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Printing Glossary
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Accordian Fold: A bindery term which means two or more parallel folds which result in a sheet that opens up like an accordian.
Against the Grain: Perpendicular to the grain direction of paper.
Aliasing: A defect that is caused by a graphic file which does not have enough resolution to reproduce image detail and causes visible jagged lines along the image edges.
Artwork: The original copy from the customer which includes all graphics, text, illustrations & photos.
Backup: To print on the reverse side of a printed sheet.
Bind: The process where sheets are fastened together into brochures, booklets, catalogs or books by using coils, wires, staples, or glue.
Bindery: The final step of a printing process which includes cutting, trimming, drilling, collating, folding and stapling.
Bitmap: An image file format which refers to rows and columns of dots or pixels which represent the image.
Blanket: A heavy rubber coated pad used on a printing press which is used to transfer ink from the plates to the paper.
Bleed: Printing which extends beyond the edges of a final trimmed piece of paper. More information about bleeds is available in our Printing FAQ.
Blind Embossing: A finishing process in which a design is formed into a sheet using a die causing a slightly raised image.
Bond Paper: Low cost and lightweight paper most often used for newsletters and stationary.
Brightness: The reflective quality or brilliance of paper which affects contrast in printing processes.
Bulk: The thickness of paper relative to weight.
C1S: Acronym for paper coated on one side only.
C2S: Acronym for papers coated on both sides.
Caliper: A way to measure paper thickness which is normally expressed in thousandths of an inch or points.
Camera-Ready Art: A file which is print ready.
Cast Coated: A type of paper which is coated with a high gloss finish.
Coated Paper: Paper which has a thin clay coating on its surface.
Collate: A finishing term which means placing sheets in the correct finished order.
Color Balance: A term which means the proper ratio of cyan, yellow, magenta and black ink to produce the proper resultant color.
Color Bar: A strip of color printed on the edge of a sheet by an offset press which is used to validate color accuracy.
Color Correction: Methods of adjusting color in a machine.
Colorimeter: A light sensitive device used for measuring color with a response that simulates the average human eye.
Comb Bind: A common binding method which uses a plastic comb.
Computer-To-Plate: A technology that utilizes the transfer of digital data directly to a printing plate.
Contrast: The range of differences between the lightest and darkest colors in an image.
Copy: Materials used for printing.
Cover Paper: Heavyweight paper that is commonly used for brochures, covers of books, and postcards.
Crop: The virtual or actual cutting or trimming of the sides of an image.
Crop Marks: Lines printed at the edges of a printed sheet that detail where the paper is to be trimmed.
Cyan: One of the 4 basic colors of a four color printing process.
Densitometer: An instrument used to measure the density of colored printing.
Die: A metal plate used for making a impressed design on papers.
Direct Imaging: A new technology that directly transfers the digital image to press plates using lasers.
DI Pres:s An offset press which utilizes direct imaging (DI) technology.
Dot: Also known as a pixel, the smallest element of a halftone.
Dot Gain: The spreading of inks on paper.
Dots Per Inch (DPI): A defined measurement of resolution of a printed image which is defined by the number of dots (pixels) that are fitted into a 1 inch by 1 inch square.
Emboss: A common finishing process which presses an image into a paper which creates a raised image.
Flood: The process of covering the entire sheet of paper with varnish or ink.
Foil: A thin metal film which is applied to paper in foil embossing and foil stamping.
Foil Emboss: A process of stamping foil onto paper using a special die.
Foil Stamping: A common process of pressing foil onto paper using a heated die.
Four Color Process: A printing process which creates a color image by using the 4 colors of cyan, magenta, yellow and black (K).
Four Over Four (4/4): Four color printing on both sides of the piece of paper.
Four Over One (4/1): Four color printing on one side and one color printing on the other side of paper.
Four Over Zero (4/0): Four color printing on one side and no printing on the back side of a piece of paper.
Gang Runs: A method of printing in which multiple images (files) are printed on the same piece of paper to save setup costs.
Ghosting: A printing defect in which a faint image appears across a printed page in offset printing.
Gloss: A shiny surface paper coating.
Grain: The direction that fibers in paper are aligned.
Grayscale: An image which consists of multiple shades of black and gray.
Grippers: Small metal fingers in a offset press which grab and hold the paper as it is printed.
Guide: A metal rail that guides paper through a press as it is printed.
Halftone: The pattern of dots within a grid which produces a continuous tone image.
Hickey: A defect in a printed sheet caused by lint, dried ink, or dust or other contaminants.
House Stock: Paper that is normally stocked in-house.
Image Area: The portion of a sheet which can be printed.
Imposition: The process of organizing pages in the correct order so they are printed properly.
Impression: Occurs when an image is printed on paper from a plate in an offset press.
Ink Fountain: The part in the offset press which contains the ink.
Magenta: - One of the 4 basic colors in a 4 color printing process.
Matte: The coating on paper which is dull.
Micrometer: A measurement tool which is used to measure the thickness of paper.
Opacity: - A measurement of paper which describes the show through of printing on a sheet of paper.
Overrun: - The over producton of printed materials.
Page Count: Total number of pages in a printed document.
Pantone Matching System: The standard color matching system used by most graphic designers and printers.
Perfect Bind: A technique for binding commonly used for books whereas the edge of book is glued to cover.
Perforation: The process of peircing small holes for tearing or folding.
Plate: A flat sheet of metal or other material used in a offset printing press for producing images.
Process Colors: The 4 colors used for printing full color (cyan, yellow, magenta, black).
Ream: A common quantity of paper, typically 500 sheets.
Raster Image Processor (RIP): An electronic machine which converts data into pixels.
Resolution: The number of pixels in a printed image commonly expressed as pixels per inch (ppi) or dots per inch (dpi).
RGB: Red, green, blue. These colors are used in video displays.
Rich Black: A deep and dark color of black created by combining other process colors with black.
Saddle Stitch: A bindery process which uses multiple staples to hold the spine of a booklet together.
Score: A crease in a piece of paper which allows it to fold easier and without cracking.
Self Cover: For booklets, defined as where the cover is the same type and weight of paper as the text.
Signature: A full sheet of paper before folding or stitching.
Spine: The bound edge of a book.
Spot Varnish: Application of varnish to specific parts of paper.
Step-And-Repeat: The process of printing the same image in different places on a plate or paper.
Stock: The paper which will be used for printing the image on.
Trim Marks: Lines printed on the sheet to designate where to trim.
Typesetting: A process of arranging artwork or test in preparation for printing.
Uncoated: A paper which has no coating.
Up: Common term used to describe how many times the same image is printed on a sheet of paper.
UV Coating: A clear plastic coating which is applied to paper in a liquid form and cured by ultraviolet light.
Varnish: A clear liquid coating applied to paper printed products during the printing process.
Watermark: A design created in paper during the production of the paper which is visible in the paper.
Wire-O: A common binding method which uses wire with double loops.
With The Grain: The folding of paper which goes in the same direction as the paper grain goes.
Work-And-Tumble: Print the second side of a sheet by flipping the sheet over head to tail.
