Back lining
The fixing of a material, either paper or cloth, to the back of a book before it is bound. See also case binding.

Back margin
A term referring to the margin that lies closest to the back of the book.

Back matter
also known as end matter

Back step collation
The collation of book signatures according to reference marks that are printed on the back fold of each section.

Back to back
print applied to both sides of a sheet of paper.

Back up
Printing the second side of a sheet already printed on one side. 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.

Backbone
That portion of the binding, which connects the front of the book with the back of the book; also called "back".

Background
That portion of a photograph or line art drawing that appears furthest from the eye; the surface upon which the main image is superimposed.

Backing up
to print the second side of printed sheet. Also, to make a duplicate of a computer file as a precaution against losing the original.

Backslant
Any type that tilts to the left or backward direction; opposite of italic type.

Backstep marks
Marks printed on signatures that indicate where the final fold will occur. When gathering and initial folding is completed, these marks appear as a stepped sequence.

Baking
A term given to the procedure of drying coatings onto papers.

Balance
A term used to describe the aesthetic or harmony of elements, whether they are photos, art or copy, within a layout or design.

Balloon
a circle or bubble enclosing copy in an illustration. Used in cartoons. In an illustration, any line that encircles copy or dialogue.

Banding
Method of packaging printed pieces of paper using rubber or paper bands. (b) A visible stair-stepping of shades in a gradient. (c) Noticeable streaking or thin lines showing on ink jet printers.

Bank
a lightweight writing paper.

Bank paper
A thin uncoated stock used for making carbon copies.

Banker's flap envelope
Also called wallet flap; the wallet flap has more rounded flap edges.

Banner
a large headline or title extending across the full page width. The primary headline usually spanning the entire width of a page.
Bar code
a pattern of vertical lines of varying thickness identifying details of a product, conforming to the Universal Product Code (UPC).

Barn doors
A device with two sets of thin metal doors (horizontal and vertical) placed before a light source to control the direction of light.

Barrier coat
A coating that is applied onto the non-printing side of paper to add to the opacity of that paper. See also opacity.

Baryta paper
A coated stock (barium sulfate compound) used for text impressions on typesetting machines.

Base Art
Copy pasted up on the mounting oard of a mechanical, as compared to overlay art. Also called base mechanical. artwork requiring additional components such as halftones or line drawings to be added before the reproduction stage.
Base film
the basic material for contact film in platemaking for photomechanical reproduction, to which film positives are stripped.

Base line
The imaginary horizontal line upon which stand capitals, lower case letters, punctuation points, etc. the line on which the bases of capital letters sit.

Base Negative
Negative made by photographing base art.

Basic size
The standard size of sheets of paper used to calculate basis weight in the United States and Canada. (b) A standard size of paper stock; even though the required size may be smaller or larger. The standard size of sheets of paper used to calculate basis weight in the United States and Canada.

Basis weight
In the United States and Canada, the weight, in pounds, of a ream (500 sheets) of paper cut to the basic size. Also called ream weight and substance weight (sub weight). In countries using ISO paper sizes, the weight, in grams, of one square meter of paper. Also called grammage and ream weight. (b) Basis or basic weight refers to the weight, in pounds, of a ream (500 sheets) of paper cut to a given standard size for that particular paper grade.

Bas-relief
A three-dimensional impression is which the image stands just slightly out from the flat background. See also blind emboss.

Bastard
Any non-standard or abnormal element, i.e. a font that is different than the set of fonts in which it appears.

Bauhaus
A design school in Germany where the Sans Serif font was originated.

Bearoff
The adjusting of spacing of type in order to correct the justification.

Bed
the base on which the Forme is held when printing by Letterpress. (b) The steel flat table of a cylinder printing press upon which the type sits during the printing process.

Bending chip
A recycled paperboard product used for making folding cartons.

Bezier curves
In object-oriented programs, (such as Freehand, Illustrator, or Photoshop) a curve whose shape is defined by points set along its arc.

BF
An abbreviation for boldface, used to determine where boldface copy is to be used. See also boldface.

Bible paper
A thin but strong paper (opaque), used for bibles and books.

Bibliography
list of publications providing reference material on a particular subject, usually included in the endmatter of a book.

Bimetal plate
A plate that is used in long print runs; the printing image is copper or brass, and the non-printing area is aluminum or stainless steel.

Bind
To fasten sheets or signatures with wire, thread, glue. or by other means. (b) Usually in the book arena, but not exclusively, the joining of leafs or signatures together with either wire, glue or other means.

Binder's board
A heavy paperboard with a cloth covering that is used for hardback binding of books.

Bindery
Usually a department within a printing company responsible for collating, folding and trimming various printing projects. (b) The finishing department of a print shop or firm specializing in finishing printed products.

Binding
the various methods used to secure loose leaves or sections in a book; eg saddle-stitch, perfect bound.

Binding
the various methods used to secure loose leaves or sections in a book; eg saddle-stitch, perfect bound.

Bite
The etching process in photoengraving requires the application of an acid; the length of time this acid is left to etch out an image is referred to as its bite. The more bites, the deeper the etched area.

Bitmapped
An image formed (or appearing to be formed) by a rectangular grid of pixels. The computer assigns a value to each pixel, from one bit of information (black or white), to as much as 24 or 30 bits per pixel for full color images. Also used to refer to an image that has too low of a resolution or linescreen for the output resolution ("That image looks bitmapped."; line art scanned at 72dpi when it is to be printed at 2540dpi will be very coarsely bitmapped).

Bitmapped font
a font made up of bitmapped letters, characterized by jagged edges, as opposed to the smooth edges of an outline font.

Black letter
An old style of typeface used in Germany in the 15th century, also referred to as Old English (US) and Gothic (UK).

Black out
Also referred to as black patch; a piece of masking material which is used in layout to mask an area leaving a window into which another element can be

Black patch
material used to mask the window area on a negative image of the artwork prior to 'stripping in' a halftone.

Black photo paper
A black paper used to protect photosensitive materials.
Black printer
Refers to the film portion of the color separation process that prints black; increases the contrast of neutral tones.

Blackening
Darkening a portion of a sheet of paper due to the excessive pressure of the calendar roll. See also calendar rolls.

Blank
Category of paperboard ranging in thickness from 15 to 48 points.

Blanket
The thick rubber mat on a printing press that transfers ink from the plate to paper. (b) a sheet made of rexine or rubber that covers the impression cylinder of a press. (c) The rubber surfaced material, which is secured onto a cylinder onto which the image is transferred from the plate and then again transferred to paper.

Blanket cylinder
the cylinder via which the inked litho plate transfers the image to the paper. The cylinder is covered with a rubber sheet which prevents wear to the litho plate coming into contact with the paper.

Blanket Rubber
coated pad, mounted on a cylinder of an offset press, that receives the inked image from the plate and transfers it to the surface to be printed.

Blanket to blanket press
A printing method in which there are two blanket cylinders through which a sheet of paper is passed and printed on both sides.

Bleed
Any copy, art illustration, photo, color, etc. that extends past the edge of the printed page. (b) Printing that goes to the edge of the sheet after trimming. Layout, type or pictures that extend 1/8" beyond the trim marks on a page. Illustrations that spread to the edge of the paper without margins are referred to as 'bled off'.

Blind emboss
A design or bas relief impression that is made without using inks or metal foils. (b) a raised impression made without using ink or foil. ( c ) An image pressed into a sheet without ink or foil.

Blind folio
A page that is counted in the overall counting of pages, but the number is not printed on the page. Page number counted for reference or identification but not printed on the page itself. A page number not printed on the page. (In the book arena, a blank page traditionally does not print a page number.)

Blind image
A problem that arises in the lithography process when an image loses its ink receptivity and fails to print.

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

Blistering
Although seemingly dry, paper does contain approximately 5% moisture. In cases where there is excessive moisture, and the paper is passed through a

Block
Illustrations or line art etched onto zinc or copper plates and used in letterpress printing.

Block in
to sketch in the main areas of an image prior to the design. To sketch the primary areas and points of reference of an illustration in preparation for going to final design or production.

Block resistance
The resistance of coated papers to blocking. See also blocking.

Blocking
The adhesion of one coated sheet to another, causing paper tears or particles of the coating to shed away from the paper surface.

Blocking out
To mask a section of an art layout before reproduction.

Blocking
Sticking together of printed sheets causing damage when the surfaces are separated. Blocks of repetitive type used and copied over and over again.

Blow up
an enlargement, most frequently of a graphic image or photograph. Any enlargement of photos, copies or line art. An enlargement, usually used with graphic images or photographs

Blueline
A blue photographic proof used to check position of all image elements. Prepress photographic proof made from stripped negatives where all colors show as blue images on white paper. Because 'blueline' is a generic term for proofs made from a variety of materials having identical purposes and similar appearances, it may also be called a blackprint, blue, blueprint, brownline, brownprint, diazo, dyeline, ozalid, position proof, silverprint, Dylux and VanDyke.

Blueline proof
A photographic process whereby flats are exposed to blacklight and processed to create blue lines of copy that are proofread before a project goes to press. A proof made from the actual printing plates, so-called because of its blue color. A chance to get one more look at a printing job before it goes to the press.

Blurb
a short description or commentary of a book or author on a book jacket. A description or commentary of an author or book content positioned on the book jacket.

Board
Alternate term for mechanical. paper of more than 200gsm.

Board Paper
General term for paper over 110# index, 80# cover or 200 gsm that is commonly used for products such as file folders, displays and post cards. Also

Body
A term used to define the thickness or viscosity of printer's ink. The main shank or portion of the letter character other than the ascenders and descenders. the main text of the work but not including headlines. The main text of the work but not including headlines.

Body size
the height of the type measured from the top of the tallest ascender to the bottom of the lowest descender. Normally given in points, the standard unit of type size. The point size of a particular type character.

Body
The main text of work not including the headlines.
Bold type
type with a heavier darker appearance. Most typefaces have a bold face.

Boldface
Any type that has a heavier black stroke that makes it more conspicuous.

Bolts
The edges of folded sheets of paper, which are trimmed off in the final stages of production.

Bond
A grade of durable writing, printing and typing paper that has a standard size of 17x22 inches. a sized finished writing paper of 50gsm or more. Can also be used for printing upon. Category of paper commonly used for writing, printing and photocopying. Also called business paper, communication paper, correspondence paper and writing paper. Strong durable paper grade used for letterheads and business forms.

Bond & carbon
Business form with paper and carbon paper.

Book
A general classification to describe papers used to print books; its standard size is 25x38 inches.

Book
A printed work that contains more than 64 pages.

Book block
A term given the unfinished stage of bookmaking when the pages are folded, gathered and stitched-in but not yet cover bound. Folded signatures gathered, sewn and trimmed, but not yet covered.

Book Paper
Category of paper suitable for books, magazines, catalogs, advertising and general printing needs. Book paper is divided into uncoated paper (also called offset paper), coated paper (also called art paper, enamel paper, gloss paper and slick paper) and text paper.

Border
a continuous decorative design or rule surrounding the matter on the page. The decorative design or rule surrounding matter on a page.

Bounce
a repeating registration problem in the printing stage of production.
Customer unhappy with the results of a printing project and refuses to accept the project.

Bourges
A pressure sensitive color film that is used to prepare color art.

Box
a section of text marked off by rules or white space and presented separately from the main text and illustrations. Longer boxed sections in magazines are sometimes referred to as sidebars.

Box cover paper
A lightweight paper used expressly for covering paper boxes.

Box enamel paper
A glossy coated paper used to cover paper boxes.

Box liners
A coated paper used on the inside of boxes, which are used for food.

Brace
A character " }" used to group lines, or phrases.

Break for color
Also known as a color break. To separate mechanically or by software the parts to be printed in different colors. In layout design, the term for dividing or separating the art and copy elements into single color paste-up sheets.

Brightnes
the brilliance or reflectance of paper.

Bristol board
A board paper of various thicknesses; having a smooth finish and used for printing and drawing. - a fine board made in various qualities for drawing.

Bristol Paper
General term referring to paper 6 points or thicker with basis weight between 90# and 200# (200-500 gsm). Used for products such as index cards, file folders and displays.

Broad fold
A term given to the fold whereby paper is folded with the short side running with the grain.

Broadside
an original term for work printed on one side of a large sheet of paper. The term used to indicate work printed on one of a large sheet of paper.

Brocade
A heavily embossed paper.

Brochure
A pamphlet that is bound in booklet form.

Broken Carton
Carton of paper from which some of the sheets have been sold. Also called less carton.

Bromide
a photographic print made on bromide paper.

Bronzing
A printing method whereby special ink is applied to sheets and then a powder is applied producing a metallic effect. an effect produced by dusting wet ink after printing with a metallic powder.The effect produced by dusting wet ink after printing and using a metallic powder.

Brownline proof
A photographic proof made by exposing a flat to UV light creating a brown image on a white background. Also referred to as silverprint.

Buckle folder
A portion of the binding machinery with rollers that fold the paper.

Buckram
A coarse sized cloth used in the bookbinding process.

Build a Color
To overlap two or more screen tints to create a new color. Such an overlap is called a build, color build, stacked screen build or tint build.

Bulk
Thickness of paper stock in thousandths of an inch or number of pages per inch. A term given to paper to describe its thickness relative to its weight. A term used to define the number of pages per inch of a book relative to its given basis weight.

Bulk pack
Boxing printed product without wrapping or banding.

Bulk
Thickness of paper relative to its basic weight.

Bullet
A boldface square or dot used before a sentence to emphasize its importance. a large dot preceding text to add emphasis.a large dot preceding text to add emphasis. A dot or similar marking to emphasize text.

Bump Exposure
A process used in halftone photography that temporarily removes the screen during exposure. This increases the highlight contrast and diminishes the dots in the whites.

Burn
Exposing a printing plate to high intensity light or placing an image on a printing plate by light. A term used in plate making to describe the amount of plate exposure time.

Burnish
A term used for the process of "rubbing down" lines and dots on a printing plate, which darkens those rubbed areas.

Burst Binding
A binding technique that entails nicking the backfold in short lengths during the folding process, which allows glue to reach each individual leaf and create a strong bond.

Burst Perfect Bind
To bind by forcing glue into notches along the spines of gathered signatures before affixing a paper cover. Also called burst bind, notch bind and slotted bind.

Butt
Joining images without overlapping.

Butt fit
Printed colors that overlap one row of dots so they appear to butt.

Butt Register
Register where ink colors meet precisely without overlapping or allowing space between, as compared to lap register. Also called butt fit and kiss register.

Buy Out
To subcontract for a service that is closely related to the business of the organization. Also called farm out. Work that is bought out or farmed out is sometimes called outwork or referred to as being out of house.

C1S and C2S
Abbreviations for coated one side and coated two sides.

Cable paper
A strong paper used to wrap electrical cables.

Cadmium yellow
A pigment made from cadmium sulfide and cadmium selenide.

Calendar board
A strong paperboard used for calendars and displays.

Calendar rolls
A series of metal rolls at the end of a paper machine; when the paper is passed between these rolls it increases its smoothness and glossy surface.

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

Calendered finish
produced by passing paper through a series of metal rollers to give a very smooth surface.

Calibration bars
On a negative, proof, or printed piece, a strip of tones used to check printing quality.

Caliper
The measurement of thickness of paper expressed in thousandths of an inch or mils. the thickness of sheet of paper or board expressed in microns (millionths of a metre). Also the name of the tool used to make the measurement.

Caliper
Thickness of paper or other substrate expressed in thousandths of an inch (mils or points), pages per inch (ppi), thousandths of a millimeter (microns) or pages per centimeter (ppc).(2) Device on a sheetfed press that detects double sheets or on a binding machine that detects missing signatures or inserts.
called paperboard.

Cameo
A dull coated paper, which is particularly useful in reproducing halftones and engravings.

Camera ready
A term given to any copy, artwork etc., that is prepared for photographic reproduction. Artwork or pasted up material that is ready for reproduction. artwork or pasted up material that is ready for reproduction. Cap line - an imaginary line across the top of capital letters. The distance from the the cap line to the baseline is the cap size.

Camera Service
Business using a process camera to make photostats, halftones, plates and other elements for printing. Also called prep service and trade camera service.

Camera-ready
Copy Mechanicals, photographs and art fully prepared for reproduction according to the technical requirements of the printing process being used. Also called finished art and reproduction copy.

Canvas board
A paperboard with a surface of simulated canvas, used for painting.

Cap line
An imaginary horizontal line running across the tops of capital letters. an imaginary line across the top of capital letters. The distance from the the cap line to the baseline is the cap size.

Caps - (or "all caps")
an abbreviation for capital letters. an abbreviation for capital letters.

Caps & lower case
Instructions in the typesetting process that indicate the use of a capital letter to start a sentence and the rest of the letters in lower case. Two sizes of capital letters made in one size of type. a style of type that shows capital letters used in the normal way while the body copy is set in capital letters which are of a slightly smaller size.

Caption - Also called a cutline.
The line or lines of text that refer to information identifying a picture or illustration. the line or lines of text that refer to information identifying a picture or illustration.

Carbon black
A pigment made of elemental carbon and ash.

Carbon tissue
A color printing process utilizing pigmented gelatin coatings on paper, which become the resist for etching gravure plates or cylinders.

Carbonate paper
A chemical pulp paper (calcium carbonate), used mostly for the printing of magazines.

Carbonless
Pressure sensitive writing paper that does not use carbon. Pressure sensitive writing paper that does not use carbon. paper coated with chemicals and dye which will produce copies without carbon paper. Also referred to as NCR (No Carbon Required). paper coated with chemicals and dye which will produce copies without carbon paper. Also referred to as NCR (No Carbon Required). Paper coated with chemicals that enable transfer of images from one sheet to another with pressure from writing or typing.

Caret marks
an indication to the printer of an ommission in the copy indicated as ( ) showing the insertion.

Carload
A truck load of paper weighing 40000 pounds. (B) Selling unit of paper that may weigh anywhere from 20,000 to 100,000 pounds (9,090 to 45, 454 kilos), depending on which mill or merchant uses the term. Abbreviated CL.

Carton
Selling unit of paper weighing approximately 150 pounds (60 kilos). A carton can contain anywhere from 500 to 5,000 sheets, depending on the size of sheets and their basis weight.

Cartridge
A rough finished paper used for wrapping. a thick general purpose paper used for printing, drawing and wrapping.

Case
The stiff covers of a hardbound book.

Case bind
A type of binding used in making hard cover books using glue. Case Bind To bind using glue to hold signatures to a case made of binder board covered with fabric, plastic or leather. Also called cloth bind, edition bind, hard bind and hard cover.

Case binding
Books bound using hard board (case) covers.

Case bound
a hardback book made with stiff outer covers. Cases are usually covered with cloth, vinyl or leather.

Case
Covers and spine that, as a unit, enclose the pages of a casebound book.

Casein
A milk byproduct used as an adhesive in making coated papers.

Casing in
The process of placing in and adhering a book to its case covers.

Cast coated
Coated paper with a high gloss reflective finish. A paper that is coated and then pressure dried using a polished roller that imparts an enamel like hard gloss finish. art paper with a exceptionally glossy coated finish usually on one side only.

Cast off
a calculation determining how much space copy will take up when typeset.

Cast-coated
Paper High gloss, coated paper made by pressing the paper against a polished, hot, metal drum while the coating is still wet.

Catalog Paper
Coated paper rated #4 or #5 with basis weight from 35# to 50# (50 to 75 gsm) commonly used for catalogs and magazines.

Catching up
A term to describe that period of the printing process where the non-image areas can take on ink or debris.

Catchline
a temporary headline for identification on the top of a galley proof.

Cellulose acetate
plastic sheet material, usually transparent or translucent, available clear or colored and with a shiny or matte finish; used as the basis of artwork and overlays, and is the base material of some photographic film.

Century Schoolbook
a popular serif typeface used in magazines and books for text setting which has a large x-height and an open appearance.

Chain Dot (1) Alternate term for elliptical dot, so called because midtone dots touch at two points, so look like links in a chain. (2) Generic term for any midtone dots whose corners touch.

Chain lines
Lines that appear on laid paper as a result of the wires of the papermaking machine. Widely spaced lines in laid paper. (2) Blemishes on printed images caused by tracking.
Chalking
a powdering effect left on the surface of the paper after the ink has failed to dry satisfactorily due to a fault in printing. a powdering effect left on the surface of the paper after the ink has failed to dry satisfactorily due to a fault in printing. (b) A term used to describe the quality of print on paper where the absorption of the paper is so great that it breaks up the ink image creating loose pigment dust. (c.) Deterioration of a printed image caused by ink that absorbs into paper too fast or has long exposure to sun, and wind making printed images look dusty. Also called crocking.

Chancery italic
A 13th century handwriting style that is the root of italic design.

Character count
the number of characters; ie letters, figures, signs or spaces in a piece of copy, line or paragraph used as a first stage in type calculations.

Chase
a metal frame in which metal type and blocks (engravings) are locked into position to make up a page.

Check Copy
1) Production copy of a publication verified by the customer as printed, finished and bound correctly. (2) One set of gathered book signatures approved by the customer as ready for binding.

China clay
An aluminum silica compound used in gravure and screen printing inks. Also called kaolin.

Choke
a method of altering the thickness of a shape by overexposure in processing or by means of a built-in option in some computer applications. Technique of slightly reducing the size of an image to create a hairline trap or to outline. Also called shrink and skinny.

Chrome
A term for a transparency.


Chrome green
The resulting ink pigment attained from the mixture of chrome yellow and iron blue.

Chrome
Strength of a color as compared to how close it seems to neutral gray. Also called depth, intensity, purity and saturation.

Chrome yellow
A lead chromate yellow ink pigment.

Chromolin
a fast proofing system which uses powder as opposed to ink.

Circular screen
A screen that utilizes a concentric circle pattern as opposed to dots used for halftones and to allow the platemaker to set exact screen angles.

Clay coated boxboard
A strong, easily folded boxboard with clay coating used for making folding boxes.

Close up
a proof correction mark to reduce the amount of space between characters or words indicated as ('). A mark used to indicate closing space between characters or words. Usually used in proofing stages.

CMYK
cyan, yellow, magenta, black. The subtractive primaries, or process colors, used in color printing. Black (K) is usually added to enhance color and to print a true black. See subtractive primaries, four color process. Abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black), the four process colors.

Coarse screen
Halftone screens commonly used in newsprint; up to 85 lines per inch. Halftone screen with ruling of 65, 85 or 100 lines per inch (26, 34 or 40 lines centimeter).

Coated
printing papers which after making have had a surface coating with clay etc, to give a smoother, more even finish with greater opacity.

Coated art paper
Printing papers used for printing projects that require a special treatment of detail and shading. A clay coated printing paper with a smooth finish.

Coated Paper
Paper with a coating of clay and other substances that improves reflectivity and ink holdout. Mills produce coated paper in the four major categories cast, gloss, dull and matte.

Coated stock
Any paper that has a mineral coating applied after the paper is made, giving the paper a smoother finish.

Cold color -
Any color that moves toward the blue side in the color spectrum.

Cold type -
type produced without the use of characters cast from molten metal, such as on a VDU.

Cold-set inks -
A variety of inks that are in solid form originally but are melted in a hot press and then solidified when they contact paper.

Collate -
A finishing term for gathering paper in a precise order. to gather separate sections or leaves of a book together in the correct order for binding. To gather sheets or signatures together in their correct order. To organize printed matter in a specific order as requested.

Collating Marks
Mostly in the book arena, specific marks on the back of signatures indicating exact position in the collating stage.

Colophon -
A printers' or publishers' identifying symbol or emblem.

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

Color bar -
A quality control term regarding the spots of ink color on the tail of a sheet. This term refers to a color test strip, that is printed on the waste portion of a press sheet. It is a standardized (GATF-Graphic Arts Technical Foundation) process that allows a pressman to determine the quality of the printed material relative to ink density, registration and dot gain. It also includes the Star Target, which

Color Blanks
Press sheets printed with photos or illustrations, but without type. Also called shells.

Color Break
In multicolor printing, the point, line or space at which one ink color stops and another begins. Also called break for color.

Color Cast
Unwanted color affecting an entire image or portion of an image.

Color Control Bar
Strip of small blocks of color on a proof or press sheet to help evaluate features such as density and dot gain. Also called color bar, color guide and standard offset

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

Color correction -
Methods of improving color separations.

Color correction -
The process of adjusting an image to compensate for scanner deficiencies or for the characteristics of the output device.

Color Curves
Instructions in computer software that allow users to change or correct colors. Also called HLS and HVS tables.

Color Electronic Prepress System
Computer, scanner, printer and other hardware and software designed for image assembly, color correction, retouching and output onto proofing materials, film or printing plates. Abbreviated CEPS.

Color filter -
Filters uses in making color separations, red, blue, green.

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

Color Key
Brand name for an overlay color proof. Sometimes used as a generic term for any overlay color proof.

Color matching system -
A system of formulated ink colors used for communicating color.

Color Model
Way of categorizing and describing the infinite array of colors found in nature.

Color proof -
A representation of what the final printed composition will look like. The resolution and quality of different types of color can vary greatly.

Color Separation (1) Technique of using a camera, scanner or computer to divide continuous-tone color images into four halftone negatives. (2) The product resulting from color separating and subsequent four-color process printing. Also called separation. The process of preparing artwork, photographs, transparencies, or computer generated art for printing by separating into the four primary printing colors.
The division of an image into its component colors for printing. Each color separation is a piece of negative or positive film. Four color or process separations result in 4 pieces of film (CMYK); Spot color separations result in 1 piece of film for each spot color.

Color Sequence
Order in which inks are printed. Also called laydown sequence and rotation.

Color Shift
Change in image color resulting from changes in register, ink densities or dot gain during four-color process printing.

Color strength -
A term referring to the relative amount of pigmentation in an ink.

Color transparency -
A photographic image transparent film used as artwork. 35 mm, 4"x5" and 8"x10" formats are commonly used.Transparent film containing a positive photographic color image. Film (transparent) used as art to perform color separations.

Colour separations -
the division of a multi-coloured original or line copy into the basic (or primary) process colours of yellow, magenta, cyan and black. These should not be confused with the optical primaries; red, green and blue. Column inch - a measure of area used in newspapers and magazines to calculate the cost of display advertising. A column inch is one column wide by one inch deep.

Column rule -
a light faced vertical rule used to separate columns of type.

Comb bind -
To plastic comb bind by inserting the comb into punched holes. 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.

Commercial register -
Color registration measured within plus or minus one row of dots.

Complementary Flat(s)
The second or additional flat(s) used when making composite film or for two or more burns on one printing plate.

Compose -
to set copy into type.

Composite Art
Mechanical on which copy for reproduction in all colors appears on only one surface, not separated onto overlays. Composite art has a tissue overlay with instructions that indicate color breaks.

Composite film -
Combining two or more images on one or more pieces of film.

Composite Film
Film made by combining images from two or more pieces of working film onto one film for making one plate.

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

Composition -
The assembling of characters into words, lines, and paragraphs of text or body matter type for reproduction by printing.

Composition
(1) In typography, the assembly of typographic elements, such as words and paragraphs, into pages ready for printing. (2) In graphic design, the arrangement of type, graphics and other elements on the page.

Comprehensive Dummy
Simulation of a printed piece complete with type, graphics and colors. Also called color comprehensive and comp.

Concertina fold -
a method of folding in which each fold opens in the opposite direction to its neighbour, giving a concertina or pleated effect.

Concertina fold -
a method of folding in which each fold opens in the opposite direction to its neighbour, giving a concertina or pleated effect.

Condensed -
a style of typeface in which the characters have a vertically elongated appearance.

Condensed type -
A narrow, elongated typeface.

Condition
To keep paper in the pressroom for a few hours or days before printing so that its moisture level and temperature equal that in the pressroom. Also called cure, mature and season.

Contact Platemaker
Device with lights, timing mechanism and vacuum frame used to make contact prints, duplicate film, proofs and plates. Also called platemaker and vacuum frame.

Contact print
A print made from contact of a sensitive surface to a negative or positive photograph.

Contact screen
A halftone screen made on film of graded density, and used in a vacuum contact with the film.

Continuous tone
an image in which the subject has continuous shades of color or gray without being broken up by dots. Continuous tones cannot be reproduced in that form for printing but must be screened to translate the image into dots.

Continuous tone
an image in which the subject has continuous shades of colour or grey without being broken up by dots. Continuous tones cannot be reproduced in that form for printing but must be screened to translate the image into dots.

Continuous-tone copy
Illustrations, photographs or computer files that contain gradient tones from black to white or light to dark.

Continuous-tone copy
Illustrations, photographs or computer files that contain gradient tones from black to white or light to dark.

Continuous-tone
Copy All photographs and those illustrations having a range of shades not made up of dots, as compared to line copy or halftones. Abbreviated contone.

Contrast
The tonal change in color from light to dark.

Contrast
The tonal change in color from light to dark.

Contrast
The degree of tonal separation or gradation in the range from black to white.

Contrast
the degree of tones in a photograph ranging from highlight to shadow.

Contrast
the relationship between the lightest and darkest areas of an image.

Contrast
The degree of tones in an image ranging from highlight to shadow.

Contre jour
Taking a picture with the camera lens facing the light source.
Converter Business that makes products such as boxes, bags, envelopes and displays.

Copy
All furnished material or disc used in the production of a printed product.

Copy
Refers to any typewritten material, art, photos etc., to be used for the printing process.

Copy
The text to be printed.

Copyboard
A board upon which the copy is pasted for the purpose of photographing.

Copyboard Surface or frame on a process camera that holds copy in position to be photographed.

Copyright
The right of copyright gives protection to the originator of material to prevent use without express permission or acknowledgement of the originator.

Corner marks
Marks on a final printed sheet that indicate the trim lines or register indicators. Corner marks - marks printed on a sheet to indicate the trim or register marks.

Cover -
A term describing a general type of papers used for the covers of books, pamphlets etc.

Cover paper -
A heavy printing paper used to cover books, make presentation folders, etc. Category of thick paper used for products such as posters, menus, folders and covers of paperback books.

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.

Crash Coarse
cloth embedded in the glue along the spine of a book to increase strength of binding. Also called gauze, mull and scrim.

Crash number -
Numbering paper by pressing an image on the first sheet which is transferred to all parts of the printed set.

Crash number -
Numbering paper by pressing an image on the first sheet which is transferred to all parts of the printed set.

Creep -
When the rubber blanket on a cylinder moves forward due to contact with the plate or paper.Phenomenon of middle pages of a folded signature extending slightly beyond outside pages. Also called feathering, outpush, push out and thrust. See also Shingling.

Crimping -
Puncture marks holding business forms together.

Cromalin -
Trade name for DuPont color proofs.

Crop
To cut off parts of a picture or image. To eliminate a portion of the art or copy as indicated by crop marks.

Crop marks
Printed lines showing where to trim a printed sheet.

Crop marks -
lines printed showing the dimensions of the final printed page. These marks are used for final trimming.Lines near the edges of an image indicating portions to be reproduced. Also called cut marks and tic marks.

Cropping -
the elimination of parts of a photograph or other original that are not required to be printed. Cropping allows the remaining parts of the image to be enlarged to fill the space.

Cropping -
the elimination of parts of a photograph or other original that are not required to be printed. Cropping allows the remaining parts of the image to be enlarged to fill the space.

Cross head -
a heading set in the body of the text used to break it into easily readable sections.

Crossmarks -
Marks of fine lines, which intersect to indicate accurate alignment of art elements.

Crossover -
Printing across the gutter or from one page to the facing page of a publication.

Crossover -
Printing across the gutter or from one page to the facing page of a publication.

Crossover -
A term used to describe the effect of ink from an image, rule or line art on one printed page, which carries over to another page of a bound work.

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.

Cure
To dry inks, varnishes or other coatings after printing to ensure good adhesion and prevent setoff.

Curl -
A term used to describe the differences of either side of a sheet relative to coatings, absorbency etc.; the concave side is the curl side.
Cursive -
used to describe typefaces that resemble written script.

Customer Service Representative
Employee of a printer, service bureau, separator or other business who coordinates projects and keeps customers informed. Abbreviated CSR.

Cut flush
a method of trimming a book after the cover has been attached to the pages.

Cut flush
a method of trimming a book after the cover has been attached to the pages.

Cut Sizes
Paper sizes used with office machines and small presses.

Cutline -
also called a caption. The line or lines of text that refer to information identifying a picture or illustration.

Cut-off -
A term used in web press printing to describe the point at which a sheet of paper is cut from the roll; usually this dimension is equal to the circumference of the cylinder. Circumference of the impression cylinder of a web press, therefore also the length of the printed sheet that the press cuts from the roll of paper.

Cutout
a halftone where the background has been removed to produce a silhouette.

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

Cutting Machine
A machine that cuts stacks of paper to desired sizes. The machine can also be used in scoring or creasing.

CWT
Abbreviation for hundredweight using the Roman numeral C=100.

Cyan
One of four standard process colors. The blue color.

Cyan
One of four standard process colors. The blue color. A shade of blue used in the four-color process; it reflects blue and green and absorbs red.

Cylinder gap
The gap in the cylinders of a press where the grippers or blanket clamps are housed.

Dagger and double dagger
symbols used mainly as reference marks for footnotes.

Dahlgren -
A dampening system for printing presses which utilizes more alcohol (25%) and less water; this greatly reduces the amount of paper that is spoiled.

Dampening -
a necessary process in lithography of dampening the printing plate to prevent ink from spreading. An essential part of the printing process whereby cloth covered rubber rollers distributes the dampening solution to the plate.

Dandy roll
During the paper making process while the paper is still 90% water, it passes over a wire mesh cylinder (dandy roll), which imparts surface textures on the

Dark field illumination
a method of checking the quality of halftone dots on film by viewing them in angled light against a dark background.

Dash - a short horizontal rule used for punctuation. Sometimes called an (c)¯em(c)˜ dash. A horizontal rule used for punctuation.

Data Compression
Technique of reducing the amount of storage required to hold a digital file to reduce the disk space the file requires and allow it to be processed or transmitted more quickly.

DCS Desktop Color Separation
A file format which creates five PostScript files for each color image.

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

Deckle edge -
The rough or feathered edge of paper when left untrimmed. Edge of paper left ragged as it comes from the papermaking machine instead of being cleanly cut. Also called feather edge.

Deep etching -
The etching or removal of any unwanted areas of a plate to create more air or white space on the finished product.

Deep-etch halftone -
a halftone image from which unwanted screen dots have been removed, so that areas of plain paper will be left on the printed sheet.

Delete -
An instruction given to remove an element from a layout.

Demy -
A term that describes a standard sized printing paper measuring 17.5 x 22.5 in.

Densitometer -
A quality control devise to measure the density of printing ink. A device sensitive to the density of light transmitted or reflected by paper or film. Used to check the accuracy, quality, and consistency of output. An optical device used by printers and photographers to measure and control the density of color. Instrument used to measure density. Reflection densitometers measure light reflected from paper and other surfaces; transmission densitometers measure light transmitted through film and other materials.

Density -
The degree of color or darkness of an image or photograph. The degree of opacity of a photographic image on paper or film. The degree of tone, weight of darkness or color within a photo or reproduction; measurable by the densitometer. See also densitometer.

Density - The lay of paper fibers relative to tightness or looseness that affects the bulk, the absorbency and the finish of the paper.

Density (1) Regarding ink, the relative thickness of a layer of printed ink. (2) Regarding color, the relative ability of a color to absorb light reflected from it or block light passing through it. (3) Regarding paper, the relative tightness or looseness of fibers.

Density Range
Difference between the darkest and lightest areas of copy. Also called contrast ratio, copy range and tonal range.

Descender - A term that describes that portion of lower case letters that extends below the main body of the letter, as in "p". any part of a lower case letter that extends below the x-height, as in the case of y and j.
Desktop Publishing
Technique of using a personal computer to design images and pages, and assemble type and graphics, then using a laser printer or imagesetter to output the assembled pages onto paper, film or printing plate. Abbreviated DTP.

Device Independent Colors -
Hues identified by wavelength or by their place in systems such as developed by CIE. Device independent' means a color can be described and specified without
Diazo -
A light sensitive coal tar product used as a coating on presensitized plates, as well as overlay proofs.

Die -
Metal rule or imaged block used to cut or place an image on paper in the finishing process.

Die -
a hardened steel engraving stamp used to print an inked image. Used in the production of good quality letter headings. a hardened steel engraving stamp used to print an inked image. Used in the production of good quality letter headings. An engraved stamp used for impressing an image or design.

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

Die cutting -
Curing images in or out of paper. A method of using sharp steel ruled stamps or rollers to cut various shapes i.e. labels, boxes, image shapes, either post press or in line. The process of cutting paper in a shape or design by the use of a wooden die or block in which are positioned steel rules in the shape of the desired pattern. The process of using sharp steel rules to cut special shapes into printed sheets.

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

Die stamping -
An intaglio process for printing from images engraved into copper or steel plates.

Diffusion Transfer
Chemical process of reproducing line copy and making halftone positives ready for paste-up.

Digital -
Files for printing that are produced on the computer.

Digital Dot
Dot created by a computer and printed out by a laser printer or imagesetter. Digital dots are uniform in size, as compared to halftone dots that vary in size.

Digital Proof -
Color separation data is digitally stored and then exposed to color photographic paper creating a picture of the final product before it is actually printed.

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

Dimensional stability -
The qualities of paper to stabilize its original size when undergoing pressure or exposed to moisture.

Diploma -
A fine paper made specifically for the printing of diplomas, certificates and documents.

Direct Digital Color
Proof Color proof made by a laser, ink jet printer or other computer-controlled device without needing to make separation films first. Abbreviated DDCP.
Direct screen halftone -
A color separation process using a halftone negative made by direct contact with the halftone screen.

Disk Operating System (DOS) -
software for computer systems with disk drives which supervises and controls the running of programs. The operating system is 'booted' into the computer from disk by a small program which permanently resides in the memory. Commom operating systems include MS-DOS, PC-DOS (IBM's version of MS-DOS), CP/M (an operating system for older, 8-bit computers), Unix and BOS.

Disk Operating System (DOS) -
software for computer systems with disk drives which supervises and controls the running of programs. The operating systemis 'booted' into the computer from disk by a small program which permanently resides in the memory. Commom operating systems include MS-DOS, PC-DOS (IBM's version of MS-DOS), CP/M (an operating system for older, 8-bit computers), Unix and BOS.

Display type -
Any type that stands out from the rest of the type on a page that attracts attention of the reader.

Display type -
larger type used for headings etc. Normally about 18 point or larger.

Distribution rollers -
In the printing process, the rubber coated rollers responsible for the distribution of ink from the fountain to the ink drum.

Dithering -
The process of specifying color to adjacent pixels in order to simluate a third color in a bitmapped image. This technique is generally used whan a full range of colors is not available.

Dmax -
The highest level of density on a film negative.

Doctor blade -
A term in gravure printing which refers to the knife-edge that runs along the printing cylinder; its function is to wipe the excess ink away from the non-printing areas.

Dog Ear
A letter fold at the side of one of the creases, an indentation occurs.

Dot -
An element of halftones. Using a loupe you will see that printed pictures are made many dots.

Dot -
The smallest individual element of a halftone.

Dot gain -
A printing defect in which dots print larger than intended, causing darker colors or tones; due to the spreading of ink on stock. The more absorbent the stock, the more dot gain. Can vary by type of ink as well.

Dot gain -
Terms to describe the occurrence whereby dots are printing larger than they should.

Dot gain or spread -
A term used to explain the difference in size between the dot on film v paper.

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 matrix printer -
a printer in which each character is formed from a matrix of dots. They are normally impact systems, ie a wire is fired at a ribbon in order to leave an inked dot on the page, but thermal and electro-erosion systems are also used.

Dot matrix printer -
a printer in which each character is formed from a matrix of dots. They are normally impact systems, ie a wire is fired at a ribbon in order to leave an inked dot on the page, but thermal and electro-erosion systems are also used.

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.

Double Black Duotone
Duotone printed from two halftones, one shot for highlights and the other shot for midtones and shadows.

Double Bump
To print a single image twice so it has two layers of ink.

Double burn -
Exposing a plate to multiple images.

Double Burn
To expose film or a plate twice to different negatives and thus create a composite image.

Double density -
a method of recording on floppy disks using a modified frequency modulation process that allows more data to be stored on a disk.

Double Density
A method of recording electronically (disk, CD, floppy) using a modified frequency to allow more data storage.

Double Dot Halftone
Halftone double burned onto one plate from two halftones, one shot for shadows, the second shot for midtones and highlights.

Double page spread -
two facing pages of newspaper or magazine where the textual material on the left hand side continues across to the right hand side. Abbreviated to DPS.

Doubling Printing
defect appearing as blurring or shadowing of the image. Doubling may be caused by problems with paper, cylinder alignment, blanket pressures or dirty cylinders.

Downloadable fonts -
type faces which can be stored on a disk and then downloaded to the printer when required for printing. These are, by definition, bit-mapped fonts and, therefore, fixed in size and style.

Downloadable fonts -
type faces which can be stored on a disk and then downloaded to the printer when required for printing. These are, by definition, bit-mapped fonts and, therefore, fixed in size and style.

DPI - Dots per inch.
A measure of output resolution produced by printers, imagesetters, or monitors.

DPI (Dots Per Inch) -
the measurement of resolution for page printers, phototypesetting machines and graphics screens. Currently graphics screens reproduce 60 to 100dpi, most page printers work at 300dpi and typesetting systems operate at 1,000dpi and above.

Draw-down -
A sample of ink and paper used to evaluate ink colors.

Drawdown -
A method used by ink makers to determine the color, quality and tone of ink. It entails the drawing of a spatula over a drop of ink, spreading it flat over the paper.

Drawdown
Sample of inks specified for a job applied to the substrate specified for a job. Also called pulldown.

Drawn on -
a method of binding a paper cover to a book by drawing the cover on and gluing to the back of the book.

Drawn on -
a method of binding a paper cover to a book by drawing the cover on and gluing to the back of the book.

Drier -
A term that describes any additives to ink which accelerates the drying process.

Drill -
The actual drilling of holes into paper for ring or comb binding.

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

Drop cap -
a large initial letter at the start of the text that drops into the line or lines of text below.

Drop cap -
a large initial letter at the start of the text that drops into the line or lines of text below.

Drop shadow -
A shadow image placed strategically behind an image to create the affect of the image lifting off the page.

Drop-out -
Portions of artwork that do not print.

Dropout
Halftone dots or fine lines eliminated from highlights by overexposure during camera work.

Dropout Halftone
Halftone in which contrast has been increased by eliminating dots from highlights.

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

Dry mount -
Pasting with heat sensitive adhesives.

Dry Offset
Using metal plates in the printing process, which are etched to .15mm (.0006 in) creating a right reading plate, printed on the offset blanket transferring to paper without the use of water.

Dry transfer (lettering) -
Characters, drawings, etc, that can be transferred to the artwork by rubbing them off the back of the transfer sheet. Best known is Letraset.

Dry transfer (lettering) - Characters, drawings, etc, that can be transferred to the artwork by rubbing them off the back of the transfer sheet. Best known is Letraset.

Dry Trap
To print over dry ink, as compared to wet trap.

Dual-purpose Bond Paper
Bond paper suitable for printing by either lithography (offset) or xerography (photocopy). Abbreviated DP bond paper.

Ductor roller -
The roller between the inking and the dampening rollers.

Dull finish -
Any matte finished paper.

Dull Finish Flat
(not glossy) finish on coated paper; slightly smoother than matte. Also called suede finish, velour finish and velvet finish.

Dummy -
A rough layout of a printed piece showing position and finished size. a sketch of a page showing the position of text and illustrations and giving general instructions. A term used to describe the preliminary assemblage of copy and art elements to be reproduced in the desired finished product; also called a comp.

Duotone - A halftone picture made up of two printed colors. A two-color halftone reproduction generated from a one-color photo. Black-and-white photograph reproduced using two halftone negatives, each shot to emphasize different tonal values in the original.

Duplex paper -
Paper which has a different color or finish on each side.

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.

Duplicator
Offset press made for quick printing.

Dutch -
Any deckle edged paper, originally produced in the Netherlands. See also deckle edge.

Dye based ink -
Any ink that acquires its color by the use of aniline pigments or dyes. See also aniline.

Dye transfer -
a photographic color print using special coated papers to produce a full color image. Can serve as an inexpensive proof.

Dye transfer -
a photographic colour print using special coated papers to produce a full colour image. Can serve as an inexpensive proof.

Dylux -
Photographic paper made by DuPont and used for bluelines. Brand name for photographic paper used to make blue line proofs. Often used as alternate term for blueline.

Eggshell finish -
The finish of paper surface that resembles an eggshell achieved by omitting the calendar process. See also calendar rolls.

Egyptian -
a term for a style of type faces having square serifs and almost uniform thickness of strokes.

Eight sheet -
a poster measuring 60 x 80in (153 x 203cm) and, traditionally, made up of eight individual sheets.

Electronic Front End (Electronic Composition) -
General term referring to a prepress system based on computers.

Electronic Image Assembly -
Assembly of a composite image from portions of other images and/or other page elements using a computer. Electronic Mechanical - Mechanical exclusively in electronic files.

Electronic Proof -
A process of generating a prepress proof in which paper is electronically exposed to the color separation negatives; the paper is passed through the electrically charged pigmented toners, which adhere electrostatically, resulting in the finished proof.

Electronic Publishing - (1)
Publishing by printing with device, such as a photocopy machine or ink jet printer, driven by a computer that can change the image instantly from one copy to the next. (2) Publishing via output on fax, computer bulletin board or other electronic medium, as compared to output on paper.

Electronic Publishing -
a generic term for the distribution of information which is stored, transmitted and reproduced electronically. Teletext and Videotext are two examples of this technology in its purest form, ie no paper.. Desktop publishing forms just one part of the electronic publishing market.

Electronic publishing -
a generic term for the distribution of information which is stored, transmitted and reproduced electronically. Teletext and Videotext are two examples of this technology in its purest form, ie no paper.. Desktop publishing forms just one part of the electronic publishing market.

Elliptical dot -
A type of halftone screen dot with an elliptical rather than circular shape, which sometimes produces better tonal gradations.

Elliptical dot -
Halftone screens in which the dots are actually elongated to produce improved middle tones.

Em -
a fixed space equal in size to the chosen point size. It gets its name from the letter M which originally was as wide as the type size. A unit of measurement equaling 12 points or 4.5mm. in printing terms it is a square unit with edges equal in size to the chosen point size. It gets its name from the letter M which originally was as wide as the type size.

Em dash -
a dash used in punctuation the length of one em.

Emboss -
Pressing an image into paper so that it will create a raised relief. To press an image into paper so it lies above the surface. Also called cameo and tool.

Embossed -
A method of paper finishing whereby a pattern is pressed into the paper when it is dry.

Embossing -
A process performed after printing to stamp a raised (or depressed) image into the surface of paper, using engraved metal embossing dies, extreme pressure, and heat. Embossing styles include blind, deboss and foil-embossed. The molding and reshaping of paper by the use of special metal dies and heat, counter dies and pressure, to produce a raised image on the paper surface.

Emulsion - Casting of light-sensitive chemicals on papers, films, printing plates and stencils.
Emulsion - Light sensitive coating found on printing plates and film. A light-sensitive substance used as a coating for film; made from a silver halide compound. This side should face the lens when the film is exposed. The coating of light-sensitive material on a piece of film.

Emulsion Down/Emulsion Up -
Film whose emulsion side faces down (away from the viewer) or up (toward the viewer) when ready to make a plate or stencil. Abbreviated

En - a fixed space that is half as wide as an em space. - a unit of measurement that is half as wide as an em.

En dash - a dash approximately half the width of an em dash.

Enamel - A term that describes a glossy coating on paper.

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

End papers - the four page leaves at the front and end of a book which are pasted to the insides of the front and back covers (boards).

End papers - the four page leaves at the front and end of a book which are pasted to the insides of the front and back covers (boards).

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

Endsheet - Attaching the final sheet of a signature of a book to the binding.

English Finish - Smooth finish on uncoated book paper; smoother than eggshell, rougher than smooth.

English finish - A grade of uncoated book paper with a smooth uniform surface.

Engraving - Printing method using a plate, also called a die, with an image cut into its surface.

Engraving - A printing process whereby images such as copy or art are etched onto a plate. When ink is applied, these etched areas act as small wells to hold the ink; paper is forced against this die and the ink is lifted out of the etched areas creating raised images on the paper.

EP - Abbreviation for envelope.

EPS - Encapsulated Post Script, a known file format usually used to transfer post script information from one program to another.

EPS - Enapsulated PostScript. A file format used to transfer PostScript image information from one program to another. The preferred file format for saving images, as it is resolution independent, as opposed to TIFF.

Epson emulation - the industry standard control codes for dot matrix printers were developed by Epson and virtually all software packages and most dot matrix printers either follow or improve on these codes.

Equivalent Paper - Paper that is not the brand specified, but looks, prints and may cost the same. . Also called comparable stock.

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

Estimate - A price provided to a customer, based on the specifications outlined on the estimate form. It is normally sent prior to entry of an order and prices may change if the order specifications are not the same as the estimate specifications.

Estimate - The form used by the printer to calculate the project for the print buyer. This form contains the basic parameters of the project including size, quantity, colors, bleeds, photos etc.

Estimator - The individual performing or creating the "estimate."

Etch - To use chemicals to carve an image into metal, glass or film. The process of producing an image on a plate by the use of acid.

Eurobind -
A patented method of binding perfect bound books so they will open and lay flatter.
Even smalls -
The use of smaller sized capitals at the beginning of a sentence without

Exception dictionary -
in word processing or desktop publishing this is a store of pre-hyphenated words that do not conform to the usual rules contained in the hyphenation and justification program (H & J).Some programs, PageMaker for example, only use an exception dictionary.

Expanded type -
a typeface with a slightly wider body giving a flatter appearance. a typeface with a slightly wider body giving a flatter appearance.
Exposure -
That stage of the photographic process where the image is produced on the light-sensitive coating.

Express -
a printer control language developed by OASYS.

Extender -
A white pigment added to a colored pigment to reduce its intensity and improve its working qualities.

F&G -
A term in the binding process referring to folding and gathering.

Face -
Edge of a bound publication opposite the spine. Also called foredge. Also, an abbreviation for typeface referring to a family of a general style.

Face -
an abbreviation for typeface referring to a family in a given style.

Face -
an abbreviation for typeface referring to a family in a given style.

Facsimile transmission -
The process of converting graphic images into electronic signals.

Fake Duotone -
Halftone in one ink color printed over screen tint of a second ink color. Also called dummy duotone, dougraph, duplex halftone, false duotone, flat tint halftone and halftone with screen.

Fan fold -
Paper folding that emulates an accordion or fan, the folds being alternating and parallel.

Fast Color Inks
Inks with colors that retain their density and resist fading as the product is used and washed.

Fat face -
Type that is quite varied in its use of very thin and very wide strokes.

Feeding Unit C
omponent of a printing press that moves paper into the register unit.

Felt -
A cloth conveyor belt that receives papers from the Fourdrinier wire and delivers it

Felt Finish
Soft woven pattern in text paper.

Felt finish -
The smoother side of paper, usually a soft weave pattern used for book papers.

Felt side -
It is the top side of the sheet in the paper making process that does not lie on the Fourdrinier wire.

Felt Side
Side of the paper that was not in contact with the Fourdrinier wire during papermaking, as compared to wire side.

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

Filler -
extra material used to complete a column or page, usually of little importance.

Filler -
extra material used to complete a column or page, usually of little importance.

Filling in -
A fault in printing where the ink fills in the fine line or halftone dot areas.

Film coat -
Also called wash coat; any thinly coated paper stock.

Film Gauge Thickness of film.
The most common gauge for graphic arts film is 0.004 inch (0.1 mm).

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

Film negative -
A piece of film with a reversed image, in which dark areas appear clear or white, and vice versa.


Fine Papers
Papers made specifically for writing or commercial printing, as compared to coarse papers and industrial papers. Also called cultural papers

Fine Screen
Screen with ruling of 150 lines per inch (80 lines per centimeter) or more.

Finish -
The surface quality of paper. Surface characteristics of paper. (2) General term for trimming, folding, binding and all other post press operations.

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

Fist -
A symbol used in printing to indicate the index; seen as a pointing finger on a hand "+".

Fit -
The registration of items within a given page. Fit Refers to ability of film to be registered during stripping and assembly. Good fit means that all images register to other film for the same job.

Fixed Costs
Costs that remain the same regardless of how many pieces are printed. Copyrighting, photography and design are fixed costs.

Flag -
the designed title of a newspaper as it appears at the top of page one.

Flag -
the designed title of a newspaper as it appears at the top of page one.

Flash point -
A term given to the lowest temperature of ignitibility of vapors given off by a substance.

Flat -
An assembly of negatives taped to masking materials for platemaking.

Flat -
The assemblage of negatives and positives that are used as a composite image to create the printing plate.

Flat Color (1)
Any color created by printing only one ink, as compared to a color created by printing four-color process. Also called block color and spot color. (2) color that seems weak or lifeless.

Flat Plan (Flats)
Diagram of the flats for a publication showing imposition and indicating colors.

Flat Size
Size of product after printing and trimming, but before folding, as compared to finished size.

Flexography -
a rotary letterpress process printing from rubber or flexible plates and using fast drying inks. Mainly used for packaging.

Flexography
Method of printing on a web press using rubber or plastic plates with raised images. Also called aniline printing because flexographic inks originally used aniline dyes. Abbreviated flexo.

Floating accent -
an accent mark which is set separately from the main character and is then placed either over or under it.

Flock paper -
Paper that is patterned by sizing, and than coated with powders of wool or cotton (flock).

Flood -
To cover a printed page with ink, varnish, or plastic coating.

Flood
To print a sheet completely with an ink or varnish. flooding with ink is also called painting the sheet.

Flop -
The reverse side of an image.


Fluid ink -
Also called liquid ink; ink with low viscosity.

Flush cover -
A bound book or booklet having the cover trimmed to the same size as the text.

Flush Cover
Cover trimmed to the same size as inside pages, as compared to overhang cover. Also called cut flush

Flush left -
copy aligned along the left margin.

Flushed pigment -
The results of combining a wet ink pigment with a varnish and having the wet pigment mix or transfer over to the varnish.

Flyer -
an inexpensively produced circular used for promotional distribution.

Flyer -
an inexpensively produced circular used for promotional distribution.

Flyleaf
Leaf, at the front and back of a casebound book that is the one side of the end paper not glued to the case.

Fogging Back
Used in making type more legible by lowering density of an image, while allowing the image to show through.

Foil -
A metallic or pigmented coating on plastic sheets or rolls used in foil stamping and foil embossing.

Foil blocking -
a process for stamping a design on a book cover without ink by using a coloured foil with pressure from a heated die or block.

Foil emboss -
Foil stamping and embossing a image on paper with a die.

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.

Foil stamping -
Using a die to place a metallic or pigmented image on paper.

Foil Stamping -
The process of applying a thin film of colored foil to paper for decorative purposes.

Foils -
Papers that have a surface resembling metal.

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

Folder
A bindery machine dedicated to folding printed materials.

Foldout
Gatefold sheet bound into a publication, often used for a map or chart. Also called gatefold and pullout.

Folio (page number)
The actual page number in a publication.

Font - or typeface.
A complete set of characters in a typeface.

Font -
The characters which make up a complete typeface and size. a complete set of characters in a typeface.

For Position Only
Refers to inexpensive copies of photos or art used on mechanical to indicate placement and scaling, but not intended for reproduction. Abbreviated FPO.

Form bond
Lightweight bond, easy to perforate, made for business forms. Also called register bond.

Form
Each side of a signature. Also spelled forme.

Form letter -
used in word processing to describe a repetitive letter in which the names and addresses of individuals are automatically generated from a data base or typed individually.

Form Roller(s)
Roller(s) that come in contact with the printing plate, bringing it ink or water. The rollers that come into direct contact with the plate of a printing press.

Form u
sed 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.

Format
Size, style, shape, layout or organization of a layout or printed product.

Forme -
type and blocks assembled in pages and imposed in a metal chase ready for printing.

Forwarding
In the case book arena, the binding process which involves folding, rounding, backing, headbanding and reinforcing.

Fountain Solution
Mixture of water and chemicals that dampens a printing plate to prevent ink from adhering to the nonimage area. Also called dampener solution.

Fountain
Trough or container, on a printing press, that holds fluids such as ink, varnish or water. Also called duct.

Four color process -
The four basic colors of ink (CMYK‹yellow, magenta, cyan, and black) which reproduce full-color photographs or art. printing in full colour using four colour separation negatives - yellow, magenta, cyan and black. Technique of printing that uses black, magenta, cyan and yellow to simulate full-color images. Also called color process printing, full color printing and process printing.

Fourdrinier -
A machine with a copper wire screen that receives the pulp slurry in the paper making process; it will become the final paper sheet.

Free sheet -
Any paper that is free from wood pulp impurities.

Free Sheet
Paper made from cooked wood fibers mixed with chemicals and washed free of impurities, as compared to groundwood paper. Also called woodfree paper.

French fold -
Two folds at right angles to each other.

French fold -
a sheet which has been printed on one side only and then folded with two right angle folds to form a four page uncut section.

French fold -
a sheet which has been printed on one side only and then folded with two right angle folds to form a four page uncut section.

French Fold
A printed sheet, printed one side only, folded with two right angle folds to form a four page uncut section.

Fringe -
A halo that appears around halftone dots.

Fugitive inks -
Colors that lose tone and permanency when exposed to light.

Full measure -
a line of type set to the entire line length.

Full measure -
a line set to the entire line length.

Full point -
a full stop.

Full-range Halftone
Halftone ranging from 0 percent coverage in its highlights to 100 percent coverage in its shadows.

Full-scale Black
Black separation made to have dots throughout the entire tonal range of the image, as compared to half-scale black and skeleton black. Also called full-range black.

Furnish -
The slurry mixture of fibers, water, chemicals and pigments that is delivered to the Fourdrinier machine in the paper making process.

Fuzz -
A term for the fibers that project from the paper surface.

Galley proof -
Text copy before it is put into a mechanical layout or desktop layout. A proof of text copy before it is pasted into position for printing.proofs taken from the galleys before being made up into pages.

Galleys -
the printing term for long metal trays used to hold type after it had been set and before the press run.

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.

Gang (1)
To halftone or separate more than one image in only one exposure. (2) To reproduce two or more different printed products simultaneously on one sheet of paper during one press run. Also called combination run.

Ganging -
The bundling of two or more different printing projects on the same sheet of paper.

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

Gatefold -
an oversize page where both sides fold into the gutter in overlapping layers. Used to accommodate maps into books.

Gatefold -
an oversize page where both sides fold into the gutter in overlapping layers. Used to accommodate maps into books.

Gathered Signatures a
ssembled next to each other in the proper sequence for binding, as compared to nested. Also called stacked.

Gathering -
Assembling sheets of paper and signatures into their proper sequence; See also collate.

Gathering -
the operation of inserting the printed pages, sections or signatures of a book in the correct order for binding.

Gathering -
the operation of inserting the printed pages, sections or signatures of a book in the correct order for binding.
Generation -
Stages of reproduction from original copy. A first generation reproduction yields the best quality.

Ghost bars -
A quality control method used to reduce ghosted image created by heat or chemical contamination.

Ghost Halftone
Normal halftone whose density has been reduced to produce a very faint image.

Ghosting -
A faint printed image that appears on a printed sheet where it was not intended. More often than not this problem is a function of graphical design. It is hard to tell when or where ghosting will occur. Sometimes you can see the problem developing immediately after printing the sheet, other times the problem occurs while drying. However the problem occurs it is costly to fix, if it can be fixed. Occasionally it can be eliminated by changing the color sequence, the inks, the paper, changing to a press with a drier, printing the problem area in a separate pass through the press or changing the racking (reducing the number of sheets on the drying racks). Since it is a function of graphical design, the buyer pays for the increased cost. Phenomenon of a faint image appearing on a printed sheet where it was not intended to appear. Chemical ghosting refers to the transfer of the faint image from the front of one sheet to the back of another sheet. Mechanical ghosting refers to the faint image appearing as a repeat of an image on the same side of the sheet. (2) Phenomenon of printed image appearing too light because of ink starvation.

Gilding
Mostly in the book arena, gold leafing the edges of a book.

Glassine -
A strong transparent paper.

Gloss -
A shiny look reflecting light.

Gloss
Consider the light reflecting on various objects in the printing industry (e.g., paper, ink, laminates, UV coating, varnish).

Gloss ink -
for use in litho and letterpress printing on coated papers where the ink will dry without pentration.

Gloss ink -
Quick drying oil-based inks with low penetration qualities, used on coated stock.

Gloss Ink Ink
used and printed on coated stock (mostly litho and letterpress) such as the ink will dry without penetration.

Glyphic -
A carved as opposed to scripted typeface.

Golden ratio -
the rule devised to give proportions of height to width when laying out text and illustrations to produce the most optically pleasing result.

Goldenrod -
An orange colored paper with gridlines, used to assemble materials for exposure for platemaking.

Gothic -
typefaces with no serifs and broad even strokes.

Gothic -
typefaces with no serifs and broad even strokes.

Gradated screen -
A smooth transition between black and white, one color and another, or color and the lack of it.

Grade
General term used to distinguish between or among printing papers, but whose specific meaning depends on context. Grade can refer to the category, class, rating, finish or brand of paper.

Graduated Screen Tint
Screen tint that changes densities gradually and smoothly, not in distinct steps. Also called degrade, gradient, ramped screen and vignette.

Grain -
The direction in which the paper fiber lie.

Grain -
Paper fibers lie in a certain direction, this direction is called the grain.

Grain Direction
Predominant direction in which fibers in paper become aligned during manufacturing. Also called machine direction.

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.

Grained paper - A paper embossed to resemble various textures, such as leather, alligator, wood, etc.

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

Graphic Arts Film
Film whose emulsion yields high contrast images suitable for reproduction by a printing press, as compared to continuous-tone film. Also called litho film and repro film.

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.

Gravure -
a rotary printing process where the image is etched into the metal plate attached to a cylinder. The cylinder is then rotated through a trough of printing ink after which the etched surface is wiped clean by a blade leaving the non-image area clean. The paper is then passed between two rollers and pressed against the etched cylinder drawing the ink out by absorption. An intaglio or recessed printing process. The recessed areas are like wells that form the image as paper passes through.Method of printing using metal cylinders etched with millions of tiny wells that hold ink.
Gray Component Replacement
Technique of replacing gray tones in the yellow, cyan and magenta films, made while color separating, with black ink. Abbreviated GCR. Also called achromatic color removal.

Gray Levels
Number of distinct gray tones that can be reproduced by a computer.

Gray Scale
Strip of gray values ranging from white to black. Used by process camera and scanner operators to calibrate exposure times for film and plates. Also called step wedge.

Grayscale -
a range of luminance values for evaluating shading through white to black. Also, a term used when referring to a black and white photograph.

Greeking -
a software device where areas of gray are used to simulate lines of text.

Greeking -
a software device where areas of grey are used to simulate lines of text. One of desktop publishing's less clever methods of getting round the slowness of high resolution displays on the PC.

Grey scale -
a range of luminance values for evaluating shading through white to black. Frequently used in discussions about scanners as a measure of their ability to capture halftone images. Basically the more levels the better but with correspondingly larger memory requirements.

Grid -
A systematic division of a page into areas to enable designers to ensure consistency. The grid acts as a measuring guide and shows text, illustrations and trim sizes.

Grid -
A systematic division of a page into areas to enable designers to ensure consistency. The grid acts as a measuring guide and shows text, illustrations and trim sizes.

Grind Edge
Alternate term for binding edge when referring to perfect bound products.

Grindoff
Approximately 1/8 inch (3 mm) along the spine that is ground off gathered signatures before perfect binding.

Gripper -
A series of metal fingers that hold each sheet of paper as it passes through the various stages of the printing process.

Gripper edge -
The grippers of the printing press move the paper through the press by holding onto the leading edge of the sheet; this edge is the gripper edge.

Gripper Edge
Edge of a sheet held by grippers on a sheetfed press, thus going first through the press. Also called feeding edge and leading edge.

Grippers -
The metal fingers on a printing press that hold the paper as it passes through the press.

Groundwood -
Low cost papers such as newsprint made by the mechanical pulping process as opposed to chemical pulping and refining.

Groundwood Paper
Newsprint and other inexpensive paper made from pulp created when wood chips are ground mechanically rather than refined chemically.

GSM -
Grams per square metre. The unit of measurement for paper weight.

GSM -
Grams per square metre. The unit of measurement for paper weight.

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

Guard -
a narrow strip of paper or linen pasted to a single leaf to allow sewing into a section for binding.

Guard -
a narrow strip of paper or linen pasted to a single leaf to allow sewing into a section for binding.

Gumming -
The application of gum arabic to the non-printing areas of a plate.

Gutter -
The blank space or margin between the type page and the binding of a book. the central blank area between left and right pages. In the book arena, the inside margins toward the back or the binding edges.

Hairline -
A very thin line or gap about the width of a hair or 1/100 inch.

Hairline (Rule)
Subjective term referring to very small space, thin line or close register. The meaning depends on who is using the term and in what circumstances.

Hairline Register -
Printing registration that lies within the range of plus or minus one half row of dots. It is the thinnest of the standard printers' rules.

Hairline rule -
the thinnest rule that can be printed.

Hairline rule -
the thinnest rule that can be printed. Hairline rules do not print well. Half-point rules are strongly recommended.

Hairlines -
the thinnest of the strokes in a typeface.

Hairlines -
the thinnest of the strokes in a typeface.

Half up -
artwork one and a half times the size which it will be reproduced.

Half-scale
Black Black separation made to have dots only in the shadows and midtones, as compared to full-scale black and skeleton black.

Halftone -
Converting a continuous tone to dots for printing. an illustration reproduced by breaking down the original tone into a pattern of dots of varying size. Light areas have small dots and darker areas or shadows have larger dots. The use of screening devices to convert a continuous tone image (such as a photo), into a reproducible dot pattern, which can be more easily printed. 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 paper -
A high finish paper that is ideal for halftone printing.

Halftone screen -
a glass plate or film placed between the original photograph and the film to be exposed. The screen carries a network of parallel lines. The number of lines to the inch controls the coarseness of the final dot formation. The screen used depends on the printing process and the paper to be used, the higher the quality the more lines can be used. A sheet of film or glass containing ruled right-angled lines, used to translate the full tone of a photo to the halftone dot image required for Traditionally, a glass plate or film placed between the original photograph and the film to be exposed. The screen carries a network of parallel lines. The number of lines to the inch controls the coarseness of the final dot formation. The screen used depends on the printing process and the paper to be used, the higher the quality the more lines can be used.

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

Halo Effect
Faint shadow sometimes surrounding halftone dots printed. Also called halation. The halo itself is also called a fringe.

Hanging punctuation -
punctuation that is allowed to fall outside the margins instead of staying within the measure of the text. This is now seldom used in desktop publishing.

Hard copy -
The output of a computer printer, or typed text sent for typesetting.

Hard disk -
a rigid disk sealed inside an airtight transport mechanism. Information stored may be accessed more rapidly than on floppy disks and far greater amounts of data may be stored.
Hard dot -
The effect in a photograph where a dot has such a small degree of halation that the dot shows quite sharp.

Hard Dots
Halftone dots with no halos or soft edges, as compared to soft dots.

Hard Mechanical
Mechanical consisting of paper and/or acetate and made using paste-up techniques, as compared to electronic mechanical.

Hardback -
a case bound book with a separate stiff board cover.

Head -
the larger bold text at the top of a page.
Head margin -
That space which lies between the top of the printed copy and the trimmed edge.

Head(er)
At the top of a page, the margin.

Head-to-tail
Imposition with heads (tops) of pages facing tails (bottoms) of other pages.

Heat-set
Web Web press equipped with an oven to dry ink, thus able to print coated paper.

Helvetica -
a sans serif typeface.

Hickey -
Reoccurring unplanned spots that appear in the printed image from dust, lint, dried ink. A term used to describe the effect that occurs when a spec of dust or debris (dried ink) adheres to the printing plate and creates a spot or imperfection in the printing. Spot or imperfection in printing, most visible in areas of heavy ink coverage, caused by dirt on the plate or blanket. Also called bulls eye and fish eye.

High bulk paper -
Paper stock that is comparatively thick in relation to its basis weight.

High key halftone -
A halftone that is made utilizing only the highlight tones down through the middle tones.

High-bulk paper -
A paper made thicker than its standard basis weight.

High-fidelity Color
Color reproduced using six, eight or twelve separations, as compared to four-color process.

High-key Photo P
hoto whose most important details appear in the highlights.

Highlight -
the lightest area in a photograph or illustration. The lightest tones of a photo, printed halftone or illustration. In the finished halftone, these highlights are represented by the finest dots. Lightest portions of a photograph or halftone, as compared to midtones and shadows.

HLS
Abbreviation for hue, lightness, saturation, one of the color-control options often found in software, for design and page assembly. Also called HVS.

Hollow -
That space on the spine of a case-bound book between the block of the book and the case binding.

Hot melt -
An adhesive used in the binding process, which requires heat for application.

Hot Spot
Printing defect caused when a piece of dirt or an air bubble caused incomplete draw-down during contact platemaking, leaving an area of weak ink coverage or visible dot gain.

House sheet -
This is a term that refers to a paper that a printer keeps on hand in his shop.

House Sheet
Paper kept in stock by a printer and suitable for a variety of printing jobs. Also called floor sheet.

House style -
The style of preferred spelling, punctuation, hyphenation and indentation used in a publishing house or by a particular publication to ensure consistent typesetting.

Hue
A specific color such as yellow or green.

Icons -
pictorial images used on screen to indicate utility functions, files, folders or applications software. The icons are generally activated by an on-screen pointer controlled by a mouse or trackball.

Icons -
pictorial images used on screen to indicate utility functions, files, folders or applications software. The icons are generally activated by an on-screen pointer controlled by a mouse or trackball.

Image area -
Portion of paper on which ink can appear.

Image area -
That portion of the printing plate that carries the ink and prints on paper.

Image Area
The actual area on the printed matter that is not restricted to ink coverage,

Imagesetter -
A device used to output a computer image or composition at high resolution onto photographic paper or film.

Imagesetter
Laser output device using photosensitive paper or film.

Imposition -
Positioning printed pages so they will fold in the proper order.

Imposition -
refers to the arrangement of pages on a printed sheet, which when the sheet is finally printed on both sides, folded and trimmed, will place the pages in their correct order.

Imposition -
The correct sequential arrangement of pages that are to be printed, along with all the margins in proper alignment, before producing the plates for printing.

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

Impression -
Putting an image on paper.

Impression -
The pressure of the image carrier, whether it be the type, plate or blanket, when it contacts the paper.

Impression (1)
Referring to an ink color, one impression equals one press sheet passing once through a printing unit. (2) Referring to speed of a press, one impression equals one press sheet passing once through the press.

Impression cylinder -
the cylinder of a printing machine which brings the paper into contact with the with the printing plate or blanket cylinder.

Impression Cylinder
Cylinder, on a press, that pushes paper against the plate or blanket, thus forming the image. Also called impression roller.

Imprint -
Adding copy to a previously printed page.

Imprint -
the name and place of the publisher and printer required by law if a publication is to be published. Sometimes accompanied by codes indicating the quantity printed, month/year of printing and an internal control number.

Imprint -
the name and place of the publisher and printer required by law if a publication is to be published. Sometimes accompanied by codes indicating the quantity printed, month/year of printing and an internal control number.

Imprint
To print new copy on a previously printed sheet, such as imprinting an employee's name on business cards. Also called surprint.

Index bristol -
A relatively thick paper stock; basis size---25 1/2 x 30 1/2.

Indicia -
Postal information place on a printed product.

Indicia -
Markings pre-printed on mailing envelopes to replace the stamp.

Industrial papers -
A term used to denote papers such as janitorial, sanitary or heavy packing papers.

Ink Balance
Relationship of the densities and dot gains of process inks to each other and to a standard density of neutral gray

Ink fountain -
The reservoir on a printing press that hold the ink.

Ink fountain -
The device that stores and meters ink to the inking rollers.

Ink holdout -
A quality of paper to be resistant to ink absorption, allowing the ink to dry on the paper surface.

Ink Holdout Characteristic of paper that prevents it from absorbing ink, thus allowing ink to dry on the surface of the paper. Also called holdout.

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

Ink mist - Any threads or filaments that protrude from the main printed letter body of long inks, as seen in newsprint.

Ink setting - The inertial resistance to flow that occurs to ink as soon as it is printed.

Inkometer - A device used to measure the tack of ink.

Inner Form Form (side of the press sheet) whose images all appear inside the folded signature, as compared to outer form.

In-Plant Printer Department of an agency, business or association that does printing for a parent organization. Also called captive printer and in-house printer.

Insert - A piece of printed material that is prepared for the purpose of being inserted into another piece of printed material, such as a magazine.

Insert - an instruction to the printer for the inclusion of additional copy.

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

Intaglio Printing Printing method whose image carriers are surfaces with two levels, having inked areas lower than noninked areas. Gravure and engraving

Integral Proof - A proof made by exposing each of the four-color separations to an emulsion layer of primary colors. These emulsion sheets are stacked in register with a white sheet of paper in the background. Types of integral proofs are cromalin, matchprint, ektaflex, and spactraproof.

Integral Proof Color proof of separations shown on one piece of proofing paper, as compared to an overlay proof. Also called composition proof, laminate proof, plastic proof and single-sheet proof.

Interface - the circuit, or physical connection, which controls the flow of data between a computer and its peripherals.

Interleaves Printed pages loosely inserted in a publication.

International paper sizes - the International Standards Organisation (ISO) system of paper sizes is based on a series of three sizes A, B and C. Series A is used for general printing and stationery, Series B for posters and Series C for envelopes.

Interpress - Xerox Corporation's page description language which was the first such product to be implemented. At present the language still has to be adopted commercially by a third party.

Iridescent paper - A coated stock finished in mother-of-pearl.
is a similar system designed to detect inking problems.

ISBN - International Standard Book Number. A reference number given to every published work. Usually found on the back of the title page.


ISBN A number assigned to a published work and usually found either on the title page or the back of the title page. Considered an International Standard Book Number.

Italic - Text that is used to denote emphasis by slanting the type body forward.
Italic - type with sloping letters.

Ivory board - a smooth high white board used for business cards etc..

Jacket - The paper cover sometimes called the "dust cover" of a hardbound book.

Job Lot Paper Paper that didn't meet specifications when produced, has been discontinued, or for other reasons is no longer considered first quality.
Job Ticket

Jog - To vibrate a stack of finished pages so that they are tightly aligned for final trimming.
Jogger

Justify - the alignment of text along a margin or both margins. This is achieved by adjusting the spacing between the words and characters as necessary so that each line of text finishes at the same point.

Justify - the alignment of text along a margin or both margins. This is achieved by adjusting the spacing between the words and characters as necessary so that each line of text finishes at the same point.

.

K (Kilobyte) - 1024 bytes, a binary 1,000.

K Abbreviation for black in four-color process printing. Hence the 'K' in CMYK.

Keep standing - to hold type or plates ready for reprints.

Keep standing - to hold type or plates ready for reprints.

Kerning - the adjustment of spacing between certain letter pairs, A and V for example, to obtain a more pleasing appearance.

Kerning - the adjustment of spacing between certain letter pairs, A and V for example, to obtain a more pleasing appearance. Not all DTP systems can achieve this.

Kerning - The narrowing of space between two letters so that they become closer and take up less space on the page.

Key (1) The screw that controls ink flow from the ink fountain of a printing press. (2) To relate loose pieces of copy to their positions on a layout or mechanical using a system of numbers or letters. (3) Alternate term for the color black, as in 'key plate.'

Key Negative or Plate Negative or plate that prints the most detail, thus whose image guides the register of images from other plates. Also called key printer.

Key plate - The printing plate that is used as a guide for the other plates in the color printing process; it usually has the most detail.

Keying - The use of symbols, usually letters, to code copy that will appear on a dummy.

Keyline - an outline drawn or set on artwork showing the size and position of an illustration or halftone.

Keyline - an outline drawn or set on artwork showing the size and position of an illustration or halftone.

Keyline - Lines that are drawn on artwork that indicate the exact placement, shape and size of elements including halftones, illustrations, etc.

Keylines - Lines on mechanical art that show position of photographs or illustrations.

Keylines Lines on a mechanical or negative showing the exact size, shape and location of photographs or other graphic elements. Also called holding lines.

Kilobyte (K, KB) - 1024 bytes, a binary 1,000.

Kiss die cut - To cut the top layer of a pressure sensitive sheet and not the backing.

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

Kiss impression - A delicate printed impression, just heavy enough to be seen.

Kiss Impression Lightest possible impression that will transfer ink to a Substrate.

Knock out - To mask out an image.

Knockout - A shape or object printed by eliminating (knocking out) all background colors. Contrast to overprinting.

Kraft - A coarse unbleached paper used for printing and industrial products.

Kraft paper - a tough brown paper used for packing.

Kraft paper - a tough brown paper used for packing.

Lacquer -
A clear gloss coating applied to printed material for strength, appearance and protection.

Laid -
paper with a watermark pattern showing the wire marks used in the paper making process. Usually used for high quality stationery. Simulating the surface of handmade paper. A parallel lined paper that has a handmade look. 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 -
To cover with film, to bond or glue one surface to another. A thin transparent plastic coating applied to paper or board to provide protection and give it a glossy finish. | 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.

LAN - Local Area Network.
A group of connected computers in a relatively small area that share access to printers and other peripheral devices.

Landscape -
work in which the width used is greater than the height. Also used to indicate the orientation of tables or illustrations which are printed 'sideways'. See Portrait.

Landscape - work in which the width used is greater than the height. Also used to indicate the orientation of tables or illustrations which are printed 'sideways'. See portrait.
Landscape Artist style in which width is greater than height. (Portrait is opposite.)

Lap Register Register where ink colors overlap slightly, as compared to butt register.

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

Laser Engraving - A paper cutting technique whereby laser technology is utilized to cut away certain unmasked areas of the paper. The cutting is a result of the exposure of the paper to the laser ray, which actually evaporates the paper.

Laser printer (see also Page printer) - a high quality image printing system using a laser beam to produce an image on a photosensitive drum. The image is transferred on to paper by a conventional xerographic printing process. | a high quality image printing system using a laser beam to produce an image on a photosensitive drum. The image is transferred on to paper by a conventional xerographic printing process. Currently, most laser printers set at 300dpi with newer models operating at up to 600dpi.

Laser-imprintable Ink Ink that will not fade or blister as the paper on which it is printed is used in a laser printer.

Lateral reversal - a positive or negative image transposed from left to right as in a mirror reflection of the original.

Lay Edge The edge of a sheet of paper feeding into a press.

Lay Flat Bind Method of perfect binding that allows a publication to lie fully open. (Also known as Lay Flat Perfect Binding.)

Layflat - See Eurobind.

Layout - A rendition that shows the placement of all the elements, roughs, thumbnails etc., of the final printed piece before it goes to print. | a sketch of a page for printing showing the position of text and illustrations and giving general instructions.| A sample of the original providing (showing) position of printed work (direction, instructions) needed and desired.

Lead or Leading - Space added between lines of type to space out text and provide visual separation of the lines. Measured in points or fractions therof. Named after the strips of lead which used to be inserted between lines of metal type.

Leaders - The dots or dashes used in type to guide the eye from one set of type to the next.

Leading - Space between lines of type; the distance in points between one baseline and the next. | Amount of space between lines of type.

Leaf One sheet of paper in a publication. Each side of a leaf is one page.

Leaf stamping - A metal die, either flat or embossed, created from the image or copy, which is then heated to a specific temperature allows the transfer of a film of pigmented polyester to the paper.

Ledger paper - A stiff, heavy business paper generally used for keeping records. | Strong, smooth bond paper used for keeping business records. Also called record paper.

Legend - the descriptive matter printed below an illustration, mostly referred to as a caption. Also an explanation of signs or symbols used in timetables or maps. | Directions about a specific matter (illustrations) and how to use. In regard to maps and tables, an explanation of signs (symbols) used.

Length - The optimum length of a filament of ink.

Lens built into a small stand. Used to inspect copy, film, proofs, plates and printing. Also called glass and linen tester.

Letraset - a proprietary name for rub-down or dry transfer lettering used in preparing artwork.

Letraset - a proprietary name for rub-down or dry transfer lettering used in preparing artwork.

Letter fold Two folds creating three panels that allow a sheet of letterhead to fit a business envelope. Also called barrel fold and wrap around fold.

Letter Paper In North America, 8 1/2' x 11' sheets. In Europe, A4 sheets.

Letterpress - a relief printing process in which a raised image is inked to produce an impression; the impression is then transferred by placing paper against image and applying pressure. | Letterpress - Printing that utilizes inked raised surfaces to create the image. | Method of printing from raised surfaces, either metal type or plates whose surfaces have been etched away from image areas.

Letterset - a printing process combining offset printing with a letterpress relief printing plate.

Letterspacing - the addition of space between the letters of words to increase the line-length to a required width or to improve the appearance of a line.

Library picture - a picture taken from an existing library and not specially commissioned. Also referred to as (c)¯clipart.(c)˜

Ligature - letters which are joined together as a single unit of type such as oe and fi.

Lightface - type having finer strokes than the medium typeface. Not used as frequently as medium.

Lightface - type having finer strokes than the medium typeface. Not used as frequently as medium.

Lightweight Paper Book paper with basis weight less than 40# (60 gsm).

Lignin Substance in trees that holds cellulose fibers together. Free sheet has most lignin removed; groundwood paper contains lignin.

Line block - a letterpress printing plate made up of solid areas and lines and without tones.

Line copy - High contrast copy not requiring a halftone.

Line copy - Any copy that can be reproduced without the use of halftone screens.

Line Copy - Any copy that is solid black with no gradations in tone and is suitable for reproduction without using a halftone screen.

Line Copy Any high-contrast image, including type, as compared to continuous-tone copy. Also called line art and line work.

Line gauge - a metal rule used by printers. Divided into Picas it is 72 picas long (11.952in).

Line Negative Negative made from line copy.

Linen - A paper that emulates the look and texture of linen cloth.

Linen Finish Embossed finish on text paper that simulates the pattern of linen cloth.

Linen tester - a magnifying glass designed for checking the dot image of a halftone.

Lines per inch - The number of rows of dots per inch in a halftone.

Lines per inch (lpi) - a measure of the frequency of a halftone screen (usually ranging from 55-200). 150 lpi is the standard printing resolution. Fewer lines per inch are often used for printing on newsprint or low quality paper.

Lineup table - a table with an illuminated top used for preparing and checking alignment of page layouts and paste-ups.

Lining figures - numerals that align on the baseline and at the top.

Lining figures - numerals that align on the baseline and at the top.

Linotype - manufacturers of a range of high resolution phototypesetting machines such as the 100, 202, 300 and 500. The 100, 300 and 500 series are capable of processing PostScript files through an external RIP and typesetting desktop publishing files direct from disk at 1270dpi and beyond.

Linotype - manufacturers of a range of high resolution phototypesetting machines such as the 100, 202, 300 and 500. The 100, 300 and 500 series are capable of processing PostScript files through an external RIP and typesetting desktop publishing files direct from disk at 1270dpi and beyond.

Lithocoated paper - A paper that is coated with a special water-resistant material that is able to withstand the lithographic process.

Lithography - a printing process based on the principle of the natural aversion of water to grease. The photographically prepared printing plate when being made is treated chemically so that the image will accept ink and reject water.

Lithography - a printing process based on the principle of the natural aversion of water to grease. The photographically prepared printing plate when being made is treated chemically so that the image will accept ink and reject water.

Lithography - The process of printing that utilizes flat inked surfaces to create the printed images.

Lithography Method of printing using plates whose image areas attract ink and whose nonimage areas repel ink. Nonimage areas may be coated with water to repel the oily ink or may have a surface, such as silicon, that repels ink.

Live Area Area on a mechanical within which images will print. Also called safe area.

Logo - short for logotype. A word or combination of letters set as a single unit. Also used to denote a specially styled company name designed as part of a corporate image.

Logo - short for logotype. A word or combination of letters set as a single unit. Also used to denote a specially styled company name designed as part of a corporate image.

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.

Logotype - A personalized type or design symbol for a company or product.

Look-up table (LUT) - The table of colors a computer can display at a given time. The computer uses the table to approximate the desired color from the range it has available.

Loose leaf - a method of binding which allows the insertion and removal of pages for continuous updating.

Loose leaf - a method of binding which allows the insertion and removal of pages for continuous updating.

Loose Proof Proof of a halftone or color separation that is not assembled with other elements from a page, as compared to composite proof. Also called first proof, random proof, scatter proof and show-color proof.

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

Loupe - A magnifying glass used to review a printed image, plate and position film.

Low Key Photo Photo whose most important details appear in the shadows.

Lower case - the small letters in a font of type.

Lower case -
the small letters in a font of type.

Luminosity -
A value corresponding to the brightess of color.

M (Megabyte)
one million bytes.

M weight - The actual weight of 1000 sheets of any given size of paper.

M Weight Weight of 1,000 sheets of paper in any specific size.

Machine coated - Paper that has had a coating applied to either one or two of its sides during the papermaking process.

Machine direction - An alternate term for grain direction.

Machine finish - A paper finish that results from the interaction of the paper with the Fourdrinier process as opposed to post machine embossing. See also Fourdrinier.

Machine glazed (MG) - paper with a high gloss finish on one side only.

Machine glazed (MG) - paper with a high gloss finish on one side only.

Machine Glazed (MG) Paper holding a high-gloss finish only on one side.

Macro - a series of instructions which would normally be issued one at a time on the keyboard to control a program. A macro facility allows them to be stored and issued automatically by a single keystroke.

Macro - a series of instructions which would normally be issued one at a time on the keyboard to control a program. A macro facility allows them to be stored and issued automatically by a single keystroke.

Magenta - Process red, one of the basic colors in process color.

Magnetic black - Black pigments containing black iron oxides, used for magnetic ink character recognition.

Magnetic ink - a magnetized ink that can be read both by humans and by electronic machines. Used in check printing.

Makeready (1) All activities required to prepare a press or other machine to function for a specific printing or bindery job, as compared to production run. Also called setup. (2) Paper used in the makeready process at any stage in production. Makeready paper is part of waste or spoilage.

Make-up - the assembling of all elements, to form the printed image.

Making Order Order for paper that a mill makes to the customer's specifications, as compared to a mill order or stock order.

Making ready - the time spent in making ready the level of the printing surface by packing out under the forme or around the impression cylinder.

Male Die Die that applies pressure during embossing or debossing. Also called force card.

Manilla - A tough brown paper used to produce stationery and wrapping paper.

Manuscript (MS) - the original written or typewritten work of an author submitted for publication.

Manuscript (MS) An author's original form of work (hand written, typed or on disk) submitted for publication.

Margin Imprinted space around the edge of the printed material.

Marginal words - Call outs for directions on various parts of a business form.

Margins - the non printing areas of page.

Mark up - copy prepared for a compositor setting out in detail all the typesetting instructions.

Mark up - copy prepared for a compositor setting out in detail all the typesetting instructions.

Mark-Up Instructions written usually on a "dummy."

Mask - Blocking light from reaching parts of a printing plate.

Mask - A photo negative or positive used in the color separation process to color correct.

Mask - opaque material or masking tape used to block-off an area of the artwork .| The blocking out of a portion of the printing plate during the exposure process.

Mask - Traditionally, opaque material or masking tape used to block-off an area of the artwork; the inactive area of a bitmapped image which will not respond to changes.

Mask To prevent light from reaching part of an image, therefore isolating the remaining part. Also called knock out.

Master Paper or plastic plate used on a duplicating press.

Masthead - details of publisher and editorial staff usually printed on the contents page.

Masthead - details of publisher and editorial staff usually printed on the contents page.

Match Print A form of a four-color-process proofing system.

Matchprint - Trade name for 3M integral color proof.

Matt art - a coated printing paper with a dull surface.

Matt art - a coated printing paper with a dull surface.

Matte finish - Dull paper or ink finish.

Matte finish - A coated paper finish that goes through minimal calendaring.

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

Measure - denotes column width, expressed in picas.

Measure - denotes the width of a setting expressed in pica ems.

Measure - The width of type as measured in picas. See also pica.

Mechanical - Camera ready art all contained on one board.

Mechanical - A term used to describe finished artwork that is camera ready for reproduction, including all type, photos, illustrations, etc.

Mechanical Bind To bind using a comb, coil, ring binder, post or any other technique not requiring gluing, sewing or stitching.

Mechanical binding - a method of binding which secures pre-trimmed leaves by the insertion of wire or plastic spirals through holes drilled in the binding edge.

Mechanical binding - a method of binding which secures pre-trimmed leaves by the insertion of wire or plastic spirals through holes drilled in the binding edge.

Mechanical Camera-ready assembly of type, graphic and other copy complete with instructions to the printer. A hard mechanical consists of paper and/or acetate, is made using paste-up techniques, and may also be called an artboard, board or paste-up. A soft mechanical, also called an electronic mechanical, exists as a file of type and other images assembled using a computer.

Mechanical separation - Mechanical art overlay for each color to be printed.

Mechanical Separation Color breaks made on the mechanical using a separate overlay for each color to be printed.

Mechanical tint - a pre-printed sheet of dots, lines or patterns that can be laid down on artwork for reproduction.

Mechanical Tint Lines or patterns formed with dots creating artwork for reproduction.

Megabyte (M, MB) - one million bytes.

Memory - the part of the computer which stores information for immediate access. Nowadays this consists exclusively of RAM, random access memory, which holds the applications software and data or ROM, read only memory, which holds permanent information such as the DOS bootstrap routines.

Memory size is expressed in K or M.

Memory - the part of the computer which stores information for immediate access. Nowadays this consists exclusively of RAM, random access memory, which holds the applications software and data or ROM, read only memory, which holds permanent information such as the DOS bootstrap routines.

Memorysize is expressed in K or M.

Menu-driven - programs which allow the user to request functions by choosing from a list of options.

Menu-driven - programs which allow the user to request functions by choosing from a list of options.

Metallic ink - printing inks which produce an effect gold, silver, bronze or metallic colors.

Metallic ink - printing inks which produce an effect gold, silver, bronze or metallic colours.

Metallic Ink Ink containing powdered metal or pigments that simulate metal.

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

Metropolitan service area - A group of ZIP codes usually in close proximity defining a large metropolitan area (e.g. New York City or Los Angeles).

MG (Machine glazed) - paper with a high gloss finish on one side only.

MG (Machine glazed) - paper with a high gloss finish on one side only.

Micrometer - Instrument used to measure the thickness of different papers.

Middle tones - The tones in a photograph that are approximately half as dark as the shadow area.

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

Mil 1/1000 Inch The thickness of plastic films as printing substrates are expressed in mils.

Misting Phenomenon of droplets of ink being thrown off the roller train. Also called flying ink.

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

Mock-up - or layout dummy. The rough visual of a publication or design.

Mock-up - the rough visual of a publication or design.

Modem (MOdulator-DEModulator) - a device for converting digital data into audio signals and back again. Primarily used for transmitting data between computers over telephone lines.

Modem (MOdulator-DEModulator) - a device for converting digital data into audio signals and back again. Primarily used for transmitting data between computers over telephone lines.

Modem (MOdulator-DEModulator) - a device for converting digital data into audio signals and back again. Primarily used for transmitting data between computers over telephone lines.

Modem Mostly used over phone lines, a device that converts electronic stored information from point a. to point b.

Modern - refers to type styles introduced towards the end of the 19th century. Times roman is a good example of modern type.

Modern - refers to type styles introduced towards the end of the 19th century. Times roman is a good example of modern type.

Moire - Occurs when screen angles are wrong causing odd patterns in photographs.

Moiré - An undesirable halftone pattern produced by the incorrect angles of overprinting halftonescreens.

Moire pattern - the result of superimposing half-tone screens at the wrong angle thereby giving a chequered effect on the printed half-tone.

Moire pattern - the result of superimposing half-tone screens at the wrong angle thereby giving a chequered effect on the printed half-tone. Normally detected during the stage of progressive proofs.

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

Molleton - A cotton fabric used on the dampening rollers of a printing press.

Molybdate orange - An ink pigment made from precipitating lead molybdate, lead sulfate and lead chromate.

Monarch Paper size (7' x 10') and envelope shape often used for personal stationery.

Monitor calibration - The process of correcting the color settings of a monitor to match selected colors of printed output.

Monochrome - A black and white display with no gray tones.

Monospace - a font in which all characters occupy the same amount of horizontal width regardless of the character.

Monospace - a font in which all characters occupy the same amount of horizontal width regardless of the character.

Montage - a single image formed from the assembling of several images.

Montage - a single image formed from the assembling of several images.

Mottle - A term used to describe spotty or uneven ink absorption.

Mottle Spotty, uneven ink absorption. Also called sinkage. A mottled image may be called mealy.

Mounting board - a heavy board used for mounting artwork.

Mouse - a handheld pointing device using either mechanical motion or special optical techniques to convert the movement of the user's hand into movements of the cursor on the screen. Generally fitted with one, two or three buttons which can control specific software functions.

Mouse - a handheld pointing device using either mechanical motion or special optical techniques to convert the movement of the user's hand into movements of the cursor on the screen. Generally fitted with one, two or three buttons which can control specific software functions.

MS (Manuscript) - the original written or typewritten work of an author submitted for publication.

MS (Manuscript) - the original written or typewritten work of an author submitted for publication.

Mull A specific type of glue used for books binding and personal pads needing strength.

Mullen testing - A specific test of tensile paper strength; an important factor if web presses are used for printing.

Multicolor Printing Printing in more than one ink color (but not four-color process). Also called polychrome printing.

Mutt - a typesetting term for the em space.

Natural - A term to describe papers that have a color similar to that of wood; also called cream, off-white or ivory.

Natural Color Very light brown color of paper. May also be called antique, cream, ivory, off-white or mellow white.

Negative - The image on film that makes the white areas of originals black and black areas white.

Negative - Film that contains the same images as the original print, except that all colors and shades are reversed. See also positive.

Negatives - Having or reproducing the light parts of the original subject as dark areas and the dark parts as light areas. The negatives are used to create a blueline.

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

Neutral Gray Gray with no hue or cast.

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

Newsprint - A light, low-cost groundwood paper made especially for newspapers. See also groundwood.

Newsprint - Unsized, low quality, absorbent paper used for printing newspapers.

Newsprint - Unsized, low quality, absorbent paper used for printing newspapers.

Newton Ring Flaw in a photograph or halftone that looks like a drop of oil or water.

Nipping - a stage in book binding where after sewing the sheets are pressed to expel air.

Nipping In the book binding process, a stage where air is expelled from it's contents at the sewing stage.

Nominal weight -
When the basis weight of paper differs from the actual weight, the term nominal weight is used.

Nonheatset Web
Web press without a drying oven, thus not able to print on coated paper. Also called cold-set web and open web.

Nonimpact Printing Printing using lasers, ions, ink jets or heat to transfer images to paper.

Non-reproducing blue - A blue color the camera cannot see. Used in marking up artwork.

Nonreproducing Blue - Light blue that does not record on graphic arts film, therefore may be used to preprint layout grids and write instructions on mechanicals. Also called blue pencil, drop-out blue, fade-out blue and nonrepro blue.

Novelty Printing Printing on products such as coasters, pencils, balloons, golf balls and ashtrays, known as advertising specialties or premiums.

Object-oriented - A type of drawing that defines an image mathematically rather than as pixels in a bitmap (vector-based as opposed to rasterized).

Oblique stroke - (/)

Oblong - A term used to describe printed books, catalogs, etc., that are bound on their shorter side; also referred to as album bound.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) - a special kind of scanner which provides a means of reading printed characters on documents and converting them into digital codes that can be read into a computer as actual text rather than just a picture.

Offprint - a run-on or reprint of an article first published in a magazine or journal.

Offprint - a run-on or reprint of an article first published in a magazine or journal.

Offset - The most commonly used printing method, whereby the printed material does not receive the ink directly from the printing plate but from an intermediary

Offset gravure - A complex offset process involving multiple transfers between the gravure plate, the plate cylinder and a solid rubber plate.

Offset lithography - (see Lithography) a printing method whereby the image is transferred from a plate onto a rubber covered cylinder from which the printing takes place.

Offset paper - Term for uncoated book paper.

Offset paper - A term for uncoated book paper.

Offset Plates - A method in which the plate or cylinder transfers an ink image to an offset or transfer roller, which then transfers the image to stock.

Offset Printing Printing technique that transfers ink from a plate to a blanket to paper instead of directly from plate to paper.

Offsetting - Using an intermediate surface used to transfer ink. Also, an unpleasant happening when the images of freshly printed sheets transfer images to each other.

Offshore paper - Any papers made outside the US and Canada.

Ok sheet - Final approved color inking sheet before production begins.

Oldstyle (US) - a style of type characterised by stressed strokes and triangular serifs. An example of an oldstyle face is Garamond.

Onion skin - a translucent lightweight paper used in air mail stationery.

Onion skin - a translucent lightweight paper used in air mail stationery.

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

Onionskin - A light bond paper used for typing and used with carbon paper because of its thinness.

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.)

Opacity - Quality of papers that defines its opaqueness or ability to prevent two-sided printing from showing through.

Opacity - term used to describe the degree to which paper will show print through.

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.

Opaque - A quality of paper that allows relatively little light to pass through.

Opaque (1) Not transparent. (2) To cover flaws in negative with tape or opaquing paint. Also called block out and spot.

Opaque ink - Ink that completely covers any ink under itself.

Open Prepress Interface Hardware and software that link desktop publishing systems with color electronic prepress systems.

Optical center - a point above the true centre of the page which will not appear 'low' as the geometric centre does.

Optical centre - a point above the true centre of the page which will not appear 'low' as the geometric centre does.

Optical Disks - video disks on which large amounts of information can be stored in binary form representing characters of text or images. The disks cannot be used to view the information using a modified compact disk player and TV. Mainly used for reference works such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.

Orphan - line of type on its own at the top or bottom of a page.

Orthochromatic - Any light sensitive surfaces that are not sensitive to red.

OU Red - PMS 200 or 201. (See Pantone Matching System) A dark scarlet red. 201 is more maroon
than 200.

Outer form Form (side of a press sheet) containing images for the first and last pages of the folded signature (its outside pages) as compared to inner form.

Outline - a typeface in which the characters are formed with only the outline defined rather than from solid strokes.

Outline - a typeface in which the characters are formed with only the outline defined rather than from solid strokes.

Outline halftone - Removing the background of a picture or silhouetting an image in a picture.

Outline Halftone Halftone in which background has been removed or replaced to isolate or silhouette the main image. Also called knockout halftone and silhouette halftone.

Output - Computer image transferred to color proof, paper, film, or temporary plate material by an imagesetter device.

Over Run Additional printed matter beyond order. Overage policy varies in the printing industry. Advance questions avoid blind knowledge.

Overhang cover - A cover of a book that extends over the trimmed signatures it contains.

Overlay - The transparent cover sheet on artwork often used for instructions.

Overlay - A transparent sheet placed over artwork, in register with the work it covers; this is used to call out other color components of the work, instructions or corrections.

Overlay - a transparent sheet used in the preparation of multi-color artwork showing the color breakdown.

Overlay - a transparent sheet used in the preparation of multi-colour artwork showing the colour breakdown.

Overlay Layer of material taped to a mechanical, photo or proof. Acetate overlays are used to separate colors by having some type or art on them instead of on the mounting board. Tissue overlays are used to carry instructions about the underlying copy and to protect the base art.

Overlay proof - A process of proof-making whereby the color separations are individually exposed to light sensitive film. This film is then set in registration with a piece of white paper in the background.

Overlay Proof Color proof consisting of polyester sheets laid on top of each other with their image in register, as compared to integral proof. Each sheet represents the image to be printed in one color. Also called celluloid proof and layered proof.

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

Overprinting - Any printing that is done on an area that has already been printed.

Overrun - Quantities of sheets printed over the requested number of copies. Copies printed in excess of the specified quantity. (Printing trade terms allow for + - 10 % to represent a completed order.)

Overs - additional paper required to compensate for spoilage in printing. Also used to refer to a quantity produced above the number of copies ordered.

Overs - additional paper required to compensate for spoilage in printing. Also used to refer to a quantity produced above the number of copies ordered.

Overset - Type that is set in excess of the allotted space.

Overstrike - a method used in word processing to produce a character not in the typeface by superimposing two separate characters, eg $ using s and l.

Overstrike - a method used in word processing to produce a character not in the typeface by superimposing two separate characters, eg $ using s and l.

Ozalid - a trade name to describe a method of copying page proofs from paper or film.

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

Page Description Language (PDL) - a special form of programming language which enables both text and graphics (object or bit-image) to be described in a series of mathematical statements. Their main benefit is that they allow the applications software to be independent of the physical printing device as opposed to the normal case where specific routines have to be written for each device. Typical PDLs include Interpress, imPress, PostScript and DDL.

Page makeup - The assemblage of all the necessary elements required to complete a page.

Page One side of a leaf in a publication.

Page Printer - the more general (and accurate) name used to describe non-impact printers which produce a complete page in one action. Examples include laser, LED and LCD shutter xerographic printers, ion deposition, electro-erosion and electro-photographic printers.

Page proof - Initial impression of a page pulled for checking purposes before the job is sent to the image assembly department.

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

Page proofs - the stage following galley proofs, in which pages are made up and paginated.

PageMaker - a common desktop publishing software.

Pagination - the numbering of pages in a book.

Pagination In the book arena, the numbering of pages.

Painted Sheet Sheet printed with ink edge to edge, as compared to spot color. The painted sheet refers to the final product, not the press sheet, and means that 100 percent coverage results from bleeds off all four sides.

Panchromatic - Films or other photographic materials that are sensitive to all colors.

Panel One page of a brochure, such as one panel of a rack brochure. One panel is on one side of the paper. A letter-folded sheet has six panels, not three.

Pantone - a registered name for an ink colour matching system.

Pantone Matching System - a registered name for an ink color matching system, usually abbreviated
PMS.

Paper plate - a short run offset printing plate on which matter can be typed directly.

Paper Plate A printing plate made of strong and durable paper in the short run offset arena (cost effective with short runs).
paper such as wove or laid. This is also the stage where the watermark is put onto the paper.

Paperboard - Any paper with a thickness (caliper) of 12 points (.3mm) or more.

Papeterie - A high-grade soft paper used for personal stationery because it accepts handwriting well.

Paragraph mark - a type symbol used to denote the start of a paragraph.

Paragraph mark ( ) - a type symbol used to denote the start of a paragraph. Also used as a footnote sign.

Parallel fold - a method of folding; eg two parallel folds will produce a six page sheet.

Parallel fold - a method of folding; eg two parallel folds will produce a six page sheet.

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

Parchment - A hard finished paper that emulates animal skin; used for documents, such as awards, that require writing by hand.

Parent sheet - A sheet that is larger than the cut stock of the same paper.

Parent Sheet Any sheet larger than 11' x 17' or A3.

Paste drier - Any of a variety of compounds used in enhancing the drying properties of printing inks.

Paste ink - An ink having a high level of viscosity.

Paste up - the various elements of a layout mounted in position on pasteboard to form camera-ready artwork. Now seldom used in the era of desktop publishing.

Paste up - the various elements of a layout mounted in position to form camera-ready artwork.

Pasteboard Chipboard with another paper pasted to it.

Paste-up To paste copy to mounting boards and, if necessary, to overlays so it is assembled into a camera-ready mechanical. The mechanical produced is often called a paste-up.

Pattern carbon - Special carbon paper used in business forms that only transfers in certain areas.

PE Proofreader mark meaning printer error and showing a mistake by a typesetter, prepress service or printer as compared to an error by the customer.
percentage wheel, proportion dial, proportion wheel and scaling wheel.

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

Perfect - A term used to describe the binding process where the signatures of a book are held together by a flexible adhesive.

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.

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.

Perfect binding - a common method of binding paperback books. After the printed sections having been collated, the spines will be ground off and the cover glued on.

Perfect binding -An inexpensive bookbinding technique in which the pages are glued rather than sewn to the cover and used primarily for paperbacks, small manuals, phone books, etc.

Perfect bound cover scored 1/8 inch (3mm) from the spine so it folds at the hinge instead of, along the edge of the spine.

Perfecting press - A sheet fed printing press that prints both sides of a sheet in one pass.

Perfecting press - A printing press that prints on both sides of the page in a single pass.

Perfecting Press Press capable of printing both sides of the paper during a single pass. Also called duplex press and perfector.

Perfector - a printing press which prints both sides of the paper at one pass through the machine.

Perfector - a printing press which prints both sides of the paper at one pass through the machine.

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).

Phloxine - A blue red pigment used mostly in news inks; not a good ink for lithographers, as it bleeds in alcohol and water.

Photoengraving Engraving done using photochemistry.

Photogravure - (see Gravure) a printing process where the image is etched into the plate cylinder. The main advantage of this method of printing is the high speed, long run capability. Used mainly for mail order and magazine work.

Photomechanical - The platemaking process where plates are coated with photosensitive coatings and exposed to photo negatives or positives.

Photomechanical Transfer Brand name for a diffusion transfer process used to make positive paper prints of line copy and halftones. Often used as alternate term for photostat. Abbreviated PMT.

Photostat - A photographic print creating an image using photography and electrostatic processes; also called a stat.

Photostat Brand name for a diffusion transfer process used to make positive paper prints of line copy and halftones. Often used as alternate term for PMT

Phthalocyanine - The main pigment in the manufacture of cyan ink.

Pi fonts - characters not usually included in a font, but which are added specially. Examples of these are timetable symbols and mathematical signs.

Pi fonts - characters not usually included in a font, but which are added specially. Examples of these are timetable symbols and mathematical signs.

Pica - Unit of measure in typesetting. One pica = 1/6 inch.

Pica - a printing industry unit of measurement. There are 12 points to a pica, one pica is approximately 0.166in.

Pica - a printing industry unit of measurement. There are 12 points to a pica. Originally, one pica was approximately 0.166in. Now, in the era of computerization, a pica is 1/6 of an inch.

Pica - A typesetting unit of measurement equaling 1/6th of an inch.

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

Picking - Printers nightmare that occurs as the surface of a sheet lifts off during printing. Generally a paper manufactures quality control problem.

Picking - An occurrence in printing whereby the tack of ink pulls fibers or coating off the paper surface, leaving spots on the printed surface.

Picking - the effect of ink being too tacky and lifting fibres out of the paper. Shows up as small white dots on areas of solid color.

Picking - the effect of ink being too tacky and lifting fibres out of the paper. Shows up as small white dots on areas of solid colour.

Picking - When the tack of ink is stronger than the surface strength of the paper, some lifting of the paper surface occurs; this is referred to as picking.

Picking Phenomenon of ink pulling bits of coating or fiber away from the surface of paper as it travels through the press, thus leaving unprinted spots in the image area.

Pickup Art Artwork, used in a previous job, to be incorporated in a current job.

Pigment - Particles that absorb and reflect light and appear colored to our eyes; the substance that gives ink its color.

Piling - A build up of pigment or paper coatings onto the plate, blankets or rollers.

Pin register - A standard used to fit film to film and film to plates and plates to press to assure the proper registration of printer colors.

Pin register - Using metal pins fitted into preset holes of copy sheets, films, plates and presses that will assure the proper registration

Pin Register Technique of registering separations, flats and printing plates by using small holes, all of equal diameter, at the edges of both flats and plates.

Pinholing Small holes (unwanted) in printed areas because of a variety of reasons.

Pipelining - the ability of a program to flow automatically text from the end of one column or page to the beginning of the next. An extra level of sophistication can be created by allowing the flow to be re-directed to any page and not just the next available. This is ideal for US-style magazines where everything is 'Continued on...'!

Pixel - The smallest distinct unit of a bitmapped image displayed on a screen.

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

Planographic Printing

Plastic comb - A method of binding books whereby holes are drilled on the side closest to the spine, and a plastic grasping device is inserted to hold the pages

Plasticizer - An ink additive that adds flexibility, softness and adhesion.

Plate cylinder - The cylinder on a printing press on which the plate is mounted.

Plate finish - Any bond, cover or bristol stock with an extremely smooth finish achieved by calendaring.

Plate gap - Gripper space. The area where the grippers hold the sheet as it passes through the press.

Plate Piece of paper, metal, plastic or rubber carrying an image to be reproduced using a printing press.

Platemaker (1) In quick printing, a process camera that makes plates automatically from mechanicals. (2) In commercial lithography, a machine with a vacuum frame used to expose plates
through film.

Plate-ready Film Stripped negatives or positives fully prepared for platemaking.

Pleasing Color Color that the customer considers satisfactory even though it may not precisely match original samples, scenes or objects.

PMS - The abbreviated name of the Pantone Color Matching System.

PMS - Pantone Matching System. A commonly used system for identifying specific ink colors.

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.

PMT - Abbreviated name for photomechanical transfer. Often used to make position prints.

PMT - Photomechanical transfer.

PMT Abbreviation for photomechanical transfer.

Point - For paper, a unit of thickness equaling 1/1000 inch. for typesetting, a unit of height equaling 1/72 inch.

Point - A measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch. 12 points to a pica, 72 points to an inch.

Point - In measuring a paper(c)ˆs caliper, one point equals a thousandth of an inch. In typography, it is the smallest unit of measurement used principally for designating type size, one point approximating 1Î72 of an inch and 12 points equaling one pica.

Point - the standard unit of type size of which there are 72 to the inch (one point is approximately 0.01383in). Point size is the measured from the top of the ascender to the bottom of the descender.

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 upright image or page where the height is greater than the width.

Portrait - an upright image or page where the height is greater than the width.

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

Position Stat Photocopy or PMT of a photo or illustration made to size and affixed to a mechanical.

Positive - a true photographic image of the original made on paper or film.

Positive - a true photographic image of the original made on paper or film.

Positive - Film that contains an image with the same tonal values as the original; opposite of a negative. See also negative.

Positive Film Film that prevents light from passing through images, as compared to negative film that allows light to pass through. Also called knockout film.

Post Bind To bind using a screw and post inserted through a hole in a pile of loose sheets.

Posterization - the deliberate constraint of a gradation into visible steps as a special effect.

PostScript - The computer language most recognized by printing devices.

PostScript - a page description language developed by Adobe Systems. Widely supported by both hardware and software vendors it represents the current 'standard' in the market.

PostScript - a page description language developed by Adobe Systems. Widely supported by both hardware and software vendors it represents the current 'standard' in the market. John Warnock and Chuck Geschke of Adobe both worked for Xerox at the Palo Alto Research Centre where PDLs were invented and set up their company to commercially exploit the concepts they had helped develop.

Ppi - Pages per inch.

Premium - Any paper that is considered better than #1 by its manufacturer.

Prepress Camera work, color separations, stripping, platemaking and other prepress functions performed by the printer, separator or a service bureau prior to printing. Also called preparation.

Prepress Proof Any color proof made using ink jet, toner, dyes or overlays, as compared to a press proof printed using ink. Also called dry proof and off-press proof.

Preprint To print portions of sheets that will be used for later imprinting.

Presensitized plate - A plate that has been treated with light sensitive coatings by the manufacturer.

Press Check Event at which makeready sheets from the press are examined before authorizing full production to begin.

Press number - A method of numbering manufacturing business forms or tickets.

Press proof - a copy obtained from inked type, plate, block or screen for checking purposes; a reasonably accurate sample of how a finished piece is intended to look. Also, to check for consistency and accuracy.

Press Proof Proof made on press using the plates, ink and paper specified for the job. Also called strike off and trial proof.

Press Time
(1) Amount of time that one printing job spends on press, including time required for makeready. (2) Time of day at which a printing job goes on press. Also called "DYLUX.".

Pressure-sensitive paper -
Paper material with self sticking adhesive covered by a backing sheet.

Preview mode -
a mode where word processing or desktop publishing software which doesn't operate in WYSIWYG fashion can show a representation of the output as it will look when printed. The quality ranges from acceptable to worse than useless.

Price Break
Quantity at which unit cost of paper or printing drops.

Primary colors -
cyan, magenta and yellow. These three colors when mixed together with black will produce a reasonable reproduction of all other colors.

Primary colors -
In printing the four primary colors are cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black.

Primary colours -
cyan, magenta and yellow. These three colours when mixed together with black will produce a reasonable reproduction of all other colours.

Print engine -
the parts of a page printer which perform the print-imaging, fixing and paper transport. In fact, everything but the controller.

Printability -
The quality of papers to show reproduced printed images.

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

Printer Command Language -
a language developed by Hewlett Packard for use with its own range of printers. Essentially a text orientated language, it has been expanded to give graphics capability.

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.

Printing
method whose image carriers are level surfaces with inked areas separated from noninked areas by chemical means. Planographic printing includes lithography, offset lithography and spirit duplicating.

Printing Plate
Surface carrying an image to be printed. Quick printing uses paper or plastic plates; letterpress, engraving and commercial lithography use metal plates; flexography uses rubber or soft plastic plates. Gravure printing uses a cylinder. The screen printing is also called a plate.

Printing Unit
Assembly of fountain, rollers and cylinders that will print one ink color. Also called color station, deck, ink station, printer, station and tower.
printing.

Process blue -
The blue or cyan color in process printing.

Process Camera
Camera used to photograph mechanicals and other camera-ready copy. Also called copy, camera and graphic arts camera. A small, simple process camera may be called a stat camera.

Process Color
(Inks) The colors used for four-color process printing: yellow, magenta, cyan and black.

Process lens -
A high quality specialty lens made for line art, halftone and color photography.

Process printing -
Printing from two or more half tones to produce intermediate colors and shades.

Production coordinator -
A person who follows the print job through every step of the process and in general acts as a liaison between Printing Services and the customer.

Production Run
Press run intended to manufacture products as specified, as compared to makeready.

Progressive proofs -
Any proofs made from the separate plates of a multi-plate-printing project.

Progressives -
color proofs taken at each stage of printing showing each color printed singly and then superimposed on the preceding color.

Progressives -
colour proofs taken at each stage of printing showing each colour printed singly and then superimposed on the preceding colour.

Proof -
a copy obtained from inked type, plate, block or screen for checking purposes.

Proof correction marks -
a standard set of signs and symbols used in copy preparation and to indicate corrections on proofs. Marks are placed both in the text and in the margin.

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.

Proofreading -
To read and mark typesetting corrections in written matter.

Proofreading marks -
a standard set of signs and symbols used in copy preparation and to indicate corrections on proofs. Marks are placed both in the text and in the margin with a line connecting them.

Proportion Scale
Round device used to calculate percent that an original image must by reduced or enlarged to yield a specific reproduction size. Also called

Proportional spacing -
a method of spacing whereby each each character is spaced to accommodate the varying widths of letters or figures, so increasing readability. Books and magazines are set proportionally spaced, typewritten documents are generally monospaced.

Proportional spacing -
a method of spacing whereby each each character is spaced to accommodate the varying widths of letters or figures, so increasing readability. Books and magazines are set proportionally spaced, typewritten documents are generally monospaced.

Publishing Paper
Paper made in weights, colors and surfaces suited to books, magazines, catalogs and free-standing inserts.

Pull-down menus
developed from Xerox research (like just about everything else we take for granted in desktop publishing) these are a method of providing user control over software without cluttering up the screen with text. Using the mouse or cursor keys the user points to the main heading of the menu he or she wants and the menu pulls (Windows) or drops (GEM) from the heading. When the required function has been selected the menu rolls back up into the menu bar leaving the screen clear.

Pulp -
the raw material used in paper making consisting mainly of wood chips, rags or other fibres. Broken down by mechanical or chemical means.

Quadding -
the addition of space to fill out a line of type using en or em blocks.

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.

QuarkXpress -
The industry standard typesetting and page layout program. Highly recommended.

Quarto (1)
Sheet folded twice, making pages one-fourth the size of the original sheet. A quarto makes an 8-page signature. (2) Book made from quarto sheets, traditionally measuring about 9' x 12'.

Quick Printing Printing using small sheetfed presses, called duplicators, using cut sizes of bond and offset paper.

Quire - 1/20th of a ream (25 sheets).

Quotation
Price offered by a printer to produce a specific job.

Rag paper -
high quality stationery made from cotton rags.

Rag paper -
high quality stationery made from cotton rags. Papers with a complete or partial content of cotton fibers.

Rag Paper
Stationery or other forms of stock having a strong percentage content of "cotton rags."

Ragged -
lines of type that do not start or end at the same position.

Ragged left -
Type that is justified to the right margin and the line lengths vary on the left.

Ragged left -
The term given to right-justified type that is uneven on the left.

Ragged left/right -
successive lines of type which are of unequal length and which are aligned at either the right or left hand column.

Ragged right -
Type that is justified to the left margin and the line lengths vary on the right.

Ragged right -
The term given to left-justified type that is uneven on the right.

Ragged Right -
Typesetting style that is characterized by lines that end in unequal length, usually lined up flush on one side or the other example‹flush left/ragged right.

Railroad -
A thick, coated paper used for signs; usually waterproof.

Rainbow Fountain
Technique of putting ink colors next to each other in the same ink fountain and oscillating the ink rollers to make the colors merge where they touch, producing a rainbow effect.

Ranged left/right -
successive lines of type which are of unequal length and which are aligned at either the right or left hand column.

Raster Image Processor (RIP) -
the hardware engine which calculates the bit-mapped image of text and graphics from a series of instructions. It may, or may not, understand a page description language but the end result should, if the device has been properly designed, be the same. Typical RIPs which aren't PDL-based include the Tall Trees JLaser, the LaserMaster and AST's TurboLaser controller. A basic page printer comes with a controller and not a RIP which goes some way to explaining the lack of control

Raster image processor (RIP) -
the hardware engine which calculates the bit-mapped image of text and graphics from a series of instructions. Most RIPs operate on PostScript.

Raster Image Processor
Device that translates page description commands into bitmapped information for an output device such as a laser printer or imagesetter.

Rasterization -
The process of converting mathematical and digital information (vector commands) into a series of dots by an output device.

Reader Spread
Mechanicals made in two page spreads as readers would see the pages, as compared to printer spread.

Recto -
Right-hand page of an open book.

Recto -
The odd numbered pages (right hand side) of books.

Recto -
A right hand book page (usually odd numbered), more significant than the reverse side, which is called the verso.

Recycled Paper New paper made entirely or in part from old paper.

Red lake "C" -
A common pigment for paste and liquid red inks.

Reducer -
Any substance that softens and reduces the tack of ink.

Reel -
The master roll of paper as it comes off the papermaking machine. It is in its original width and is then cut into smaller rolls.

Reference marks -
symbols used in text to direct the reader to a footnote. Eg asterisk (), dagger, double dagger, section mark ( ), paragraph mark ( ).

Reflective art -
Artwork prepared so that it may be photographed or input into a computer by scanner.

Reflective
Copy Products, such as fabrics, illustrations and photographic prints, viewed by light reflected from them, as compared to transparent copy. Also called reflex copy.

Reflective densitometer -
Instrument used to measure the density on paper. regard to whether it is reproduced using ink, projected light, photographic chemistry or any other method.

Register -
the correct positioning of an image especially when printing one color on another.

Register marks -
Cross-hair lines or marks on film, plates, and paper that guide strippers, platemakers, pressmen, and bindery personnel in processing a print order from start to finish.

Register marks -
Any crossmarks or other symbols used on layout to assure proper registration.

Register marks -
used in colour printing to position the paper correctly. Usually crosses or circles.

Register Marks
Cross-hair lines on mechanicals and film that help keep flats, plates, and printing in register. Also called crossmarks and position marks.

Register
To place printing properly with regard to the edges of paper and other printing on the same sheet. Such printing is said to be in register.

Registration marks -
small cross-hairs on film used in the alignment of negatives.

Relief Printing
Printing method whose image carriers are surfaces with two levels having inked areas higher than noninked areas. Relief printing includes block printing, flexography and letter press.

Repeatability
Ability of a device, such as an imagesetter, to produce film or plates that yield images in register.

Reprographics G
eneral term for xerography, diazo and other methods of copying used by designers, engineers, architects or for general office use.

Resolution -
the measurement used in typesetting to express quality of output. Measured in dots per inch, the greater the number of dots, the more smoother and cleaner appearance the character/image will have. Currently laser printers print at 300-1,200dpi. Imagsetters usually print at 1,270-5,080 dpi. the measurement used in typesetting to express quality of output. Measured in dots per inch, the greater the number of dots, the more smoother and cleaner appearance the character/image will have. Currently Page (laser) Printers print at 300, 406 and 600dpi. Typesetting machines print at 1,200 dpi or more. Sharpness of an image on film, paper, computer screen, disc, tape or other medium.

Resolution Target
An image, such as the GATF Star Target, that permits evaluation of resolution on film, proofs or plates.

Rest in proportion (RIP) -
an instruction when giving sizes to artwork or photographs that other parts of the artwork are to be enlarged or reduced in proportion.

Retouching - a means of altering artwork or color separations to correct faults or enhance the image.

Reverse -
The opposite of what you see. Printing the background of an image. For example; type your name on a piece of paper. The reverse of this would be a black piece of paper with a white name.

Reverse out -
to reproduce as a white image out of a solid background.

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. The image 'reverses out' of the ink color. Also called knockout and liftout.

Revise -
indicates the stages at which corrections have been incorporated from earlier proofs and new proofs submitted. Eg First revise, second revise.

RGB -
red, green, blue. The additive primary colors used for computer monitor displays; also a color model. Cannot be used for printing. All RGB files must be changed to CMYK to be printed.

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

Right angle fold -
A term that denotes folds that are 90 degrees to each other.

Right Reading
Copy that reads correctly in the language in which it is written. Also describes a photo whose orientation looks like the original scene, as compared to a flopped image.

Rip film -
A method of making printing negatives from PostScript files created by desktop publishing.

Roll to roll -
A web press printing process where the roll of paper is printed and stored on a roll to beshipped.

Roman -
type which has vertical stems as distinct from italics or oblique which are set at angles.

Rosette -
The pattern created when all four color halftone screens are placed at the traditional angles.

Rotary press -
a web or reel fed printing press which uses a curved printing plate mounted on the plate cylinder.

Rotary press -
a web or reel fed printing press which uses a curved printing plate mounted on the plate cylinder.

Rotary Press
Printing press which passes the substrate between two rotating cylinders when making an impression.

Rough -
a preliminary sketch of a proposed design (see also, (c)¯Dummy(c)˜ and (c)¯Layout dummy.(c)˜a preliminary sketch of a proposed design.

Round Back
Bind To casebind with a rounded (convex) spine, as compared to flat back bind.

Royal -
a size of printing paper 20in x 25in (508 x 635mm).

Rub proof -
That stage of printed ink where the maximum dryness is achieved, and the ink will not smudge.

Rubine -
A pigment somewhat redder than true magenta.

Ruby
Window Mask on a mechanical, made with rubylith, that creates a window on film shot from the mechanical.

Rule
Line used as a graphic element to separate or organize copy.

Ruler -
rulers displayed on the sreen that show measures in inches, picas or millimeters.
Ruler -
rulers displayed on the sreen that show measures in inches, picas or millimeters.

Ruleup
Map or drawing given by a printer to a stripper showing how a printing job must be imposed using a specific press and sheet size. Also called press layout, printer's layout and ruleout.

Runability -
A term used to describe how well a paper runs on a printing press.

Run-around -
A term given to copy that accommodates the lines of a picture or other image or copy.

Runaround (see also Text wrap) -
the ability within a program to run text around a graphic image within a document, without the need to ajust each line manually.

Running head -
a line of type at the top of a page which repeats a heading.

Running head -
a line of type at the top of a page which repeats a heading.

Running head -
A title at the top of a page that appears on all pages of a book or chapter of a book.

S/S (Same size) -
an instruction to reproduce to the same size as the original.

S/S (Same size) -
an instruction to reproduce to the same size as the original.

Saddle stitch -
Binding a booklet or magazine with staples in the seam where it folds.

Saddle stitch -
The binding of booklets or other printed materials by stapling the pages on the folded spine; also called saddle wire.

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.

Saddle stitching -
a method of binding where the folded pages are stitched through the spine from the outside, using wire staples. Usually limited to 64 pages size.

Saddle stitching -
a method of binding where the folded pages are stitched through the spine from the outside, using wire staples. Usually limited to 64 pages size.

Safety paper -
A paper that shows sign of erasure so that it cannot be altered or tampered with easily.

Sans serif -
a typeface that has no serifs (small strokes at the end of main stroke of the character).

Sans serif -
a typeface that has no serifs (small strokes at the end of main stroke of the character). Helvetica, Geneva, and Arial are examples of sans-serif fonts.

Satin finish -
A smooth, delicately embossed finished paper with sheen.

Satin Finish
Alternate term for dull finish on coated paper.

Saturation -
the amount of gray in a color. The higher the gray content, the lower the saturation.

Scale -
the means within a program to reduce or enlarge the amount of space an image will occupy. Some programs maintain the aspect ratio between width and height whilst scaling, thereby avoiding distortion.

Scale -
the means within a program to reduce or enlarge the amount of space an image will occupy. Some programs maintain the aspect ratio between width and height whilst scaling, thereby avoiding distortion.

Scale
To identify the percent by which photographs or art should be enlarged or reduced to achieve, the correct size for printing.

Scaling -
a means of calculating the amount of enlargement or reduction necessary to accommodate a photograph within the area of a design.

Scaling -
a means of calculating the amount of enlargement or reduction necessary to accommodate a photograph within the area of a design.

Scaling -
The enlargement or reduction of an image or copy to fit a specific area.

Scamp -
a sketch of a design showing the basic concept.

Scanner -
Device used to make color separations, halftones, duo tones and tri tones. Also a device used to scan art, pictures or drawings in desktop publishing.

Scanner -
a digitizing device using light sensitivity to translate a picture or typed text into a pattern of dots which can be understood and stored by a computer.

Scanner -
a digitizing device using light sensitivity to translate a picture or typed text into a pattern of dots which can be understood and stored by a computer. To obtain acceptable quality when scanning photographs, at least 64 grey scales are required.

Scanner
Electronic device used to scan an image.

Scanning -
Using a scanner to digitize images to be manipulated, output or stored on a computer.

Score -
A crease put on paper to help it fold better.

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

Scoring -
To impress paper with a rule for the purpose of making folding easier.

Scraperboard -
a board prepared with black indian ink over a china clay surface. Drawings are produced by scraping away the ink to expose the china clay surface.

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 angles -
the angles used to offset the different films in process color separations. Proper screen angles are critical to minimize moire patterns.

Screen angles -
The placement of halftone screens to avoid unwanted moiré patterns. Frequently used angles are black 45º, magenta 75º, yellow 90º, and cyan 105º.

Screen Angles
Angles at which screens intersect with the horizontal line of the press sheet. The common screen angles for separations are black 45 degree, magenta 75 degree, yellow 90 degree and cyan 105 degree.

Screen Density
Refers to the percentage of ink coverage that a screen tint allows to print. Also called screen percentage.

Screen frequency -
the number of lines or dots per inch on a halftone screen.

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

Screen ruling -
A measurement equaling the number of lines or dots per inch on a halftone screen.

Screen Ruling
Number of rows or lines of dots per inch or centimeter in a screen for making a screen tint or halftone. Also called line count, ruling, screen frequency, screen size and screen value.

Screen Tint
Color created by dots instead of solid ink coverage. Also called Benday, fill pattern, screen tone, shading, tint and tone.

Screened print -
A photo print made by using a halftone negative; also called a velox.

Scum -
Unwanted ink marks in the non-image area.

Section -
a printed sheet folded to make a multiple of pages. a printed sheet folded to make a multiple of pages.

Section mark ( ) -
a character used at the beginning of a new section. Also used as a footnote symbol.

Security paper -
paper incorporating special features (dyes, watermarks etc) for use on cheques.

Selective Binding
Placing signatures or inserts in magazines or catalogs according to demographic or geographic guidelines.

Self cover -
A cover made out of the same paper stock as the internal sheets.

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.

Self-cover -
Using the same paper as the text for the cover.

Separated Art
Art with elements that print in the base color on one surface and elements that print in other colors on other surfaces. Also called preseparated art.

Separations
Usually in the four-color process arena, separate film holding qimages of one specific color per piece of film. Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. Can also separate specific PMS colors through film.

Serif -
a small cross stroke at the end of the main stroke of the letter.

Serigraphic Printing
Printing method whose image carriers are woven fabric, plastic or metal that allow ink to pass through some portions and block ink from passing through other portions. Serigraphic printing includes screen and mimeograph.

Service Bureau
Business using imagesetters to make high resolution printouts of files prepared on microcomputers. Also called output house and prep service.

Set off - the accidental transfer of the printed image from one sheet to the back of another.

Set size -
the width of the type body of a given point size.
Set solid - type set without leading (line spacing) between the lines. Type is often set with extra space; eg 9 point set on 10 point.

Set solid -
type set without leading (line spacing) between the lines. Type is often set with extra space; eg 9 point set on 10 point.

Setoff
Undesirable transfer of wet ink from the top of one sheet to the underside of another as they lie in the delivery stack of a press. Also called offset.

Shade
Hue made darker by the addition of black, as compared to tint.

Shadow -
The darkest areas of a photograph.

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

Sharpen -
To decrease the dot size of the halftone, which in turn decreases the color strength.

Sheet -
a single piece of paper. In poster work refers to the number of Double Crown sets in a full size poster.

Sheet -
a single piece of paper. In poster work refers to the number of Double Crown sets in a full size poster.

Sheet fed -
a printing press which prints single sheets of paper, not reels.
Sheetfed Press
Press that prints sheets of paper, as compared to a web press.

Sheetwise -
method of printing a section. Half the pages from a section are imposed and printed. The remaining half of the pages are then printed on the other side of the sheet. The printing of two different images on two different sides of a sheet of paper by turning the page over after the first side is printed and using the same gripper and side guides.


Shingling
Allowance, made during paste-up or stripping, to compensate for creep. Creep is the problem; shingling is the solution. Also called stair stepping and progressive margins.

Short ink -
Ink that is smooth and creamy but does not flow freely.

Show through -
A problem that occurs when the printing on one side of a sheet is seen from the other side.

Show-through -
Printing on one side of a sheet that can be seen on the other side of the sheet.

Side guide -
The mechanical register unit on a printing press that positions a sheet from the side.

Side guide -
The guides on the sides of the sheet fed press that position the sheet sideways as the paper is led towards the front guides.

Side heading -
a subheading set flush into the text at the left edge.

Side stabbed or stitched -
the folded sections of a book are stabbed through with wire staples at the binding edge, prior to the covers being drawn on.

Side stabbed or stitched -
the folded sections of a book are stabbed through with wire staples at the binding edge, prior to the covers being drawn on.

Side stitch -
Binding by stapling along one side of a sheet.

Side stitch -
To staple sheets or signatures on the side closest to the spine.

Side stitch
To bind by stapling through sheets along, one edge, as compared to saddle stitch. Also called cleat stitch and side wire.

Sidebar -
a vertical bar positioned usually on the right hand side of the screen.

Signature -
A sheet of printed pages which when folded become a part of a book or publication.

Signature -
a letter or figure printed on the first page of each section of a book and used as a guide when collating and binding.

Signature -
a letter or figure printed on the first page of each section of a book and used as a guide when collating and binding.

Signature -
A printed sheet with many pages on it that is folded so that the pages are in their proper numbered sequence, as in a book.

Signature
Printed sheet folded at least once, possibly many times, to become part of a book, magazine or other publication.

Silhouette halftone -
A term used for an outline halftone.

Sixteen sheet - a poster size measuring 120in x 80in (3050mm x 2030mm).

Size -
a solution based on starch or casein which is added to the paper to reduce ink absorbency.

Size
Compound mixed with paper or fabric to make it stiffer and less able to absorb moisture.

Skid -
A pallet used for a pile of cut sheets.

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

Slitting -
A term to describe the process of cutting of printed sheets by the cutting wheels of a printing press.

Slurring -
a smearing of the image, caused by paper slipping during the impression stage.

Small caps -
a set of capital leters which are smaller than standard and are equal in size to the lower case letters for that typesize.

Smoothness -
That quality of paper defined by its levelness that allows for pressure consistency in printing, assuring uniformity of print.

Snap-to (guide or rules) -
a WYSIWYG program feature for accurately aligning text or graphics. The effect is exercised by various non-printing guidelines such as column guides, margin guides which automatically places the text or graphics in the correct position flush to the column guide when activated by the mouse. The feature is optional and can be turned off.

Snap-to(guide or rules) -
a WYSIWYG program feature for accurately aligning text or graphics. The effect is exercised by various non-printing guidelines such as column guides, margin guides which automatically places the text or graphics in the correct position flush to the column guide when activated by the mouse. The feature is optional and can be turned off.

Soft back/cover -
a book bound with a paper back cover.

Soft dot -
a type of dot in a halftone screen whose edge is not smoothly circular. This can create a fuzzier image. Contrast with hard dot.

Soft dot -
An excessively large halo around a dot in a photograph that causes a fringe that diminishes the dot intensity.

Soft or discretionary hyphen -
a specially coded hyphen which is only displayed when formatting of the hyphenated word puts it at the end of a line.

Soft or discretionary hyphen -
a specially coded hyphen which is only displayed when formatting of the hyphenated word puts it at the end of a line.

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

Soy-based Inks
Inks using vegetable oils instead of petroleum products as pigment vehicles, thus are easier on the environment.

Specialty Printer
Printer whose equipment, supplies, work flow and marketing is targeted to a particular category of products.

Specifications -
A precise description of a print order.

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.

Spectrophotometer Instrument used to measure the index of refraction of color.

Specular Highlight Highlight area with no printable dots, thus no detail, as compared to a diffuse highlight. Also called catchlight and dropout highlight.

Spell check - a facility contained in certain word processing and page makeup programs to enable a spelling error check to be carried out. Dictionaries of American origin may not conform to English standards and the option should be available within the program to modify the contents. Dictionaries usually contain between 60,000-100,000 words.

Spell check - a facility contained in certain word processing and page makeup programs to enable a spelling error check to be carried out. Should be used as an adjunct to proofreading, not a replacement of it.

Spine - The binding edge of a book or publication.

Spine - the binding edge at the back of a book.

Spine - the binding edge at the back of a book.

Spine Back or binding edge of a publication

Spiral bind - A binding whereby a wire or plastic is spiraled through holes punched along the binding side.

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

Split fountain - Putting more than one ink in a printing fountain to achieve special color affects.

Split Fountain Technique of putting ink colors next to each other in the same ink fountain and printing them off the same plate. Split fountains keep edges of colors distinct, as compared to rainbow fountains that blend edges.

Split Run (1) Different images, such as advertisements, printed in different editions of a publication. (2) Printing of a book that has some copies bound one way and other copies bound another way.

Spoilage - Planned paper waste for all printing operations.

Spoilage Paper that, due to mistakes or accidents, must be thrown away instead of delivered printed to the customer, as compared to waste.

Spot Color - A second color, usually in addition to black, to add color to your printed piece. The ink is usually Pantone Matching System (PMS) consisting of named or numbered colors. PMS is generally accepted throughout the printing and graphic arts industry as the standard.

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

Spot varnish - Varnish used to hilight a specific part of the printed sheet.

Spread - A film image that is larger than the original image to accommodate ink trapping. See also trapping.

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.

SRA - a paper size in the series of ISO international paper sizes slightly larger than the A series allowing the printer extra space to bleed.

SRA - a paper size in the series of ISO international paper sizes slightly larger than the A series allowing the printer extra space to bleed.

Stability - The quality of paper to maintain its original size when it undergoes pressure and moisture changes.

Stagger cutting - A process of cutting many sheets from the same parent sheet in which the smaller sheets have different grain directions; also called dutch or

Stamping - Term for foil stamping.

Standard Viewing Conditions Background of 60 percent neutral gray and light that measures 5000 degrees Kelvin the color of daylight on a bright day. Also called lighting standards.

Star target - The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, GATF, has established various quality control images; the star target appears along with the color bar and helps

Stat - Term for inexpensive print of line copy or halftone.

Stat - photostat copy.

Stat - photostat copy.

Stat Short for photostat, therefore a general term for an inexpensive photographic print of line copy or halftone.

Static neutralizer - A device on a printing press that minimizes the amount of static buildup on paper as it passes through the press.

Statistical Process Control Method used by printers to ensure quality and delivery times specified by customers. Abbreviated SPC.

Stem - the main vertical stroke making up a type character.

Stem - the main vertical stroke making up a type character.

Step and repeat - A process of generating multiple exposures by taking an image and stepping it according to a predetermined layout.

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.

Step-and-repeat - A procedure for placing the same image on plates in multiple places.

Stet - A proof mark meaning let the original copy stand.

Stet - A proofreader's symbol that is usually written in the copy margin, that indicates that the copy, which was marked for correction, should be left as it was.

Stet - used in proof correction work to cancel a previous correction. From the Latin; 'let it stand'.

Stet - used in proof correction work to cancel a previous correction. From the Latin; 'let it stand'.

Stock - The material to be printed.

Stock - A term for unprinted paper or other material to be printed.

Stock Order Order for paper that a mill or merchant sends to a printer from inventory at a warehouse, as compared to a mill order.

Stocking Paper Popular sizes, weights and colors of papers available for prompt delivery from a merchant's warehouse.

Strap - a subheading used above the main headline in a newspaper article.

Strap - a subheading used above the main headline in a newspaper article.

Strawboard - a thicker board made from straw pulp, used in bookwork and in the making of envelopes and cartons. Not suitable for printing.

Strawboard - a thicker board made from straw pulp, used in bookwork and in the making of envelopes and cartons. Not suitable for printing.

Strike-through - the effect of ink soaking through the printed sheet.

Strike-through - the effect of ink soaking through the printed sheet.

String Score Score created by pressing a string against paper, as compared to scoring using a metal edge.

Strip To assemble images on film for platemaking. Stripping involves correcting flaws in film, assembling pieces of film into flats and ensuring that film and flats register correctly. Also called film assembly and image assembly.

Strip-in - To add an element, such as copy that is shot separately, and then stripped into place on a goldenrod flat.
stripped.

Stripping - The positioning of film on a flat prior to platemaking.

Stripping - The positioning of positives and negatives on the flat before proceeding to platemaking.

Stripping - the preparation and assembling of film prior to platemaking.

Stumping (Blocking) In the book arena, hot die, foil or other means in creating an image on a case bound book.

Style sheet - a collection of tags specifying page layout styles, paragraph settings and type specifications which can be set up by the user and saved for use in other documents.

Style sheet - a collection of tags specifying page layout styles, paragraph settings and type specifications which can be set up by the user and saved for use in other documents. Some page makeup programs, such as Ventura, come with a set of style sheets.

Subscript - the small characters set below the normal letters or figures.

Subscript - the small characters set below the normal letters or figures.

Substance weight - A term of basis weight when referring to bond papers.

Substance Weight Alternate term for basis weight, usually referring to bond papers. Also called sub weight.

Substrate - Any surface on which printing is done.
Substrate Any surface or material on which printing is done.

Subtractive Color Color produced by light reflected from a surface, as compared to additive color. Subtractive color includes hues in color photos and colors created by inks on paper.

Subtractive primaries - The inks (cyan, magenta, and yellow) used in process-color printing to create different colors. In contrast to additive primaries, these produce darker colors when combined.

Subtractive Primary Color Yellow, magenta and cyan. In the graphic arts, these are known as process colors because, along with black, they are the inks colors used in color-process printing.

Super calendaring - A machine procedure that produces a high finished paper surface that is extremely smooth and exceptional for printing.

Supercalendered paper - a smooth finished paper with a polished appearance, produced by rolling the paper between calenders. Examples of this are high gloss and art papers.

Supercalendered paper - a smooth finished paper with a polished appearance, produced by rolling the paper between calenders. Examples of this are high gloss and art papers.

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

Superscript - the small characters set above the normal letters or figures.

Surprint (US) - (see Overprinting) printing over a previously printed area of either text or graphics.

Swash Book A book in a variety of forms, indicating specific stock in specific colors in a specific thickness.

Swash letters - italic characters with extra flourishes used at the beginning of chapters.

Swash letters - italic characters with extra flourishes used at the beginning of chapters.

Swatch - a color sample.

Swatch - a colour sample.

SWOP Abbreviation for specifications for web offset publications, specifications recommended for web printing of publications.

Synthetic papers - Any petroleum-based waterproof papers with a high tensile strength.

Tabloid -
11(c)˜ x 17(c)˜ - a page half the size of a broadsheet, or twice the size of a sheet of standard typing paper.

Tabloid -
a page half the size of a broadsheet. Using a broadsheet as a measure, one half of a broadsheet.

Tabular setting -
text set in columns such as timetables.

Tack -
The adhesive quality of inks.

Tag -
A dense, strong paper stock. Grade of dense, strong paper used for products such as badges and file folders.

Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) -
a common format for interchanging digital information, generally associated with greyscale or bitmap data. Computer file format used to store images from scanners and video devices. Abbreviated TIFF.

Tags -
the various formats which make up a style sheet- paragraph settings, margins and columns, page layouts, hyphernation and justification, widow and orphan control and automatic section numbering.

Tags -
the various formats which make up a style sheet- paragraph settings, margins and columns, page layouts, hyphernation and justification, widow and orphan control and automatic section numbering.

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 -
a standard layout usually containing basic details of the page dimensions.

Template -
a standard layout usually containing basic details of the page dimensions.

Template
Concerning a printing project's basic details in regard to its dimensions. A standard layout.

Tensile strength -
A paper's ability to withstand pressure.

Text -
A high quality printing paper. the written or printed material which forms the main body of a publication.

Text paper -
Grades of uncoated paper with textured surfaces. 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.

Text type -
typefaces used for the main text of written material. Generally no larger than 14 point in size.

Text type -
typefaces used for the main text of written material. Generally no larger than 14 point in size.

Text wrap - see Runaround.

Thermography -
a print finishing process producing a raised image imitating die stamping. The process takes a previously printed image which before the ink is dry is dusted with a resinous powder. The application of heat causes the ink and powder to fuse and a raised image is formed. A printing process whereby slow drying ink is applied to paper and, while the ink is still wet, is lightly dusted with a resinous powder. The paper then passes through a heat chamber where the powder melts and fuses with the ink to produce a raised surface. Method of printing using colorless resin powder that takes on the color of underlying ink. Also called raised printing.

Thin space -
the thinnest space normally used to separate words.

Thirty two sheet -
a poster size measuring 120in x 160in (3048mm x 4064mm).

Threaded or Chained (US) -
see Pipelining.

Through drier -
A slower drier that dries the ink throughout without forming a hard crust.

Thumbnails -
the first ideas or sketches of a designer noted down for future reference.

Thumbnails
Initial ideas jotted on virtually anything in regard to initial concept of a future project.

Ticket envelope -
Envelopes used mostly for theater tickets, with no other particular usage.

TIFF -
a common format for scanned photographs, generally associated with grayscale photos or bitmap line art.

Tint -
A halftone screen that contains all the same sized dots. the effect of adding white to a solid colour or of screening a solid area. Screening or adding white to a solid color for results of lightening that specific color. A shade of a single color or combined colors.

Tip in -
the separate insertion of a single page into a book either during or after binding by pasting one edge. the separate insertion of a single page into a book either during or after binding by pasting one edge. Usually in the book arena, adding an additional page(s) beyond the normal process (separate insertion).

Tissue overlay -
Usually a thin transparent paper placed over artwork for protection uses for marking color breaks and other printer instructions.

Titanium oxide -
A bright white pigment (opaque) used for printing on metal and flexible packaging.

Toluidine red -
A red pigment with poor bleed resistance.

Tone Compression
Reduction in the tonal range from original scene to printed reproduction.

Tone line process - the process of producing line art from a continuous tone original.

Tone line process - the process of producing line art from a continuous tone original.

Toolbox -
an on screen mouse operated facility that allows the user to choose from a selection of 'tools' to create simple goemetric shapes- lines, boxes, circles etc. and to add fill patterns.

Toolbox -
an on screen mouse operated facility that allows the user to choose from a selection of 'tools' to create simple goemetric shapes- lines, boxes, circles etc. and to add fill patterns.

Tooth -
The rough surfaced finish of papers such as vellum or antique.

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.

Transfer tape -
A peel and stick tape used in business forms.

Transmissive densitometer -
Instrument used to measure the coverage of exposed film.

Transparency -
A positive photographic slide on film allowing light to pass through. a full color photographically produced image on transparent film. a full colour photographically produced image on transparent film. Positive photographic image on film allowing light to pass through. Also called chrome, color transparency and tranny. Often abbreviated TX.

Transparent -
Inks that do not block out the colored inks that they print over, but instead blend with them to create intermediate colors.

Transparent copy -
A film that light must pass through for it to be seen or reproduced.

Transparent ink -
A printing ink that does not conceal the color under it.

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. See also Dry Traps and Wet Traps.

Trapping -
The ability to print one ink over the other.

Trapping -
a prepress technique which allows for variation in registration during the press run. This is done primarily by allowing an overlap between abutting colors.

Trapping -
The process of printing wet ink over printed ink, which may be wet or dry.

Trash can (US) -
the icon selected for the deleting of files or objects.

Trim -
the cutting of the finished product to the correct size. Marks are incorporated on the printed sheet to show where the trimming is to be made.

Trim -
the cutting of the finished product to the correct size. Marks are incorporated on the printed sheet to show where the trimming is to be made.

Trim marks -
Similar to crop or register marks. These marks show where to trim the printed sheet.

Trim marks -
Marks placed on the sheet to indicate where to cut the page.

Trim size -
The final size of one printed image after the last trim is made. The size of the printed material in its finished stage (e.g., the finished trim size is 5 1\2 x 8 1\2).

Turnkey -
a system designed for a specific user and to work as an integrated unit. Usually has built-in contractual responsibilities for hardware and software maintenance.

Twin wire -
paper which has an identical smooth finish on both sides.

Twin wire -
paper which has an identical smooth finish on both sides.

Twin wire machine -
Fourdrinier papermaking machines with two wires, instead of a wire and felt side. This assures higher quality when two sides are used for printing.

Two-sidedness -
The difference in feel and appearance of either side of a sheet of paper due to the papermaking process having a felt and wire side.

Typeface -
the raised surface carrying the image of a type character cast in metal. Also used to refer to a complete set of characters forming a family in a particular design or style.

Typescript -
a typed manuscript.

Typo (US) -
an abbreviation for typographical error. An error in the typeset copy.

Typographer -
a specialist in the design of printed matter, and in particular the art of typography.

Typographer -
a specialist in the design of printed matter, and in particular the art of typography.

Typography -
the design and planning of printed matter using type.

U & LC -
an abbreviation for UPPER and lower case.

UCR - Undercolor Removal. A technique for reducing the amount of magenta, yellow, and cyan in neutral areas and replacing them with an appropriate amount of black.

Uncalendared - Papers that are not smoothed by going through the calendaring process.

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.

Under-run -
Production of fewer copies than ordered. See over run.

Universal Copyright Convention (UCC) -
gives protection to authors or originators of text, photographs or illustrations etc, to prevent use without permission or acknowledgment. The publication should carry the copyright mark c, the name of the originator and the year of publication.

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 -
Printing two or three up means printing multiple copies of the same image on the same sheet. A term used to describe how many similar sheets can be produced on a larger sheet; two up, four up, etc. 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.

Upright -
A term given to books bound on the longer dimension.

UV coating - Liquid laminate bonded and cured with ultraviolet light. Environmentally friendly.

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

Vacuum frame -
Also called a contact frame; used in the platemaking process to hold materials in tight contact during exposure.

Value
The shade (darkness) or tint (lightness) of a color. Also called brightness, lightness, shade and tone.

Variable Data Printing -
Is a form of on-demand printing in which elements (such as text, graphics, photographs, etc) can be changed from one printed piece to the next, without stopping or slowing down the press, using information from a database. For example, a set of personalized letters, each with the same basic layout, can be printed with a different name and address on each letter.

Varnish -
A clear liquid applied to printed surfaces for looks and protection. (UV coating looks better.)

Varnish -
The primary component of the ink vehicle. See also vehicle.

Varnish
Liquid applied as a coating for protection and appearance.

Varnishing -
a finishing process whereby a transparent varnish is applied over the printed sheet to produce a glossy finish.

Varnishing -
a finishing process whereby a transparent varnish is applied over the printed sheet to produce a glossy finish.

Vehicle -
A combination of varnish, waxes, dryers, etc., which contains the pigment of inks and controls the flow, the drying and the adhesion of the pigments to the
Vellum -
A finish of paper that is rough, bulky and has a degree of tooth.

Vellum -
the treated skin of a calf used as a writing material. The name is also used to describe a thick creamy book paper.

Vellum -
the treated skin of a calf used as a writing material. The name is also used to describe a thick creamy book paper.

Vellum Finish
Somewhat rough, toothy finish.

Velour paper -
A term given to papers that are coated with an adhesive and then flock dusted.

Velox -
A photographic print that is made from a negative. Brand name for high-contrast photographic paper.

Verso -
The left hand page of an open book. (b) A term given to the left-hand or even-numbered pages of a book.

Vertical justification -
the ability to ajust the interline spacing (leading) and manipulation of text in fine Vertical justification - the ability to ajust the interline spacing (leading) and manipulation of text in fine increments to make columns and pages end at the same point on a page.

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 -
A photo or illustration, in which the tones fade gradually away until they blend with the surface they are printed on.

Vignette -
a small illustration in a book not enclosed in a definite border.

Vignette
Decorative design or illustration fade to white.

Vignette halftone -
A halftone whose background gradually fades to white.

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.

W&B -
An abbreviation for work and back. See also sheetwise.

W&T -
An abbreviation for work and turn.

Walk-off -
A term given to the occurrence of plate deterioration of the image area during the printing process; usually occurs on long runs.

Washup -
Removing printing ink from a press, washing the rollers and blanket. Certain ink colors require multiple washups to avoid ink and chemical contamination. ( b) The procedure of cleaning a particular ink from all of the printing elements (rollers, plate, ink fountain etc.) of a press.

Waste -
A term for planned spoilage.

Waste -
Unusable paper or paper damage during normal makeready, printing or binding operations, as compared to spoilage.

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.

Watermark -
A translucent logo that is embossed during the papermaking process while the paper slurry is on the dandy roll. See also dandy roll.

Watermark -
an impression incorporated in the paper making process showing the name of the paper and/or the company logo.

Watermark -
an impression incorporated in the paper making process showing the name of the paper and/or the company logo.

Watermark
Translucent logo in paper created during manufacturing by slight embossing from a dandy roll while paper is still approximately 90 percent water.

Web -
A roll of printing paper.

Web -
a continuous roll of printing paper used on web-fed presses.

Web -
a continuous roll of printing paper used on web-fed presses.

Web -
The roll of paper that is used in web or rotary printing.

Web break -
A tear in a web roll during the printing process.

Web Break
Split of the paper as it travels through a web press, causing operators to rethread the press.

Web Gain
Unacceptable stretching of paper as it passes through the press.

Web Press
A printing press that prints on rolls of paper passed through the press in one continuous piece, as opposed to sheets of paper. (b) 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). (c) The name of a type of presses that print from rolls of paper.

Web tension -
The term given to the tension or pull exerted by the web press on the web roll.

Wedding paper -
A soft paper that is thick and holds up well under embossing.

Weight -
the degree of boldness or thickness of a letter or font.

Wet Trap
To print ink or varnish over wet ink, as compared to dry trap.

Wet trapping -
The ability of an ink film to accept subsequent ink films.

WF -
an abbreviation for 'wrong fount'. Used when correcting proofs to indicate where a character is in the wrong typeface.

Widow -
A single word or two left at the end of a paragraph, or a part of a sentence ending a paragraph, which loops over to the next page and stands alone. Also, the last sentence of a paragraph, which contains only one or two short words.

Window -
A solid black area in a pasteup or electronic document where a photograph or line art will be inserted in the stripping department.

Window (1)
In a printed product, a die-cut hole revealing an image on the sheet behind it. (2) On a mechanical, an area that has been marked for placement of a piece of artwork.

Wipe on plate -
A plate on which is wiped a light sensitive coating by a coating device; usually the first step in this type of platemaking.

Wire -
the wire mesh used at the wet end of the paper making process. The wire determines the textures of the paper.

Wire O -
A bindery trade name for mechanical binding using double loops of wire through a hole.

Wire side -
That side of the paper that lies on the wire screen side of the papermaking machine.

Wire Side
Side of the paper that rests against The Fourdrinier wire during papermaking, as compared to felt side.

Wire-O binding - A
method of wire binding books along the binding edge that will allow the book to lay flat using double loops. See Wire O.
With the grain - Folding or feeding paper into the press or folder parallel to the grain of the paper.
With the Grain
Parallel to the grain direction of the paper being used, as compared to against the grain. See also Grain Direction.

Woodfree Paper
Made with chemical pulp only. Paper usually classified as calendered or supercalendered.
Word break -
the division of a word at the end of a line.


Word wrap -
in word processing, the automatic adjustment of the number of words on a line of text to match the margin settings. The carriage returns set up by this method are termed "soft", as against "hard" carriage returns resulting from the return key being pressed.

Word wrap -
in word processing, the automatic adjustment of the number of words on a line of text to match the margin settings. The carriage returns set up by this method are termed "soft", as against "hard" carriage returns resulting from the return key being pressed.

Work and tumble -
a method of printing where pages are again imposed together. The sheet is then printed on one side with the sheet being turned or tumbled from front to rear to print the opposite side.

Work and turn -
Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from left to right ussing the same side guides and plate for the second side.

Work and turn -
a method of printing where pages are imposed in one forme or assembled on one film. One side is then printed and the sheet is then turned over and printed from the other edge using the same forme. The finished sheet is then cut to produce two complete copies.

Working Film
Intermediate film that will be copied to make final film after all corrections are made. Also called buildups.

Wove -
a finely textured paper without visible wire marks. (b) A smooth paper made on finely textured wire that gives the paper a gentle patterned finish. (c) A paper having a uniform unlined surface with a smooth finish.

Wrinkles -
The unevenly dried surface of printed inks.

Writing paper -
Another name for bond paper.

Wrong Reading -
An image that is backwards when compared to the original. Also called flopped and reverse reading.

WYSIWYG -
What-you-see-is-what-you-get (pronounced "wizzywig") - used to describe systems that preview full pages on the screen with text and graphics. The term can however be a little misleading due to difference in the resolution of the computer screen and that of the page printer.