Alteration
Any change made by the customer after copy or artwork has been given to the service bureau, separator or printer. The change could be in copy, specifications or both. Also called AA, author alteration and customer alteration.
 

Aqueous Coating
Coating in a water base and applied like ink by a printing press to protect and enhance the printing underneath.
 

Artwork
All original copy, including type, photos and illustrations, intended for printing. Also called art.
 

Bind
Usually in the book arena, but not exclusively, the joining of leafs or signatures together with either wire, glue or other means.
 

Bindery
Usually a department within a printing company responsible for collating, folding and trimming various printing projects.
 

Bleed
Printing that extends to the edge of a sheet or page after trimming.
 

Blueline
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.
 

Body
The main text of work not including the headlines.
 

Brand
In marketing, a brand is the symbolic embodiment of all the information connected with a product or service. A brand typically includes a name, logo, and other visual elements such as images or symbols. It also encompasses the set of expectations associated with a product or service which typically arise in the minds of people. Such people include employees of the brand owner, people involved with distribution, sale or supply of the product or service, and ultimate consumers.
 

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

Clip art
Ready-made pieces of printed or computerized graphic art, such as illustrations, borders, and backgrounds, that can be electronically copied and used to decorate a document.
 

CMYK
Abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black), the four process colors.
 

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.
 

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

Comb Bind
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).
 

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

Crop extend. Cropping, trim, trimming
To crop an image is to trim it to a size that best enhances the contents or to make it fit into the allocated space in the design.
 

Crop Marks
Lines near the edges of an image indicating portions to be reproduced. Also called cut marks and tic marks.
 

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

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

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

DPI
Considered as "dots per square inch," a measure of output resolution in relationship to printers, imagesetters and monitors.
 

Drop shadow
A drop-shadow is the shading effect used to give the appearance of raised type or graphics on the designed page.
 

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

Dummy
Simulation of the final product. Also called mockup.
 

Emboss
To press an image into paper so it lies above the surface. Also called cameo and tool.
 

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

Estimator
The individual performing or creating the "estimate."
 

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

Foil Emboss
To foil stamp and emboss an image. Also called heat stamp.
 

Foil Stamp
Method of printing that releases foil from its backing when stamped with the heated die. Also called block print, hot foil stamp and stamp.

Font
A font is a complete set of characters in a particular style and typically consists of a full letter set, number set and all other special characters you get by pressing the shift, control or option keys. Examples of fonts include "Arial", "Courier New" etc.

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


Four-color Process Printing
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.
 

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.
 

Head or Headline
A line of text, usually set off using a larger size and in bold, serving to indicate what the copy below it is about.
 

Job Ticket
Form used by service bureaus, separators and printers to specify production schedule of a job and the materials it needs. It’s also called a docket, production order and work order.
 

Laminate
A thin transparent plastic sheet (coating) applied to usually a thick stock (covers, post cards, etc.) providing protection against liquid and heavy use, and usually accents existing color, providing a glossy (or lens) effect.
 

Layout
A sample of the original providing (showing) position of printed work (direction, instructions) needed and desired.
 

Leading
Amount of space between lines of type usually measured in points.
 

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.
 

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.
 

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

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.
 

News Print
Paper used in printing newspapers. Considered low quality and "a short life use."
 

Offset Printing
Printing technique that transfers ink from a plate to a blanket to paper instead of directly from plate to paper.
 

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
(1) Not transparent.
(2) To cover flaws in negative with tape or opaquing paint. Also called block out and spot.
 

Over Run
Additional printed matter beyond order. Overage policy varies in the printing industry. Advance questions avoid blind knowledge.
 

Page
One side of a leaf in a publication.
 

Page Count
Total number of pages that a publication has. Also called extent.
 

Page Proof
Proof of type and graphics as they will look on the finished page complete with elements such as headings, rules and folios.
 

Parallel Fold
Method of folding. Two parallel folds to a sheet will produce 6 panels.
 

Perfect Bind
To bind sheets that have been ground at the spine and are held to the cover by glue. Also called adhesive bind, cut-back bind, glue bind, paper bind, patent bind, perfecting bind, soft bind and soft cover. See also Burst Perfect Bind.
 

Perf Marks
On a "dummy" marking where the perforation is to occur.
 

Pica
A unit of measure in the printing industry. A pica is approximately 0.166 in. There are 12 points to a pica.
 

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.
 

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.
 

Press Check
Event at which makeready sheets from the press are examined before authorizing full production to begin.
 

Press Proof
Proof made on press using the plates, ink and paper specified for the job. Also called strike off and trial proof.
 

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.
 

Production Run
Press run intended to manufacture products as specified, as compared to makeready.
 

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.
 

Ream
500 sheets of paper.
 

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.
 

Register Marks
Cross-hair lines on mechanicals and film that help keep flats, plates, and printing in register. Also called crossmarks and position marks.
 

Resolution
The resolution of an image is an important factor in determining the attainable output quality. The higher the resolution of an image, the less pixilated it will be and the curves of the image will appear smoother.
 

RGB
Abbreviation for red, green, blue, the additive color primaries.
 

Saddle Stitch
To bind by stapling sheets together where they fold at the spine, as compared to side stitch. Also called pamphlet stitch, saddle wire and stitch bind.
 

Satin Finish
Alternate term for dull finish on coated paper.
 

Score
To compress paper along a straight line so it folds more easily and accurately. Also called crease.


Soy-based Inks
Inks using vegetable oils instead of petroleum products as pigment vehicles, thus are easier on the environment.


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.
 

Spoilage
Paper that, due to mistakes or accidents, must be thrown away instead of delivered printed to the customer, as compared to waste.
 

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.
 

Thermography
Method of printing using colorless resin powder that takes on the color of underlying ink. Also called raised printing.
 

Uncoated Paper
Paper that has not been coated with clay. Also called offset paper.
 

UV Coating
Liquid applied to a printed sheet, then bonded and cured with ultraviolet light.
 

Varnish
Liquid applied as a coating for protection and appearance.
 

Vellum Finish
Somewhat rough, toothy finish.

For a complete list of printing terms, visit:

http://www.morganpress.com/glossary.html