A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W

A
Acid-free Paper – is paper that has a neutral or basic pH (7 or slightly greater). It can be made from any cellulose fiber as long as the active acid pulp is eliminated during processing. It is also lignin and sulfur free. Acid-free paper addresses the problem of preserving documents for long periods.

Airbrush – is a small, air-operated tool that sprays various media including ink and dye

Alteration – any changes made by the customer before and after artwork is serviced. Also called AA, author alterations.

Aqueous Coating – is a fast-drying, water-based coating applied like ink to protect and enhance the printing

Artwork – all original copy, such as type, photos and illustrations, which is submitted for printing

Author’s Alterations (AA’s) – changes made at the customer’s request once the artwork has been proofed

B
Back Up – to print on the opposite side of a sheet with print already printed on one side; the process of aligning the image on one side back-to-back with the image on the other side

Basic Size – standard paper sizes created to calculate basis weight in the United States and Canada

Bind – process of joining leafs or signatures together with either wire, glue or other means

Bindery – department within a printing company where sheets of (usually) paper are fastened together for various printing projects

Bleed – is a printing term that refers to printing that goes beyond the edge of the sheet after trimming. The bleed is the part on the side of your document that gives the printer that small amount of space to move around paper and design inconsistencies.

Blind Image – an image that is debossed, embossed or stamped, but is not printed with ink or foil.

Blow-Up – an enlargement of images that are usually graphic images or photographs

Blueline – A reproduction of the material submitted for printing, computer-generated or printed from film, provided to the customer for approval before the material is printed.

Blurb – is a short summary or some words of praise accompanying a creative work

Body – refers to the main text of work

Boiler Plate – blocks of repetitive type used and copied over and over again

Bond Paper – is a high quality durable writing paper similar to bank paper but having a weight greater than 50 g/m². The name comes from it having originally been made for documents such as government bonds. It is now used for letterheads, other stationery and as paper for electronic printers.

Book Paper –is a paper which is designed specifically for the publication of printed books, magazines, catalogs, advertising and general printing needs . Also called publishing paper.

Border – A decorative design or rule surrounding matter on a page

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

Build a Color – process of overlapping two or more screen tints to create a new color

Bulk – thickness of paper that is relative to its basic weight

C
Camera-ready Copy – a complete copy of the materials, requiring no further work before being printed

Camera Service – business using a process camera to make photostats, halftones, plates and other elements for printing

Carbonless Paper – allows reproduction of an image from one sheet to another with pressure from writing and typing

Carton – a unit of paper generally weighing about 150 pounds containing anywhere from 500 to 5,000 sheets of paper, depending on sheet size and basis weight

Case Bind – type of binding involving binders with fabric, plastic or leather covers

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

Check Copy – production copy of a publication verified by the customer as printed, finished and bound correctly

CMYK – refers to the four inks used in most color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key black

Coated Paper – is paper which has been coated by a compound to impart certain qualities to the paper, including weight and surface gloss, smoothness or ink absorbency

Collate – involves organizing the printed material into a specific order that was requested

Collating Marks – a distinctive, numbered symbol printed on the back of signatures to indicate the correct gathering sequence

Color Balance – is the global adjustment of the intensities of the colors (typically red, green, and blue primary colors)

Color Break – the point, line or space at which one color stops and another begins within an image using multiple colors

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 bar.

Color Correct – process of adjusting colors to achieve desirable colors

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

Color Gamut – is a certain complete subset of colors in color reproduction

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

Color Separation – process of separating the original artwork into red, green, and blue components

Color Sequence – the order in which inks are printed

Color Transparency – film (transparent) used as art to perform color separations

Comb Bind – is one of many ways to bind pages together into a book. This method utilizes round plastic spines with 19 rings (for US Letter size) or 21 rings (for A4 size) and a hole puncher that makes rectangular holes.

Commercial Printer – a printer capable of printing a wide range of products such as announcements, brochures, posters, booklets, stationery, business forms, books and magazines

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 – process of combining two or more images onto one piece of film

Composite Proof – proof of color separations in position with graphics and type

Composition – is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art

Comprehensive Dummy – mock-up of a printed piece complete with type, graphics and colors

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

Contrast – is the difference in visual properties that makes an object (or its representation in an image) distinguishable from other objects and the background

Cover – thick paper that protects a publication and displays its title

Coverage - amount to which ink covers the surface of a substrate

Cover Paper – a category of heavier weight paper used for products such as posters, menus, folders and covers of paperback books

Creep – when the middle pages of a folded signature extending slightly beyond outside pages

Crop Marks – lines near the edge of a page signifying portions to be reproduced

Crossover – type or art that continues from one page of a book or magazine across the gutter and onto the opposite page

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

Customer Service Representative – employee of a printer, service bureau, separator or other business who interacts with customers to provide answers to inquiries involving a company’s product or services

Cutoff – 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

Cut Sizes – paper sizes used with office machines and small presses

Cutting Machine – a machine that cuts stacks of paper to desired sizes

Cutting Die – a custom ordered item in which specific trims and unusual sized printing projects are requested

Cyan – one of the four process colors

D
Data Compression – a technique for reducing the number of bits needed to save and store an item of digital data

Deboss – pressing an image into paper so it lies below the surface creating a sunken area

Density – the relative thickness of a layer of printed ink; the relative ability of a color to absorb light reflected from it or block light passing through it

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

Die – device used to cut, score, stamp, emboss or deboss

Die Cut – process of using a die to cut irregular shapes in paper or paperboard

Digital Proofing – proofing directly from digital files that are transferred onto paper via laser or inkjet

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

Dog Ear – is an informal name for folding the corner of  a page

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

Double Bump – to print a single image twice so it has two layers of ink

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.

DPI – measure of an images resolution in relationship to printers, monitors, and imagesetters

Drill – to drill a hole in a printed matter

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 – refers to a change in color once the ink dries

Dull Finish – flat (not glossy) finish on coated paper

Dummy – mock-up of the final product

Duotone – is a halftone reproduction of an image using the superimposition of one contrast color halftone (traditionally black) over another color halftone

Duplex Paper – thick paper made by pasting highlights together two thinner sheets, usually of different colors

Dylux – name associated to photographic paper used to make blueline proofs

E
Electronic Image Assembly – assembly of a composite image from portions of other images and/or other page elements using a computer

Electronic Publishing – 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

Emboss - to press an image into paper so it lies above the surface

Emulsion – casting of light-sensitive chemicals on papers, films, printing plates and stencils

English Finish – smooth finish on uncoated book paper; smoother than eggshell, rougher than smooth

Engraving – is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it

EP – abbreviation for envelope

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

Equivalent Paper – paper that is not brand specified, but looks, costs, and prints similarly

Estimate – an approximation of what the job will cost

Estimator – individual who creates the estimate

Etch – process of using chemicals to carve an image into glass, metal or film

F
Face – edge of a bound publication opposite the spine

Fake Duotone - halftone in one ink color printed over screen tint of a second ink color

Fifth Color – an ink color used in addition to four necessary for the four-color process

Film Laminate – a thin sheet that is bonded to a printed product for either protection or increased gloss

Fine Papers – papers made specifically for writing or commercial printing

Fine Screen – screen that uses rulings of 150 lines per inch (80 lines per centimeter) or more

Finish – generally refers to post-press operations, such as trimming, binding, and folding. It could also refer to the surface characteristics of the paper

Finished Size – size of the product once it is completed

Fixed Costs – costs that do not change regardless of how many pieces are printed

Flat Color – any color created that is printed using only one ink, as compared to a color created using a four-color process

Flat Size – size of a product after it is printed and trimmed

Flood – process of printing a sheet completely with an ink or varnish

Flush Cover – a cover that is trimmed to match the size of the inside pages

Foil Emboss – process of foiling a stamp to emboss an image

Foil Stamp – method of printing that releases foil from its backing when stamped with the heated die

Folder – a machine that folds printed materials

Fold Marks – markers that indicate where the folds on printed materials are to occur

Foldout – an oversize page that is bounded in a publication and is folded to page size

Format – size, style, shape, layout or organization of a layout or printed product

Form bond – Lightweight bond, easy to perforate, made for business forms

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

Four-color Process Printing – technique that uses the colors black, magenta, cyan and yellow to produce full-color images

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

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

G
Galley Proof – proof of type from any Source, whether metal type or photo type

Gang – to reproduce two or more different printed products simultaneously on one sheet of paper during one press run

Gate Fold – process of  folding both sides of a paper inward so that they create overlapping layers

Ghost Halftone – a normal halftone with a reduced density to create a faint image

Ghosting – a faint image that appears on a printed sheet where it was not intended to appear

Gloss – consider the light reflecting on various objects in the printing industry

Gloss Ink – Ink that is used and printed on coated stock

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 – a screen tint that changes in density both gradually and smoothly

Graphic Arts – is a term applied historically to the art of printmaking and drawing. In contemporary usage it refers to the applied trade-skills of a pressman, pre-press technician, or typesetter

Graphic Design – process in which various methods are used to create and combine symbols, images and/or words to create a visual representation of ideas and messages

Graphics – are visualpresentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain

Gray Scale – a strip displaying a series of shades of the color grey from white to black

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

Gutter – the blank space or inner margin from printing that are found towards the back or on the binding edges

H
Hairline (Rule) – subjective term referring to very small space, thin line or close register

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 – is the reprographic technique that simulates continuous tone imagery through the use of dots, varying either in size or in spacing

Halftone Screen – piece of film or glass containing a grid of lines that breaks light into dots

Halo Effect – faint shadow sometimes surrounding halftone dots printed

Hard Dots – halftone dots without 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

Head(er) – space at the top of the page, the margin

Hickey – spot or imperfection in printing, most visible in areas of heavy ink coverage, caused by dirt on the plate or blanket

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

Highlights – the lightest portion of a photograph or halftone

Hinged Cover - 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

HLS – stands for hue, lightness and saturation

Hot Spot – refers to a noticeable defect that appears on an image due to dirt or an air bubble interfering in the printmaking process

House Sheet – paper kept in stock by a printer and suitable for a variety of printing jobs

Hue – a specific color, such as red or blue

I
Image Area – a specific area on the printed matter that is not restricted to ink coverage

Imposition – a fundamental step in the prepress printing process which consists of arranging the printed product’s pages on the printer’s sheet, in order to obtain a faster printing, simplified binding and no waste of paper

Impression – referring to an ink color, one impression equals one press sheet passing once through a printing unit

Imprint – to print new copy on a previously printed sheet

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

Ink Jet Printing – a method of printing that involves spraying droplets of ink through computer-controlled nozzles

Inserts – an additional item that is placed loosely, not bounded, within a publication

Integral Proof – color proof of separations shown on one piece of proofing paper, as compared to an overlay proof

Interleaves – printed pages loosely inserted in a publication

J
Job Number – a number that is assigned to a specific printing project in a printing company for the purpose of tracking and historical record keeping

Job Ticket – form used by service bureaus, separators and printers to specify production schedule of a job and the materials it needs

K
Keylines – lines on a mechanical or negative showing the exact size, shape and location of photographs or other graphic elements

Kiss Die Cut – process of die cutting only the top layer, and not the backing layer, of self-adhesive paper

Kraft Paper – a strong and relatively coarse paper produced by the kraft process from wood pulp that is used for wrapping and to make grocery bags and large envelopes

L
Laminate – thin transparent plastic sheet applied to usually a thick stock providing protection against liquid and heavy use, and usually accents existing color, providing a glossy effect

Landscape – artist style in which width is greater than height

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

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

Layout – a structured arrangement of items

Leading – the amount of space between lines of type

Leaf – one sheet of paper in a publication

Ledger Paper – strong, smooth bond paper used for keeping business records

Letter fold – two folds creating three panels that allow a sheet of letterhead to fit a business envelope

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

Legend – either directions about a specific matter within an illustration or an explanation of signs or symbols used on a map or table

Letterpress – method of printing from raised surfaces, either metal type or plates whose surfaces have been etched away from image areas

Lightweight Paper – book paper with basis weight less than 40# (60 gsm)

Line Copy – any high-contrast image, including type, as compared to continuous-tone copy

Linen Finish – embossed finish on text paper that simulates the pattern of linen cloth

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

Logo (Logotype) – a graphic, symbol or emblem commonly employed by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition

Looseleaf – binding method allowing insertion and removal of pages in a publication

Loose Proof – proof of a halftone or color separation that is not assembled with other elements from a page, as compared to composite proof

Loupe – a type of magnification device used to see small details more closely

M
Magenta – one of the four process colors

Makeready – all activities required to prepare a press or other machine to function for a specific printing or bindery job, as compared to production run

Margin – the edge of the paper that remains blank

Mark-Up – instructions that are written on a “dummy” copy

Mask – to prevent light from reaching part of an image, therefore isolating the remaining part

Match Print – a form of a four-color-process proofing system

Matte Finish – a finish on photographic paper or coated printing paper that is flat and not glossy

Mechanical – camera-ready assembly of type, graphic and other copy complete with instructions to the printer

Mechanical Bind – binding that uses a comb, coil, ring binder, post or any other technique not requiring gluing, sewing or stitching

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

Mechanical Tint – lines or patterns formed with dots creating artwork for reproduction

Metallic Ink – ink that contains powdered metal or pigments that simulate metal and produce an effect of gold, silver, bronze or metallic colors

Midtones – an area within a photograph or illustration that displays average tonal values, as compared to highlights or shadows

Mock Up – a reproduction of an original that provides instructions and/or directions creating a rough visual of a publications or design

Moire – a pattern that emerges when two grids are superimposed over one another, usually unintended and undesirable in many applications such as in weaving and screenprinting

Monarch – paper size (7′ x 10′) and envelope shape often used for personal stationery

Mottle – an irregular pattern of light and dark areas as a result of spotty, uneven ink absorption

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

N
Natural Color – a paper color described as very light brown. Also called antique, cream, ivory, off-white or mellow white

Nested – signatures assembled inside one another in the proper sequence for binding, as compared to gathered

News Print – an inexpensive paper used for printing newspapers

Novelty Printing – printing done on novelty products, such as coasters, pencils, balloons, golf balls and ashtrays. Also known as advertising specialties or premiums

O
Offset Printing – commonly used printing technique where the inked image is transferred (or “offset”) from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface

Opacity – characteristic of paper or other substrate that prevents printing on one side from showing through the other side

Onion Skin – A specific lightweight type of paper usually used in the past for air mail

Opaque – not transparent or translucent

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 Halftone – halftone in which background has been removed or replaced to isolate or silhouette the main image

Overlay – layer(s) of material taped to a mechanical, photo or proof that are used to carry instructions about the underlying copy and to protect the base art

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.

Overprint – to print over an area that already has been printed

Over Run – additional matter that is printed beyond the given order

P
Page Count – total number of pages in a publication

Page Proof – a trial page or proof that has been made up to reflect the type and graphics as they will look on the finished page complete with elements such as headings, rules and folios

Pagination – refers to the numbering of pages

Painted Sheet – refers to the final product, not the press sheet, and means that 100 percent coverage results from bleeds off all four sides

Panel – One page of a brochure, such as one panel of a rack brochure. One panel is on one side of the paper

Paper Plate – a printing plate made of strong and durable paper that is cost effective in the short run offset arena

Parallel Fold – a method of folding. For example, in a brochure, two parallel folds on a sheet of paper creates 6 panels

Paste-up – refers to a method of creating, or laying out, publication pages that are completed, or camera-ready

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

Perfect Bind – to bind sheets that have been ground at the spine and are held to the cover by glue

Perfecting Press – press capable of printing both sides of the paper during a single pass

Perf Marks – markings on a paper that indicate where the perforation is to occur

Perforating – to make a line of holes in a thin material to allow separation at the line for an easy tear-off section on a printed material

Pica – is a typographic unit of measure corresponding to 1/72nd of its respective foot, and therefore to 1/6th of an inch. The pica contains 12 point units of measure

Photoengraving – the process of engraving using photographic processing techniques

Photostat – brand name for a diffusion transfer process used to make positive paper prints of line copy and halftones

Pickup Art – artwork that is to be incorporated in a current job that was used in a previous job

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

Pixel – one of the tiny dots that make up the representation of an image in a computer’s memory

Planographic Printing – printing method whose image carriers are level surfaces with inked areas separated from noninked areas by chemical means

Plate – piece of paper, metal, plastic or rubber carrying an image to be reproduced using a printing press

PMS – the correct trade name of the colors in the Pantone Matching System is Pantone colors, not PMS Colors

Point – regarding paper, a unit of thickness equating 1/1000 inch; regarding type, a unit of measure equaling 1/12 pica and .013875 inch (.351mm)

Positive Film – film that prevents light from passing through images

Post Bind – to bind using a screw and post inserted through a hole in a pile of loose sheets

Prepress – term used in the printing and publishing industries for the processes and procedures that occur between the creation of a print layout and the final printing

Prepress Proof – any color proof made using ink jet, toner, dyes or overlays

Preprint – to print portions of sheets that will be used for later imprinting

Press Check – an event in which makeready sheets from the press are examined before authorizing full production to begin

Press Time – time that a publication is sent to be printed

Price Break – quantity at which unit cost of paper or printing drops

Printer Spreads – mechanicals made so they are imposed for printing

Printing – process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press

Printing Plate – surface carrying an image to be printed

Process Color (Inks) – the colors used for four-color process printing: yellow, magenta, cyan and black

Production Run – press run intended to manufacture products as specified

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

Q
Quick Printing – printing using small sheet fed presses, called duplicators, using cut sizes of bond and offset paper

Quotation – price that is approximated by a printer to produce a specific job

R
Rag Paper – paper that is made of cotton or linen rags

Reader Spread – mechanicals made in two page spreads as readers would see the pages

Ream – term that refers to 500 sheets of paper

Recycled Paper – paper made entirely or in part from old paper

Register Marks – marks or lines used on layout to assure proper registration

Resolution – describes the level of detail or sharpness an image holds

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

RGB – abbreviation for red, green, blue, the additive color primaries

Right Reading – copy that reads correctly in the language in which it is written

Rotary Press – printing press which passes the substrate between two rotating cylinders when making an impression

S
Saddle Stitch – to bind by stapling sheets together where they fold at the spine

Satin Finish – another term used to describe a dull finish on coated paper

Scale – to identify the percent by which photographs or art should be enlarged or reduced to achieve, the correct size for printing

Scanner – an electronic device used to scan an image

Score – to compress paper along a straight line so it folds more easily and accurately

Screen Density – refers to the percentage of ink coverage that a screen tint allows to print

Screen Tint – color that is created by a series dots instead of solid ink coverage

Self Cover – refers to a publication that does not have a cover stock

Self Mailer – a printed item that can be mailed independently

Separated Art – art with elements that print in the base color on one surface and elements that print in other colors on other surfaces

Separations – separate film holding images of one specific color per piece of film usually using the four-color process

Shade – a specific color that is made darker by the addition of black, as compared to tint

Shadows – darkest areas of a photograph or illustration

Sheetfed Press – press that prints sheets of paper

Sheetwise – technique of printing one side of a sheet with one set of plates, then the other side of the sheet with a set of different plates

Shingling – allowance that is made during paste-up or stripping to compensate for creep

Side stitch – form of binding that involves stapling through the sheets on one edge

Signature – printed sheet folded at least once, possibly many times, to become part of a book, magazine or other publication

Slip Sheets – separate sheets (stock) independent from the original run positioned between the “printed run” for a variety of reasons

Solid – refers to any area of the sheet receiving 100 percent ink coverage

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

Specially Printer – printer whose equipment, supplies, work flow and marketing is targeted to a particular category of products

Specifications – precise, written directions or instructions referring to a specific printing job

Spine – the binding edge of backing of a publication

Spiral Bind – binding that uses a spiral of continuous wire or plastic looped through holes

Split Run – one or more advertisements that are printed simultaneously in different publications

Spoilage – paper is thrown out due to error or mistakes

Spot Color or Varnish – any color generated by an ink (pure or mixed) that is printed using a single run

Spread – two pages that face each other and are designed as one visual or production unit

Stocking Paper – popular sizes, weights and colors of papers available for prompt delivery from a merchant’s warehouse

Stock Order – order for paper that a mill or merchant sends to a printer from inventory at a warehouse

Strip – process of assembling images on a film for platemaking

Substrate – refers to any surface or material on which printing is done

Swash Book – a book in a variety of forms, indicating specific stock in specific colors in a specific thickness

T
Tabloid – using a broadsheet as a measure, one half of a broadsheet

Tagged Image File Format – a file format for storing images

Text Paper – designation for printing papers with textured surfaces such as laid or linen

Thumbnails – a small picture, used as a compact representation of a larger image

Tint – process of adding white to a solid color to lighten that specific color

Tip In – adding an additional page(s) beyond the normal process

Total Area Coverage – total of the dot percentages of the process colors in the final film

Transparency – positive photographic image on film allowing light to pass through

Trap – to print one ink over another or to print a coating, such as varnish, over an ink

Trim Size – the size of the printed material once it’s finished

U
Uncoated Paper – paper that does not have a clay coating

Up – multiple copies of one image printed in one impression on a single sheet

UV Coating – refers to surface treatments which are either cured by ultraviolet radiation, or protect the underlying material from its harmful effects

V
Varnish – liquid applied as a coating for protection and appearance

Vignette – decorative design or illustration fade to white

Vignette Halftone – halftone whose background gradually and smoothly fades away

W
Watermark – translucent logo in paper created during manufacturing by slight embossing from a dandy roll while paper is still approximately 90 percent water

Window – refers to a die-cut hole revealing an image on the sheet behind it or an area that has been marked for placement of a piece of artwork

Working Film – intermediate film that will be copied to make final film after all corrections are made

Wove – is a writing paper with a uniform surface, not ribbed or watermarked

Wrong Reading – an image that is backwards when compared to the original