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Alignment -
Orientation of type with regard to edges of the
column or paper, such as aligned right (flush
right), aligned left (flush left), and aligned
on center (centered).
Bindery -
Place where printed products are collated,
trimmed, folded, and/or bound. A bindery may be
a department within a printing company or a
separate business.
Bleed -
Printing that extends to the edge of a sheet or
page after trimming.
Camera-ready -
Text or artwork which is black and white and
ready to be photographed by a process camera,
typically for a newspaper. Digital files have
largely replaced this method.
Character -
Any letter, numeral, punctuation mark, or other
alphanumeric symbol.
Clip Art -
Copyright-free drawings available for purchase
for unlimited reproduction. Clip art
illustrations are printed on glossy paper or
stored on computer disks. They are ready for
placement on mechanicals or pages designed on
computer screens. Also called standard Artwork.
CMYK -
The four process colors used in offset
lithography printing. They are cyan, magenta,
yellow and black (the key color). When these
four colors are printed with halftone screens of
various angles in this subtractive print method,
they create oranges, reds, violets, and so on.
The color gamut of CMYK is fairly limited,
causing loss of color when a continuous tone
photograph is reproduced using only 4 colors.
Coated Paper -
Paper with a coating of clay and other
substances that improves reflectivity and ink
holdout. Mills produce coated paper appropriate
for publications in three major categories of
surface shine: gloss, dull, and matte.
Color Separations -
Separating a multicolor image (digital file)
into individual monochrome halftone sheets of
film. A CMYK print job requires 4 sheets of
film. The separate film sheets are used to make
a matchprint proof and printing plates.
Separations are processed by an imagesetter.
Crop -
To eliminate portions of an image so the
remainder is more useful, pleasing, or able to
fit the layout.
Crop Marks -
Lines near the edges of an image indicating
portions to be reproduced. Also called Cut Marks
and Tick Marks.
Die -
A stamping tool used for embossing or
die-cutting.
Direct-to-plate -
This is the newest trend in 4 or more color
printing. The digital file is imaged and
separated directly to the printing plate. This
skips the processing of color separated film and
the making of a matchprint. Proofing is done
using a high quality and accurate inkjet print.
The plates are ready immediately for the
printing press.
Drop Shadow -
Screen tint or rule touching an illustration,
box, or type to give a three-dimensional shadow
effect. Also called Flat Shadow.
Duotone -
A duotone begins as a black and white
photograph. Duotones are created by generating
two halftones of the same image. This will make
two separate printing plates for a two color
print job. The two plates are printed together
and the resulting printed image is rich in tonal
values. Duotones are often printed with black
and a spot color, but any two colors can be
combined. Unusual color combinations will
require a press check.
Finished Size -
Size of product after production is complete, as
compared to flat size. Also called Trim Size.
Flat Size -
Size of product after printing and trimming, but
before folding, as compared to finished size.
Flush Left -
Type aligning vertically along the left side of
the column. Also called Left Justified or Ranged
Left.
Flush Right -
Type aligning vertically along the right side of
the column. Also called Right Justified or
Ranged Right.
Fold Marks -
Lines on a mechanical, film, printing plate, or
press sheet indicating where to fold the final
product.
Font -
In early printing the ink was applied to rows of
either wooden or metal letters and the letters
were pressed against the paper. The wood or
metal letters are called fonts. After printing
the fonts were wiped clean and stored away in
drawers. Fonts might be large individual letters
(wood), or words or groups of words in metal
type. In the computer age fonts are the required
file to display and print any given typeface.
Most commercial printers require Postscript Type
1 fonts, though TrueType scalable fonts are
becoming more common. Fonts files must be
supplied with every print job.
Footer -
Information, such as page number or chapter
title, that appears at the bottom of every page.
Also called running foot.
Format -
Size or layout, depending on context. A
publication may have an 8 1/2 x 11 format or a
one-column format.
Gloss Finish -
Paper with a coating that reflects light well,
as compared to dull or matte-coated paper.
Hairline -
Thinnest visible space or rule. Because
visibility is determined by factors such as
contrast between ink and paper, hairline has no
precise measure.
Halftone -
Method of converting a continuous-tone
photograph into a grid of larger and smaller
dots. This pattern makes it possible to make
film and/or printing plates. A halftone screen
is the actual grid pattern. In offset printing,
each of the CMYK color screens has a different
screen angle so the printed dots will create a
perfect rosette, which the human eye merges into
a continuous tone. Misaligned screens create a
moire pattern. It is the halftone screen pattern
which makes it difficult to scan a previously
printed image.
Hard Copy -
Copy on a substrate, such as film or paper, as
compared to soft copy.
Header -
Information, such as page number or chapter
title, that appears at the top of every page.
Image -
Type, illustration, or other original as it has
been reproduced on computer screen, film,
printing plate, or paper.
JPEG -
Joint Photographic Experts Group. A highly
compressed graphics format designed to handle
computer images of high resolution photographs
as efficiently as possible.
Justified -
Type Type set to extend across the entire width
of a column, making it flush right and left.
Layout -
Sketch or plan of how a page or sheet will look
when printed.
Line Art -
Artwork that is black and white, without middle
gray tones. Logos are often line art.
Logo -
Abbreviation for logotype, an artistic assembly
of type and art (or mark) into a distinctive
symbol unique to an organization, business, or
product. Also called Emblem.
Mailing Service -
Business specializing in addressing and mailing
large quantities of printed pieces. Also called
Lettershop or Fulfillment House.
Mark Up -
To write, on a manuscript or proof, instructions
about matters such as typesetting, color
correcting, or printing.
Matte Finish -
Flat (not glossy) finish on photographic paper
or coated printing paper.
Monitor Colors (RGB) -
Monitors display color using an additive process
combining red, green and blue. These colors
create orange, blue, violet and so on. The
Windows platform displays a slightly different
gamut of colors than Macintosh computer. The
base for both systems is 216 colors. Windows
monitors display colors darker and with less
saturation than Macintosh systems. Due to these
limitations you should expect some color shift
as you view images or Web pages on different
monitors. Monitors are also not a reliable
indicator of what colors will actually be
printed on paper. Even expensive calibrated
monitors using the newest software can only
approximate your final print. A color proof
produced by a print shop is the only true
indicator of what any finished print job will
look like.
Opacity -
Characteristic of paper that prevents printing
on one side from showing through to the other.
Original Art -
Initial photo or illustration prepared for
reproduction.
Overprint -
To print one image over a previously printed
image, such as printing type over a screen tint.
Also called Surprint.
Overrun -
Number of pieces printed or paper made in excess
of the quantity ordered.
Page -
One side of a leaf in a printed piece. One sheet
folded in half yields four pages. An eight-page
signature has four pages printed on each side of
the sheet.
Pantone Matching System (PMS)® -
The registered trade name of a brand of color
matching system commonly used in commercial
printing. Pantone colors can be specified for
ink, papers, plastics, and fabrics. Pantone
chips are available for solid spot colors and
for process ink mixes. Specifying Pantone colors
is the only accurate and predictable way to know
that the color in the imaging application is the
color that will be printed (your monitor is NOT
a predictable indication of printed colors).
Prepress -
Camera work, color separating, stripping,
platemaking, and other prepress functions
performed by the printer, separator, or a
service bureau prior to printing. Also called
Preparation.
Press Proof or Press Check -
This is an actual printed proof from the press
itself before the entire print run is completed.
A good press operator always does a press proof
and matches the print output with the client
approved color proof. Press check usually refers
to the client and designer going to the print
shop at printing time and approving the press
proof. This is seldom done because of the added
costs involved.
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.
Proofread -
To examine a manuscript or proof for errors in
writing or typesetting.
Proofreader Marks -
Standard symbols and abbreviations used to mark
up manuscripts and proofs. Most dictionaries and
style manuals include charts of proofreader
marks. Also called Correction Marks.
Proof Sheet -
1) Photographic term for sheet of images made by
contact printing negatives (also called contact
sheet); 2) Printing term for any proof or press
sheet used as a proof.
Proportion Scale -
Device used to calculate percentage that an
original image must be reduced or enlarged to
yield a specific reproduction size. Also called
Percentage Wheel, Proportion Dial, Proportion
Wheel, and Scaling Wheel.
Quality -
Subjective term relating to expectations by the
customer, printer, and other professionals
associated with a printing job and whether the
job meets those expectations.
Quotation -
Price offered by a printer to produce a specific
job, thus alternate for estimate. The quoted
price is the printer's side of the contract
based on specifications from the customer.
Raster Image -
Digital scanners and digital cameras produce
raster images. A raster image can also be
created new with a raster based application such
as Photoshop® or Painter® or Canvas®. Raster
images are pixel resolution dependent and can
not be greatly increased in size without loosing
picture quality. These are typically large files
and are more demanding of RAM and processor
speed. See also Vector Graphics.
Ream -
Five hundred sheets of paper.
Register -
The correct alignment of colors on paper during
printing.
Register Marks -
Cross-hair lines on mechanicals and film that
help keep flats, plates, and printing in
register. Also called Crossmarks and Rosition
Marks.
Resolution -
Sharpness of an image on film, paper, computer
screen, disk, tape, or other medium.
Reverse -
Type, graphic, or illustration reproduced by
printing ink around its outline, thus allowing
the underlying color or paper to show through
and form the image. Also called knockout or
liftout. The image "reverses out" of the ink
color.
Saddle-stitching -
A type of book binding that uses several metal
staples along the spine to gather and bind pages
for a booklet. This is the least expensive
method of quality binding.
Scale -
To identify the percentage by which photographs
or art should be enlarged or reduced to achieve
the correct size for printing. An 8" x 10" photo
to be reproduced as a 4" x 5" image should be
scaled to 50 percent.
Self-cover -
Using the same paper for the cover as that used
on the inside pages of a booklet. Higher quality
booklets will use a cover weight paper on the
outside.
Self-mailer -
Printed piece designed to mail without an
envelope.
Shadows -
Darkest areas of a photograph or illustration,
as compared to midtones and highlights.
Specifications -
Complete and precisely written description of
features of a printing job, such as type size
and leading, paper grade and quantity, printing
quality, or binding method. Abbreviated specs.
Specifications typically include the following:
- type specs define typeface, size, line
measure, indentations, headlines, and other
features of typography.
- printing specs concentrate on press work, such
as quantities, inkcolors and dot gains, but
often include prepress,
paper, and finishing.
- finishing specs tell folding requirements and
trim size.
Spot Color -
This is a mixed ink of a specific color. Spot
colors are used most commonly in logo design or
to print a specific color which standard CMYK
offset printing can not produce. Depending on
your goals and your budget, you could specify 1
or more spot colors by themselves, or in
combination with the regular CMYK colors. Anvil
Graphics specifies spot colors from the Pantone
Matching System, though there are other
selections world wide.
Spread -
A pair of facing pages. Sometimes called a
two-page spread or double-truck.
Stock Photography -
There are two kinds of stock photography. The
most common is "royalty free". Royalty free
photos are available in a wide range of prices
depending on the source. Royalty free photos are
still licensed, but the end user can typically
use the pictures for a wide variety of editorial
and promotional uses at anytime. "Rights
Protected" photos are handled by traditional
photo stock agencies and are licensed to a
specific client for a particular project for a
predetermined time. Rights protected pictures
often cost several hundred dollars for the
license (not ownership). High quality rights
protected photos may be delivered as a
transparency and will need to be scanned
professionally. All these pictures should carry
a photo credit and are copyrighted.
Tag Line -
Alternate term for subtitle. Also used with
logos, often a slogan, description of the
business, or the full name.
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) -
A common format for interchanging digital
information, generally associated with greyscale
or bitmap data.
Template -
Pattern used to draw illustrations, make page
formats, or lay out press sheets. A template may
be a physical object that guides a pencil, an
underlay for a light table, or a computer file
with preset formats or outlines for the final
printed piece.
Text -
Main portion of type on a page, as opposed to
such elements as headlines and captions.
Text Paper -
Designation for printing papers with textured
surfaces, such as laid or linen.
Text Type -
Type used for text and captions, as compared to
display type. Also called Body Type and
Composition Type.
Thermography -
The use of a special powder on top of wet ink,
then fusing with a heat treatment. The result is
an embossed effect which does not add greatly to
the cost of the print job. This is commonly done
on business cards and letterheads of one or two
colors.
Tight Register -
Subjective term referring to nearly exact
register.
Typeface -
Set of characters with similar design features
and weight. Garamond Light is a typeface. Also
calledFace.
Uncoated Paper -
Paper that has not been coated with clay. Also
called Offset Paper.
Underrun -
Quantity of printing delivered that is less than
the quantity ordered.
Unit Cost -
The cost of one item in a print run. Unit cost
is computed by dividing the total cost of the
printing job-variable costs plus fixed costs-by
the quantity of products delivered.
White Space -
Area of a printed piece that does not contain
images or type. Also called Negative Space.
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