot percentages of the process colors in
the final film. Abbreviated for TAC. Also called density
of tone, maximum density, shadow saturation, total dot
density and total ink coverage.
Touch Plate: Plate that
accents or prints a color that four-color process
printing cannot reproduce well enough or at all. Also
called kiss plate.
Trade Shop: Service
bureau, printer or bindery working primarily for other
graphic arts professionals, not for the general public.
Transparency:
Positive photographic image on film allowing light to
pass through. Also called chrome, color transparency and
tranny. Often abbreviated TX.
Trap: To print one ink
over another or to print a coating, such as varnish,
over an ink. The first liquid traps the second liquid.
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).
Typeface:
the set of characters created by a type designer,
including uppercase and lowercase alphabetical
characters, numbers, punctuation, and special
characters. A single typeface contains many fonts, at
different sizes and styles.
Uncoated Paper: Paper
that has not been coated with clay. Also called offset
paper.
Undercolor
Addition: Technique of making color
separations that increases the amount of cyan, magenta
or yellow ink in shadow areas. Abbreviated UCA.
Undercolor
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.
Value: The shade
(darkness) or tint (lightness) of a color. Also called
brightness, lightness, shade and tone.
Varnish: Liquid applied
as a coating for protection and appearance.
Vector
graphic: Vector graphics are drawn in paths.
This allows the designer to resize images freely without
getting pixilated edges as is the case with bitmapped
images. The vector format is generally used for in
printing while the bitmap format is used for onscreen
display.
Vellum Finish: Somewhat
rough, toothy finish.
Velox:
Brand name for high-contrast photographic paper.
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.
Vignette: Decorative
design or illustration fade to white.
Vignette Halftone:
Halftone whose background gradually and smoothly fades
away. Also called degrade.
Virgin Paper: Paper
made exclusively of pulp from trees or cotton, as
compared to recycled paper.
VOC: Abbreviation for
volatile organic compounds, petroleum substances used as
the vehicles for many printing inks.
Washup: Removing
printing ink from a press, washing the rollers and
blanket. Certain ink colors require multiple washups to
avoid ink and chemical contamination.
Watermark:
A distinctive design created in paper at the time of
manufacture that can be easily seen by holding the paper
up to a light.
Web Press:
Press that prints from rolls of paper, usually cutting
it into sheets after printing. Also called reel-fed
press. Web presses come in many sizes, the most common
being mini, half, three quarter (also called 8-pages)
and full (also called 16-pages).
Weight:
denotes the thickness of a letter stroke, light,
extra-light, "regular," medium, demi-bold, bold, extra
bold and ultra bold.
White space:
in designing publication, the areas where there is no
text or graphics -- essentially, the negative space of
the page design.
Widow:
in a page layout, short last lines
of paragraphs -- usually unacceptable when separated
from the rest of the paragraph by a column break, and
always unacceptable when separated by a page break.
Work and
tumble: Printing one side of a sheet and
turning it over from the gripper to the tail to print
the second side using the same side guide and plate for
the second side.
Work and turn:
Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from
left to right using the same side guides and plate for
the second side.
Word wrap:
in a word processor or text editor, the automatic
dropping of characters to the next line when the right
margin is reached.
WYSIWYG
(What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get):
an interactive mode of computer
processing, in which there is a screen representation of
the printed output. WYSIWYG is never entirely accurate,
because of the difference in resolution between display
screens and printers.
Barcode:
Crop:
To cut off parts of a picture or image.
Drum
Scanner: A type of scanner on which original
artwork is attached to the outside of a spinning glass
drum. The image is scanned by photo multiplier tubes (PMTs)
and is captured to a disk file. This type of scanner
gives the best quality result.
Duotone:
a halftone image printed with two colors, one dark and
the other light. The same photograph is halftoned twice,
using the same screen at two different angles.
Halftone:
in traditional publishing, a
continuous-tone image
photographed through a
screen in order to create small
dots of varying sizes
that can be reproduced on a
printing press. Digital halftones are produced by
sampling a continuous-tone image and assigning different
numbers of dots, which simulate different sized dots,
for the same effect.
Hue:
The actual color of an object. Hue is measured as a
location on a color wheel, expressed in degrees. Hue is
also understood as the names of specific colors, like
blue, red, yellow, etc.
Kern:
to squeeze together characters, for a better fit of
strokes and white space. In display type, characters
almost need to be kerned because the white space between
characters at large sizes is more noticeable.
Register
marks: Cross-hair lines or marks on film,
plates, and paper that guide strippers, plate makers,
pressmen, and bindery personnel in processing a print
order from start to finish. 
Spot color
separation: for offset
printing, separation of solid premixed ink colors (for
example, Black, red, blue, etc.); 
Trap: To print one ink
over another or to print a coating, such as varnish,
over an ink. The first liquid traps the second liquid.