your handy guide to print jargon - imagedata · 2019-04-30 · Aqueous Coating Coating in a water base and applied like ink by a printing press to protect and enhance the printing

Innovative Data Driven Print & Visual Communications

your handy guide toprint jargon

Address Labels

Annual Reports

Application Forms

Asset labels

Banners

Banner Stands

Barcode Labels

Booklets

Bookmarks

Bottle Collars

Brochures

Building Wraps

Bus Stops

Business Cards

Calendars

Car Park Permits

Catalogues

CD Wallets

Certificates

Compliment Slips

Conference Guides

Counter Units

Desk Pads

Diaries

Direct Debit Mandates

Direct Mail

Event Guides

Exhibition Stands

Folders

Forms

Free Standing Display Units

Gift Tags

Gondola End Panels

Guides

Handbooks

Hanging Signs

Header Cards

Inserts

Invitations

Island Headers

Labels

Lamp Post Banners

Lanyards

Leaflets

Letterheads

Luggage Tags

Magazines

Mailers

Menus

Mug Boxes

Name Badges

NCR Sets

Newsletters

Note Books

Order Forms

Pads

A-Z of some of the stuff we print.

Can’t find what you want on the list?Give us a call on 01482 652323. We like a challenge!

Pallet Wraps

Pension Statements

Perimeter Graphics

Plastic Wallets

Point of Sale

Postcards

Posters

Price Tickets

Printed Envelopes

Programmes

Prospectuses

Rent Statements

Reports

Roundels

Shelf Barkers

Shelf Edge Strips

Stationery

Stickers

Tabbed Dividers

Vinyl Banners

Wallpaper

Wall Planners

Wobblers

Window Graphics

Window Posters

Writing Pads

Z-Cards

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A‘A’ Series ISO (International Standards Organisation) European paper size standard.

The most common of which is the 'A' series, which includes A4 the usualletterhead size. (The C series is for envelopes - a C4 envelope being idealfor holding an A4 sheet). The aspect ratio of ISO paper sheets is 1 to1.414. This means that if you cut a sheet into halves they will be the sameproportion as the original. In other words a sheet of A3, when cut in half,will give two sheets of A4. All A size papers have the same proportions.The largest sheet in this series is A0 which is 841mm x 1189mm and justhappens to be one square metre in area (ISO paper sizes are rounded tothe nearest millimetre).There are also B size papers, C size envelopes, and the larger RA andSRA paper sizes, which provide for grip, trim, and bleed, and allowprinters to print oversize sheets that can be trimmed to 'A' size forcommercial use.

A0 = 841 x 1189mmA1 = 594 x 841mmA2 = 420 x 594mmA3 = 297 x 420mmA4 = 210 x 297mmA5 = 148 x 210mmA6 = 105 x 148mmA7 = 74 x 105mmn.b. sizes shown denote landscape configuration.

ABC (Audit Bureau Independent organization which audits circulation data of periodicals,of Circulations) exclusively for member publications.

A-Board A sign whose two sides lean together at the top, forming an A, typicallyused on pavements.

Abrasion The degree to which a label surface, including printing and protectiveResistance coatings, is able to resist rubbing or wearing away by friction.

Absolute The intent is to maintain colour accuracy at the expense of preservingColourimetric relationships between colours. Used for company logos and where a

specific colour must be reproduced as closely as possible. It leavescolours that fall inside the destination gamut unchanged, but out ofgamut colours are clipped.

Absorbency The extent to which a paper will take up and hold a liquid.

Absorption The first stage of drying of an ink when printed.

Accordian Folds Typically accordian folds are simple zig-zag folds with 6-panels and twoparallel folds that go in opposite directions. Each panel of the accordianfold is about the same size. Variations include half-accordian folds, whereone panel is half the size of the other two, and engineering folds, whereone panel is twice the size of the other two. Eight and 10-page accordianfolds are also common. Also Known As: z fold and zig-zag.


Account As a client-focused organisation, imageData Group has built a contactManagement structure for accounts designed to facilitate effective two-way

communication. Each client is allocated its own account managementteam headed by a Senior Account Manager.The account management hierarchy is typically: Senior Account Manager(overall strategic responsibility for the account); Account Manager(s)(ensure the smooth running of day-to-day operations); Senior AccountExecutive(s) (office support to Senior Account Manager and AccountManager); Account Executive(s) (administrative duties for the team).

Acetate (1) A plastic synthesised from cellulose dissolved in acetic acid whichexhibits rigidity, dimensional stability and ink receptivity.(2) Transparent or matt films, sometimes used for label stocks.

Achromatic Colour correction system, used in conjunction with a colour scanner, thatremoves a degree of extraneous colour.

Acid Free Paper Paper made from pulp containing little or no acid (neutral 7.0 pH) so itresists deterioration from age. Examples: Acid free paper is commonlyused for fine art prints and limited edition printing, as well as permanentrecords where contact with paper acidity could harm the documents. AlsoKnown As: alkaline paper, archival paper, neutral pH paper, permanentpaper, and thesis paper.

Acrobat A commercial program from Adobe for creating and editing PDF files.

Acrobat Reader Free program from Adobe, used for displaying and printing PDF files.Creating and editing PDFs requires commercial programs such asAcrobat Distiller and Acrobat Exchange.

Acrylic A rigid thermoplastic sign material available in transparent, translucent,and opaque appearances. Acrylic sheet can be clear or produced in avariety of colour tones. Acrylic that is manufactured by pouring a moltencompound into a thin compartment and curing it under heat and pressureis said to be cell cast. Acrylic manufactured by casting a liquid compoundbetween moving stainless steel plates that exert heat and pressure is saidto be continuous cast.

Acrylic Adhesive Pressure sensitive (PS) adhesive based on high-strength, acrylicpolymers. Can be coated as a solvent or emulsion system.

Added Value The increase in worth of a product or service as a result of a particularactivity.

Addendum Additional material normally printed at the start of main text.

Additive Colour This is the method of producing colour used by all colour computermonitors, televisions, and projection systems. The three additive colourprimaries, red, green, blue, (RGB) are used in combination (addedtogether) to create the colours we see.

Adhesion A measurement of the force required to remove a label from a substrate.Several test methods normally characterize this force at various timeintervals after application to various substrates.


Adhesive Binding Type of thread-less binding in which the leaves of a book are heldtogether at the binding edge by glue or synthetic adhesive. Also seeperfect binding and PUR binding.

Adhesive, An adhesive that will enable a PS label to adhere when applied toCold refrigerated frozen substrates, generally + 35 degrees F or colder.Temperature

Adhesive Failure A partial or total lifting of the label from the substrate.

Adhesive, An adhesive that will enable a PS label to withstand sustained elevatedHigh Temperature temperature (+200 degrees F or higher).

Adhesive, A PS adhesive characterized by having relatively high ultimate adhesion.Permanent The label either cannot be removed intact or requires a great deal of force

to be removed.

Adhesive, A type of adhesive, which in a dry form is aggressively tacky at roomPressure temperature. It has the capability of promoting a bond to dissimilarSensitive (PS) surfaces on contact, with pressure.

Adhesive, A PS adhesive characterized by low ultimate adhesion. The label can beRemovable removed from most substrates without damaging the surface or leaving a

residue surface or leaving a residue or stain.

Adhesive The adhesive remaining behind on a substrate when a PS label isResidue removed. Also Known As: adhesive deposit and adhesive transfer.

ADSL Technology that allows data to be transmitted over copper pair telephone(Asymmetric Digital lines at up to 8 Mbps. The technology allows internet access andSubscriber Line) telephony services to be available simultaneously.

Against the Grain At right angles to the grain direction of the paper being used, ascompared to with the grain. Also Known As: across the grain and crossgrain. Also see grain direction.

Air An amount of white space in a layout.

Airbrush Pen-shaped tool that sprays a fine mist of ink or paint to retouch photosand create continuous-tone illustrations.

Aliasing In sound and image generation, aliasing is the generation of a false (alias)frequency along with the correct one when doing frequency sampling. Forimages, this produces a jagged edge, or stair-step effect. For sound, itproduces a buzz.

Align To line up typeset or other graphic material as specified, using a base orvertical line as the reference point. Also Known As: alignment.

Alteration Any change made by the customer after copy or artwork has been givento the printer. The change could be in copy, specifications or both. AlsoKnown As: author alteration, AA, author’s corrections, AC, and customeralteration.

Ambient Normal fluctuating temperatures in an environment which are not closelyTemperature controlled, e.g. in a typical warehouse, boxcar, office building, etc.


Anodized Plate An offset printing plate having a treated surface in order to reduce wearfor extended use.

Antialiasing The smoothing of the image or sound roughness caused by aliasing. Withimages, approaches include adjusting pixel positions or setting pixelintensities so that there is a more gradual transition between the colour ofa line and the background colour. This results in a smoother, moreblended transition between the edge of two areas rather than a distinctlyjagged appearance. With sound, aliases are removed by eliminatingfrequencies above half the sampling frequencies.

Anti-offset Fine powder lightly sprayed over the printed surface of coated paper asPowder sheets leave a press. Also Known As: dust, offset powder, powder, and

spray powder.

Anvil A hardened steel roll upon which the bearers of a rotary die cutter ridewhich also provides the hardened surface to support the die cutting.

Aperture The opening in the camera lens through which light transmits the image.

Applications A generic term for any computer software program designed for aparticular use, such as a word processor or page layout application, e.g.Microsoft Word or Quark Xpress.

Apron Additional white space allowed in the margins of text and illustrationswhen forming a foldout.

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

Arch A retail display above the aisle going from one gondola to another.

Archival Paper Paper that is alkaline and won't deteriorate over time. Archival papersmust meet national standards for permanence: they must be acid-freeand alkaline with a pH of 7.5 to 8.5; include 2% calcium carbonate as analkaline reserve; and not contain any ground wood or unbleached woodfibre. The expected life of archival paper is more than 100 years.

Art Paper A common term used to describe a range of smooth coated papers witha filled surface obtained by adding a coating of china clay compound onone or both sides of the paper. It can be gloss or matt and is suitable forjobs requiring a fine finish such as colour brochures and annual reports.

Artwork Finished artwork is an all inclusive term for the finished, supplieddocuments or digital files that are supplied to prepress or for print.Traditionally finished artwork would have been pasted up boards thatwere ready for photographing to make films and printing plates. It wasknown as 'camera ready artwork'. Nowadays, finished artwork wouldgenerally refer to digitally supplied documents that are ready to be outputto film, printing plates or digital output. This is often supplied as a 'fullyformatted disk'. Although, in a modern production workflow, artwork is justas likely to be supplied via an ISDN link, ftp, or by email. Abbreviated to A/w.


Ascender Any part of a lower case letter extending above the x-height. For example,the upper half of the vertical in the letters b or h.

ASCII This is a standard coding system within the computer industry to convert(American Standard keyboard input into digital information.Code for Information

Interchange)

Aspect Ratio The ratio of height to width of a bar-code symbol. A code twice as high aswide would have an aspect ratio of 2; a code twice as wide as high wouldhave an aspect ratio of 1/2 or 0.5.

Assembly Putting together point of sale display component parts to produce asingle, integrated display unit.

Audience The number of people who will be exposed to a specific media vehicleduring a defined time-period.

Audio Video A display within a retail environment that conveys audio and or videoDisplay messages to the consumer.

Author's At the proofing stage, changes that the client requests to be madeCorrections (AC) concerning original artwork provided. These are usually chargeable to the

client. Also Known As: alteration, author’s alterations, AA, and customeralteration.

Autoflow The flow of text automatically from one page to another, or one column toanother.

Auto-leading A default setting in page layout software to determine the horizontalspace between baselines, usually 120%.

Autolocking A display carton or tray that, when erected, automatically forms a basewhich does not require any manual locking or gluing.

A/w Abbreviation for artwork.


B‘B’ Series An ISO range of paper sizes.

B1 = 707 x 1000mmB2 = 500 x 707mmB3 = 353 x 500mmB4 = 250 x 353mmB5 = 176 x 250mmB6 = 125 176mmB7 = 88 x 125mm

A number of derivatives of these standard international sizes arebecoming increasingly popular for the economical production of particularformats. This can be a problem when specifying B sizes i.e. 707 x1000mm, 720 x 1000mm and 720 x 1020mm are all described as B1.imageData Group operates using B1 sheet sizes of 720 x 1020mm andB2 sheet sizes of 720 x 520mm.

Back Card A printed card attached to the back of a dumpbin or counter top unitabove the product, to display the promotional message at eye level.

Backing Refers to the carrier sheet of material in a pressure sensitive lamination asopposed to the face material. Usually has a release coating applied sothat the adhesive will not stick too tightly to it. Also Known As: releaseliner, backing paper, and carrier.

Backing Up (1) 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.(3) To make a duplicate of a computer file as a precaution against losingthe original.Also Known As: work and turn and back to back.

Back-Light Point of sale poster / signage lit from the rear in order to highlight andDisplay illuminate the advertising message.

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

Backstep Marks Marks printed on signatures indicating where the final fold will occur.

Back Trimming Cutting all the edges of a sheet of paper with the back (non-bevelled)edge of the trimming knife.

Bad Break Inappropriate, unattractive or illegible word hyphenation at the end of aline of type.

Bakelite A rigid plastic used as an engraving material or as a matrix material formaking rubber stamps. Also Known As: phenolic and melamine.

Baking The procedure that dries coatings onto paper.

Bale Solid, compressed stacks of pulp or paper sheets.


Balloon In an illustration, any line that encircles copy or dialogue.

Banding (1) A visible stair-stepping of shades in a gradient.(2) Method of packaging printed pieces of paper using rubber or paperbands.

Bank A lightweight writing paper usually less than 60gsm. Also Known As: partmechanical paper.

Banner (1) A large headline or title extending across the full page width.(2) A large format graphic used within a retail environment to identify in-store locations, sale items and products. Also Known As: pennant.

Bar-code A pattern of vertical lines of varying thickness identifying details of aproduct, conforming to the Universal Product Code (UPC).

Bar-code Density The number of data characters which can be represented in a linear unitof measure. Bar-code density is often expressed in characters per inch.

Base The base of an ink without pigment.

Base Artwork Artwork requiring additional components such as halftones or linedrawings to be added before the reproduction stage.

Baseline The imaginary horizontal line upon which stand capitals, lower caseletters, punctuation points, etc. Characters with downward strokes, suchas g, p or y, protrude below this line.

Base Wrap A wrap at the base of a merchandising display to provide continuity or adecorative touch to displays. Also known as Case Wrap Around.

Basic Size The standard size of paper stock (required size could be smaller or larger).

Basis Weight In the US and Canada, the weight, in pounds, of a ream (500 sheets) ofpaper cut to the basic size. Also Known As: ream weight and substanceweight (sub weight). In European countries using ISO paper sizes, theweight, in grams, of one square meter of paper. Also Known As:grammage and ream weight.

BAU Abbreviation for business as usual.

BC Double Wall A combination of 'B' and 'C' flute is normally specified when compressionFlute Corrugated and stacking strength is important.Board

Bed The base on which the paper is held in a press.

Benchmark A point of evaluation from which other evaluations can be made.

Best Practice The phrase “Best Practice” is frequently used and there are numerousother names for the same thing; therefore it is the concept that isimportant not the term itself. Best Practice involves the entire workforce inachieving defined business goals through a set of simple common sensetools and techniques. A successful implementation of Best Practice canonly be achieved with the support, commitment, and involvement of allemployees. Also Known As: Kaizen, world class manufacturing,continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and TQM.


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

BF Abbreviation for bold face.

B Flute By far the most widely specified flute profile thanks to its superbCorrugated Board robustness (difficult to crush), good compression strength and

compactness which minimises storage space. This single faced fluteproduct is ideally suited for litho laminating display packaging where thethin printed top sheet is mounted onto a corrugated board. The resultingcombination adds excellent strength, protection and quality graphics tothe overall pack.

Billboard Popular name for outdoor advertising signage.

Bi-metallic Plate Plate in lithography used for long runs. The printing image base is usuallycopper and the nonprinting area is aluminium or stainless steel, giving aharder wearing plate than the conventional aluminium litho plate.

Bin Any POS piece designed to hold bulk merchandise. May be temporary orpermanent and made of virtually any material. Also see dump bin.

Binary The fundamental 2-digit system all computers use (made up of the twoBits, 1 or 0, the smallest unit of information a computer can process) toperform calculations, store, and retrieve data.

Bindery The area of the workplace where print is trimmed, folded, collated orbound.

Binding The various methods used to secure loose leaves or sections along anedge of a publication; e.g. saddle-stitch (Also Known As: stapling), wire-o-bound, and perfect bound.

Bit A digit of binary information represented by a 0 or 1 and is the basicbuilding block of all computer system data.

Bit Depth The amount of data required to represent the tone depth of a colour.Typical bit depths are 1 bit for line art, 8 bits for greyscale image, 24 bitsfor RGB colour images, and 32 bits for CMYK colour images.

Bitmapped (1) An image formed (or appearing to be formed) by a rectangular grid ofpixels. The computer assigns a value to each pixel, from one bit ofinformation (black or white), to as much as 24 or 30 bits per pixel for fullcolour images.(2) An image that has a too low resolution or linescreen for the outputresolution ("That image looks bitmapped."; line art scanned at 72dpi whenit is to be printed at 2540dpi will be very coarsely bitmapped).

Bitmapped Font A font made up of bitmapped letters, characterised by jagged edges, asopposed to the smooth edges of an outline font.

Bi-weekly, Twice weekly or monthly, as opposed to every two weeks or every twoBi-monthly months.

Black One of the four colours used in four colour, or full-colour printing. Black iscommonly used as one of the colours in the two-colour printing process,usually paired with a PMS colour. Also Known As: K (from CMYK).


Black and White Originals or reproductions in single colour, Also Known As: monotone andmono.

Black Point The point on a scanned image deemed to be the darkest and set to aCMYK value - C80, M80, Y80, K70 works well.

Blade The printing portion of the squeegee used in screen printing.

Blade Coated Paper coated by a process in which the freshly applied wet coating isPaper smoothed and the excess removed by a thin, flexible metal blade.

Blanket The thick rubber mat on a printing press used to transfer (or "offset") inkfrom the plate to paper. It is the use of a blanket that gives offset printingits name.

Blanket Cylinder The cylinder via which the inked lithographic plate transfers the image tothe paper. The cylinder is covered with a rubber sheet which prevents thelitho plate coming into contact with the paper.

Bleaching A chemical treatment used to whiten, brighten, and improve paper pulpprior to papermaking.

Bleed A bleed may occur at the head, front, foot, and/or gutter of a page. Bleedis the extra area outside of a finished document that designers must allowif they want images, that are butting up to the edge of the page, to becropped properly. As printed documents are guillotined in large batches,it is impossible for the printer to guarantee that every sheet will becropped exactly on the crop-marks. Bleed is achieved by actually printingthe image beyond the edge of the page size onto a larger sized sheet,then trimming the sheet to the finished size.Typically a designer would allow an extra 3mm of bleed to colour andimage areas to allow for a little leeway when trimming. Illustrations thatspread to the edge of the paper without margins are referred to as 'bled off'.

Bleedthrough Migration of materials from an adhesive or substrate into a face material,resulting in a mottled appearance of the face stock and possibledetrimental effects to the adhesive.

Blend A smooth transition between two colours. Also Known As: graduated tintand vignette.

Blind Emboss Impression of an un-inked image onto the back of a sheet whichproduces a raised image on the front of the sheet. Also Known As:embossing.

Blind Image An image in lithography that has lost its ink receptivity and therefore doesnot print.

Block In binding, to impress or stamp a design upon the cover. The design canbe blocked in coloured inks, or metal foil, including special effects suchas holographic.

Blocking Sticking together of printed sheets causing damage when the surfacesare separated.


Blockout A material that is used to seal around the screen frame and cover anynon-printing areas where ink might penetrate through the screen andonto the substrate being printed on.

Blow Up An enlargement, most frequently of a graphic image or photograph.

Blue Pencil A special pencil used for marking copy. It does not photograph so istherefore invisible in the finished item.

Blue-sky Days imageData Group frequently arranges client seminars and ‘blue-sky’days at their substrate suppliers to cover new innovations. For exampleimageData Group organised a colour management workshop, enlistingthe help of colour experts ColourKlinic Ltd. to lead a debate on the topicof Colour: Art vs Science.The workshop included the following subjects:• what is colour?• colour symbolism and psychology• colour in corporate communication• understanding colour appearance• colour reproduction• electronic colour communication• colour specification• colour systems: Pantone; RAL (Reichsaasschus fur

Leiferbedingusgen); The Natural Colour System and The MunsellColour Order System

Blurb A description or commentary of an author or book content on the bookjacket.

Board General term for heavier printing paper, usually over 200 gsm, that iscommonly used for products such as file folders, displays, and postcards. Also Known As: paperboard.

Body The main text of the work but not including headlines.

Body Copy Referring to text rather than the headline or display copy, usually six to 14point type. Also Known As: body matter and body type.

Bold Type Type with a heavier, darker appearance. Most typefaces have a bold face.

Bond A strong basic uncoated paper grade, often used for copying or laserprinters. The better quality bond papers, with higher rag content, arecommonly used for letterheads. Also Known As: business paper,communication paper, correspondence paper, and writing paper.

Border A continuous decorative design or rule surrounding the matter on thepage.

Bounce (1) A repeating registration problem in the printing stage of production.(2) Customer unhappy with the results of a printing project and refuses toaccept the project.

Box A section of text marked off by rules or white space and presentedseparately from the main text and illustrations. Longer boxed sections inmagazines are sometimes referred to as sidebars.

BPOP Abbreviation for “Bulk packed onto pallets”.


Break for Colour To separate mechanically or by software the parts to be printed indifferent colours. Also Known As: colour break.

Brick-and-Mortar In the e-commerce era this term is used to describe traditional retailoutlets who have a physical presence i.e. a building, which offer face-to-face consumer experiences. Also Known As: high street shops.

Brightness The brilliance or reflectance of paper.

Bristol Paper Solid or laminated heavyweight paper made to a caliper thickness of .006"or higher. Bristols are generally used for tags, covers, and file folders andhave a basic size of 24.5" x 30.5".

Broadsheet Any sheet in its basic size (not folded or cut); also denotes a newspaperformat.

Brochure A printed product of over 6 pages consisting of a cover stuck or stitcheddirectly to the spine of a single-layer or multi-layer block. The covergenerally has the same format as the book block and is made either ofmaterial similar to the interior of the brochure although usually of a thickermaterial. The brochure was originally a temporary form of binding useduntil the purchaser of a book had opted for a high-quality book cover,which was often very expensive. Nowadays, this binding technique isused as a low-cost mechanical production method.

Bromide A black and white proof on photographic paper.

Bronzing An effect produced by dusting wet ink after printing with a metallicpowder.

BS 5750 The previous reference for ISO 9001. Also see ISO 9001:2000.

BS ISO 12647 An International Standard on Process Control for the print industry.imageData Group's lithographic print facilities comply with part 2 of thisstandard.

BS ISO 27001:2005 An International Standard on Information Security.

BRC (Business Postcard provided for consumers as a convenience to reply to aReply Card) promotional offer. Sometimes postpaid. An envelope for the same

purpose would be a "BRE."

Bubbling A common fault in screen-printing resulting in small air bubbles showingin solid areas of print. Often caused by the ink being too thick or a bluntsqueegee being used.

Build a Colour To overlap two or more screen tints to create a new colour. Also KnownAs: build, colour build, stacked screen build, and tint build.

Build-up A board in screen making, that is slightly smaller than the insidedimension of the screen frame, used to hold indirect or direct stencils inplace during adhering.

Bulk A term given to paper to describe its thickness relative to its weight.

Bulk Pack Boxing printed product without wrapping or banding.


Bullet A large dot preceding text to add emphasis.

Burn Exposing a printing plate to high intensity light or placing an image on aprinting plate or screen by light.

Burst Perfect To bind by forcing glue into notches along the spines of gathered pages /Bind signatures before affixing a paper cover. Also Known As: burst bind, notch

bind, and slotted bind.

Butt Joining images without overlapping.

Butt Cut Labels Labels separated by a single cross-direction cut to the liner. No matrixarea exists between labels. Butt cut labels are not suitable for automaticdispensing.

Butt Fit Printed colours that overlap one row of dots so they appear to butt. AlsoKnown As: butt up and kiss fit.


CC1S and C2S Abbreviations for coated one side and coated two sides.

C Series Sizes used to describe envelopes, usually used to take A size paper.

C3 324 x 458mm to fit an A3 sheetC4 229 x 324mm to fit an A4 sheetC5 162 x 229mm to fit an A5 sheetC6 114 x 162mm to fit an A6 sheet

Calcium CaCO3, a naturally occurring substance found in a variety of materials,Carbonate including chalk, limestone, marble, oyster shells, and scale from boiled

hard water. Used as filler in the alkaline paper manufacturing process,calcium carbonate improves several important paper characteristics likesmoothness, brightness, opacity, and affinity for ink; it also reduces paperacidity. It is a key ingredient in today's paper coatings.

Calendered Paper Paper which has passed through hardened rollers during manufacture toproduce a smooth surface.

Calibration The process of measuring and adjusting the performance of a device.Calibration brings the performance of the equipment into an expectedrange and is generally performed with the use of a densitometer.

Calibration Bars On a negative, proof, or printed piece, a strip of tones used to checkprinting quality.

Caliper (1) Thickness of paper or other substrate expressed in thousandths of aninch (mils or points), pages per inch (ppi), thousandths of a millimetre(microns) or pages per centimetre (ppc).(2) Device on a sheetfed press that detects double sheets or on a bindingmachine that detects missing signatures or inserts.

Camera Ready Artwork that is ready for reproduction.

Cap Line An imaginary line across the top of capital letters. The distance from thecap line to the baseline is the cap size.

Caps (1) An abbreviation for capital letters.(or "all caps") (2) Proofing instruction to change lowercase characters to uppercase.

Caps and A style of type that shows capital letters used in the normal way while theSmall Caps body copy is set in capital letters which are of a slightly smaller size.

Caption The line or lines of text that refer to information identifying a picture orillustration. Also Known As: cutline.

Carbonless Paper coated with chemicals and dye which will produce copies withoutusing carbon paper. Also Known As: NCR (No Carbon Required).

Carbon Paper A thin wood free, or part mechanical paper coated on one side withcarbon, which when pressure is applied, transfers to a sheet of paperunderneath.


Case Binding The most common type of binding for hardcover books where pages,arranged in signatures, are sewn together and hard covers (cloth, vinyl, orleather cases) are attached. Also Known As: edition binding, case bound,and hard cover.

Case Card A sign used to identify products. Also Known As: stack card or headercard.

Cast Coated Art paper with an exceptionally glossy coated finish usually on one sideonly made by pressing the paper against a polished, hot, metal drumwhilst the coating is still wet.

Catching-up When non-image areas of an offset press plate begins to take ink or scumup.

Centre Marks Vertical lines used to indicate the centre of a 2-page spread for folding orcutting. Centre marks usually appear at the top and bottom edge of thespread. Also Known As: fold marks.

Centre Spread The two pages that face each other in the centre of a book or publication.

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

C Flute A larger flute than 'B', offering greater compression strength, but it may beCorrugated Board crushed more easily. It also takes up more storage space than 'B' flute.

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

Chain Lines (1) Widely spaced lines in laid paper as a result of the wires of thepapermaking machine.(2) Blemishes on printed images caused by tracking.

Chalking Deterioration of a printed image caused by ink that absorbs into papertoo fast or has long exposure to sun and wind making printed imageslook dusty. Also Known As: crocking.

Character Word used to describe an individual letter, number or symbol.

Characterisation The process of defining the colour gamut of a specific device. Eachdevice, scanner, monitor, printer or digital camera has its own specificcolour gamut. Devices are characterised by creating a colour profile (ICCprofile) for that specific device utilising a spectrophotometer and specialsoftware.

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

Check Digit A digit included within a bar-code symbol whose value is basedmathematically on other characters included in the symbol. It is used toperform a check to ensure the accuracy of the read.

Chill Marking Marking caused by the chill rollers on a heatset web press, which cool theweb after drying.


Chill Roll The refrigerated roll that sets the ink and cools the web in heatsetprinting.

Choke Technique of slightly reducing the size of an image to create a hairlinetrap or to outline. Also Known As: spread, shrink, and skinny.

CIP4 The International Co-operation for Integration of Processes in Prepress,Press and Postpress Organisation.

Clay A naturally occurring substance commonly used in the paper industry.Clay is used as both a filler and a coating ingredient. By adding clay,papermakers can improve a paper's smoothness, brightness, opacity, andaffinity for ink.

Clip Art Copyright free photos or drawings in digital form that can be used indigital documents.

Clipping The colour shift caused by the inability of one Colourspace to reproduceall the colours of another Colourspace. When using absolute or relativecolourimetric rendering intents, values from the source gamut outside ofthe destination gamut are forced (clipped) into the destination gamut.Colours within the gamut of both Colourspaces are left alone. As a result,two colours that were originally different may now share the same values.This produces visual colour shifts.

Clipping Path A vector path attached to a graphic or continuous tone image. The pathhides (or clips) areas that are not to print.

Clogging Drying of ink in the screen.

Close Up A mark used to indicate closing space between characters or words.Usually used in proofing stages.

Club Cards Usually credit card sized cards issued by retailers, with an incentive touse, e.g., savings incentives, that utilize bar codes or magnetic strips totrack consumer purchases, accumulate points, and award incentivesbased on purchasing behaviour. Also Known As: loyalty cards.

CMYK To reproduce full-colour photographic images, typical printing pressesuse 4 colours of ink. The four inks are placed on the paper in layers ofdots that combine to create the illusion of many more colours. CMYKrefers to the 4 ink colours used by the printing press. C is cyan (blue), Mis magenta (red), Y is yellow, and K is black, the key plate or keylinecolour.A mistake often made when submitting artwork for 4 colour printing is notconverting the images to the CMYK colour space. This is needed so thatthe file can be separated into the four colours and a separate printingplate can be made for each of the CMYK colours. Also Known As: 4colour process or 4 c.p.

Coated Printing papers which after making have had a surface coating with clayetc., to give a smoother, more even finish with greater opacity. Paper millsproduce coated paper in the four major categories cast, gloss, dull, andmatt. Also Known As: coated paper and coated stock. imageData Groupuses triple coated paper.


Coated Screen A printing screen with direct emulsion applied to the fabric preparatory toexposing.

Coater A special trough for holding emulsion and coating it on to screens.

Coating Special water based coating applied to printed matter to protect it fromink smudging or finger marks or simply to enhance appearance. Themain types are sealer, gloss, matt, and silk. imageData Group utilises anon-press aqueous coating across a range of its lithographic presses.Coatings are more commonly used on matt or silk coated paper as theseare more prone to smudging than gloss coated paper. The maindifference between a varnish and a coating is that coatings dry faster andenable quicker turnaround of jobs.

Cob-webbing Deposits of ink spreading out from the image like a spiders web. Can becaused by static, thick ink or incorrect build up, amongst others. AlsoKnown As: whiskering.

Cockling Deformation of a sheet of paper, due to unequal shrinkage, giving it aslightly crumpled appearance. This can occur as part of the heatset weboffset drying process, particularly on lightweight coated papers.

Code 128 A full alphanumeric bar-code capable of encoding all 128 ASCIIcharacters.

Code 39 A full alphanumeric bar-code consisting of nine black and white bars foreach character symbol.

Coil Binding One of several methods of securing loose printed pages using single ordouble loop wire or plastic that fit into round or rectangular holes in thepages is commonly called coil binding. Coil binding is often used forblank notebooks and for reports that generally have a short shelf-life. Itallows the publications to lay flat when opened. Also Known As: wire,spiral, wire spiral, double loop wire binding, and Wire-O (brand name fordouble loop wire).

Cold Colour Any colour that is toward the blue side of the colour spectrum.

Coldset Inks A variety of inks that are in solid form initially, melted in a hot press andthen solidified when they contact the (uncoated) paper, which is usuallynewspaper print.

Coldset Web A reel fed press with limited or no drying facility. Only uncoated paperssuch as newsprint or bond can be printed on coldset webs.

Collate To assemble various sections or sheets of a document together in thecorrect order.

Colophon A list or description of how a book or magazine was produced is itscolophon. It may contain production materials such as software,hardware, typefaces, and type of paper. Traditionally found at the back ofthe publication, some modern books place the colophon near the front.Some websites provide a colophon describing how the site wasproduced. The word itself is derived from the Ionian city of Colophon. Thecolophon can be a simple list or may be presented in narrative,paragraph form.


Colour Balance Refers to amounts of process (CMYK) colours that simulate the colours ofthe original scene or photograph.

Colour Bars A colour test strip that is printed on the waste portion of a press sheet. Ithelps a press operator to monitor and control the quality of the printedmaterial relative to ink density, registration, and dot gain.

Colour Blanks Press sheets printed with photos or illustrations, but without type.

Colour Break In multicolour printing, the point, line or space at which one ink colourstops and another begins. Also Known As: break for colour.

Colour Cast Unwanted colour affecting an entire image or portion of an image.

Colour Correction Manipulation of channels, shades, hues, contrast, and levels of individualcolours before printing to eliminate any colour casts and imbalances fromthe original or scanned image.

Colour Curves Instructions in computer software that allow users to change or correctcolours.

Colour Density The greater the density or weight of the ink, the darker the colourappears.

Colourfastness Having colour that won't run when wet and won't fade in bright light.

Colour Gamut The entire range of hues possible to reproduce using a specific device,such as a computer screen or four colour process printing.

Colour Key A printer's proof, usually used for viewing the individual layers of C, M, Y,and K, consisting of four sheets of coloured acetate, for examining thequality of process colour separations.

Colour A system of control over the input and output devices on how theyManagement interpret the colours they are using. This is often done in an image

manipulation software program such as Photoshop before printing, or forproduction based environments, where more accurate and consistentresults are required, RIP software is used that contains colour profilescreated to match colours when printing on different colours of papers.This process of getting the file to a correct stage is often referred to asproofing. imageData Group uses GMG colour management software.

Colour Matching To duplicate a given colour sample.

Colour Profile A file containing the colour characteristics of a computer device such as amonitor, as used in a colour management system.

Colour Proof A representation of what the final printed product will look like. Theresolution and quality of different types of colour can vary greatly.

Colour Rendering The output profile used by a PostScript printer. This is a lookup table usedDictionary (CRD) to define how colours are produced on a printing device.


Colour 1) Technique of using a camera, scanner or computer to divideSeparation (continuous-tone colour images into four halftone negatives.

(2) The process of preparing artwork, photographs, transparencies orcomputer generated art for printing by separating into the four primaryprinting colours.Also Known As: separation.

Colour Sequence Order in which inks are printed, usually yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.Also Known As: laydown sequence and rotation.

Colour Shift Change in image colour resulting from changes in register, ink densitiesor dot gain during 4 colour process printing.

Colour Strength The relative amount of pigmentation in an ink.

Colour A photographic image transparent film used as artwork.Transparency

Column Inch A column inch is one column wide by one inch deep and used tomeasure area in newspapers (to calculate the cost of display advertising).

Column Rule A light faced vertical rule used to separate columns of type.

Comb Binding A method of securing loose printed pages using a piece of plastic with"teeth" that fit into rectangular holes in the paper. Comb binding issomewhat similar to wire spiral binding. Also Known As: plastic combbinding.

Commercial Printer producing a wide range of products such as announcements,Printer brochures, posters, booklets, stationery, business forms, books, and

magazines. Also Known As: job printer because each job is different.

Communication "Right and wrong do not exist in graphic design. There is only effectiveand non-effective communication." Peter Bilak – Illegibility.

Compatibility Capable of orderly, efficient integration and operation with other elementsin a system with no modification or conversion required.

Compose To set copy into type, with the advent of computers this is now ‘digitalartwork composition’.

Composite (1) Design: A preliminary design or sketch. Also Known As: comp,comprehensive, composition, and dummy.(2) Typography: An image composed of many images or any page madeup of text, images, or other elements is a composite image.(3) Prepress/Printing: Colour separation file which contains all colourinformation in one file that can be printed as a composite or separatedinto the individual colour plates for printing.

Composite Proof Proof of colour separations in position with graphics and type. AlsoKnown As: final proof, imposition proof, and stripping proof.

Compression Algorithms used to reduce the size of computer data files. Widely used toreduce very large graphic files. Some forms of compression can alter thecolour of a photo image.


Computer to Plate The process of producing printer's plates directly from the computer with(CTP) no films involved.

Computer to Press See D Press.

Concertina Fold A method of folding in which each fold opens in the opposite direction toits neighbour, giving a concertina or pleated effect.

Condensed A style of typeface in which the characters have a vertically elongatedappearance.

Condition To keep paper in the pressroom for a few hours or days before printing sothat its moisture level and temperature equal that in the pressroom. AlsoKnown As: cure, mature, and season.

Contact Print A photographic print made from a negative or positive in contact withsensitised paper, film or printing plate.

Content Editing Analysing a composition and deciding what needs to be added orchanged to improve it.

Continuous Tone An image in which the subject has continuous shades of colour or greywithout being broken up by dots. Continuous tones cannot bereproduced in that form for printing but must be screened to translate theimage into dots.

Contract Proof The contract proof is usually a colour proof that is looked on as a contractbetween the printer and client as the final proof before going to press.Most high-end digital proofs are considered good enough to accuratelypredict colour from the press. The contract proof is the one that says tothe printer "Everything looks good, let's go to press."

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

Contra Vision® Contra Vision® panels are based on transparent plastic films (self-adhesive, non-perforated polyester or perforated vinyl) or rigid sheets(glass, acrylic, polycarbonate, PVC, etc.). Primarily used on buses or retailstore windows.They have a design or colour on one side that is not visiblefrom the other side, which typically provides a clear, tinted view throughthe panel. Contra Vision® is sometimes referred to as a one-way visionmaterial, though many different vision control options are possible.Contra Vision® panels have an opaque "silhouette pattern" onto which issuperimposed:• a design on one side (not visible from the other side), or• a design on both sides (neither visible from the opposite side).

Conversion (1) The process of adapting the colours produced by one device to theColourspace of another device and takes place anytime information ispassed between devices (i.e. from the scanner to the monitor, or from themonitor to the printer). Colourspace conversions are performed in deviceindependent colourspaces such as CI LAB or CIEXYZ.(2) The process of creating a three dimensional (3D) item from a flat sheetof paper, e.g. envelope conversion / box conversion.


Conveyor A set of powder actuated or non-powered rollers configured to movematerials through a production process line or between job stations.

Copier Label A label designed for overprinting by a plain paper photocopier.

Copy (1) All furnished material or disc used in the production of a printedproduct.(2) The text to be printed.

Copy Editing Finding and eliminating grammatical, spelling or similar errors, andchecking for style and conformity.

core-iD Division of imageData Group servicing corporate clients.

Corporate Whilst having a link with branding, corporate identity generally appliesIdentity more specifically to the visual perceived image of an organisation or

company, rather than to an individual product. The intent of a strongcorporate identity is to promote this cohesive visual image, both withinthe company (as a corporate culture) and externally to clients and rivalsas a strong visual corporate identity.

In practical terms, for designers, this involves the development of a logo(or group of logos) and a set of printed visual guidelines (usually in theform of a Corporate Identity Manual) as to how the organisation'scorporate identity is to be represented in publications, websites, andadvertising campaigns. A Corporate Identity Manual would includesamples of logotypes and layouts, instructions for their usage, colourguides and colour swatches.

Corrugated The wave shapes (Flutes) in the inner portion of corrugated board, usedPaperboard primarily in retail display production.

Counter Display Point of purchase display units usually within the check out area, used toUnits optimise available space in store.

Cover Category of thick paper used to protect a publication. If a publication hasa different material weight cover to the text pages it is often split intocover and text, for example a 32 page booklet may be described as 4(pp) page cover + 28 (pp) page text. If the material is the samethroughout, it is known as a self-cover.

Coverage Extent to which ink covers the surface of a substrate. Ink coverage isusually expressed as light, medium or heavy.

Cover Paper Thick paper used for products such as posters and covers of paperbacks.

Crease A printed job can be creased mechanically to make folding easier andprevent cracking. There are times when you might want a printed piecedelivered flat for ease of storage and then do the folding at a later date,manually.

Creep In a multi-page booklet the bulk of the paper causes the inner pagesto extend (creep) further out than the outer pages when folded. Whentrimmed the inner pages are narrower than the outer pages,counteracting the creep.


Creep Allowance To make adjustments to inner spreads of multi-page booklets tomaintain a constant outer margin, when the publication is trimmed, andcounteract creep.

Crimping Punctures holding business forms together.

Crocking Transfer or smudging of dry ink on the finished product.

Cromalins Often misspelt as Chromalin. A well known photo-mechanical proofingmethod from ‘DuPont’ made from imaged film using a powder instead ofink. Capable of producing CMYK proofs as well as spot colour andPantone Matching System proofs.

Crop Marks Printed cutting lines on a printed sheet of artwork or completed print job.Used to indicate where the publication should be trimmed. Also KnownAs: corner marks, cut marks, and tick marks.

Cropping The elimination of parts of a photograph or other original that are notrequired to be printed. Cropping allows the remaining parts of the imageto be enlarged to fill the space.

Cross Direction The direction across the web. Papers are weaker and are affected moreby changes in relative humidity in the cross direction than the graindirection.

Cross Marks Marks of fine lines that intersect to indicate accurate alignment of artelements.

Crossmedia The use of same content for different media, i.e. texts and images held ina database can be used to produce printed brochures, CD-ROM’s andelectronic catalogues accessed via the Internet.

Crossover Type or art that continues from one page of a book or magazine acrossthe gutter to the opposite page. Also Known As: bridge, gutter bleed,and gutter jump.

CTP See computer to plate.

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

Curl In paper, the distortion of a sheet due to differences in structure orcoatings from one side to the other or absorption of moisture on an offsetpress.

Cursive A typeface that resembles hand writing.

Cut Edge The three edges of a book after trimming with a guillotine.

Cut Flush A method of trimming a book after the cover has been attached to thepages. Also Known As: trimmed flush.

Cutline The line or lines of text that refer to information identifying a picture orillustration. Also Known As: caption.


Cutoff Circumference of the impression cylinder of a web press, therefore alsothe length of the printed sheet that the press cuts of from the roll of paper.

Cutout A halftone where the background has been removed to produce asilhouette.

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

Cut to register Cutting in a predetermined location on each sheet of paper or board.

Cyan One of the four process colours. Also Known As: process blue.


DDagger and Symbols used mainly as reference marks for footnotes, e.g. † and ‡.Double Dagger

Dampening A necessary process in lithography of dampening the printing plate toprevent ink from spreading.

Damping Roller The roller on a printing press which applies the moisture directly to theprinting plate.

Dandy Roll A wire mesh cylinder used to smooth the top of paper as it forms.Enhancing surface smoothness and formation, the dandy roll may alsocarry a design, which will create a watermark, identifying the sheet.

Dangler Point of sale signage that either hangs from the ceiling or one that fits intoa shelf edge strip. Both move with air currents and store traffic. AlsoKnown As: ceiling dangler or shelf wobbler.

Darkroom A light-tight room that can be used for camera shots or screen coatingand drying.

Dash Sometimes called an "em" dash. A horizontal rule used for punctuation.

Data Technique of reducing the amount of storage required to hold a digitalCompression file. To reduce the disk space the file requires and enables work to be

processed or transmitted more quickly.

Daylight Active A water based UV light sensitive ink system which will disappear inInks artificial or non UV light source and appear in Daylight or UV Light.

Limited colours are available, which can be mixed to achieve areasonable range of colours.

Deboss An image such as a logo, a title, or other design is heat-pressed into thesurface of the paper with a die, creating depressions rather than raisedimpressions as in embossing. The same techniques used for embossing(blind, foil, and ink) can be used with debossing to create visual effectsand texture. Debossing can be done on hard and soft covers.

Deckle Edge The untrimmed ragged edges of paper formed at the outer edge of ajumbo reel of paper on a papermaking machine.

Decoating The removal of stencils or emulsions from screen fabric. Also Known As:reclaiming.

De-inking Removing ink and other finishing materials, like coatings and adhesivesfrom printed-paper. The complex de-inking process is what makes recyclingpaper difficult and ultimately adds to the cost of a recycled sheet of paper.To produce high-quality recycled or recycled content papers for printing andwriting, the de-inking process needs to be thorough. The goal is to end upwith re-usable fibre that has few impurities, since impurities lower the qualityof a recycled sheet and can sometimes damage equipment in thepapermaking and printing process. Modern offset and flexographic ink,photocopier and laser printing "ink," ultraviolet and thermography coatings,and adhesives all make it increasingly difficult to de-ink paper.


De-lamination The separation of a material into layers in a direction approximatelyparallel to the surface. The partial or complete separation of the layers ofa laminate.

Delivery imageData Group has its own modern fleet of delivery vehicles rangingfrom small vans to 9 tonne trucks complete with tail lift facilities and all arefully equipped with on-board communication facilities. Providing a 24/7;door-to-desk courier service ensures that no matter where or when theprint is required it is delivered safely into the hands of the right person.In addition, the company has in-house computerised tracking systemsoperating in conjunction with most major carriers for national &international distribution.imageData Group provides 4 levels of next day delivery service throughpreferred third party carriers, these are: next day (anytime up to approx.5pm), pre-noon, pre 10 am, or pre 9 am. Delivery tracking and PODdetails can be provided for all deliveries.

Densitometer A device sensitive to the density of light transmitted or reflected by paperor film. Used by printers to measure and control the accuracy, quality, andconsistency of ink or colour.

Density (1) The relative thickness of a layer of printed ink.(2) The degree of opacity of a photographic image on paper or film.

Descender Any part of a lower case letter that extends below the x-height, forexample p and j.

Descreening A method of removing or eliminating moiré patterns from an image whenscanning.

Desensitizer Chemical treatment in lithographic platemaking used to make non-imageareas of a plate repellent to ink.

Design imageData Group’s Design Department strongly focuses on design forprint. The Company’s in-house design team specialises in followingcorporate brand and design guidelines to produce a wide range ofartwork for print for a broad spectrum of clients from many differentsectors. From stationery to brochures, folders, and exhibition materialsthe same methodical and professional approach is used to create highquality, high impact artwork. With a friendly consultative approach,imageData Group’s aim is to surpass customers’ expectations.

Desktop Technique of using a personal computer to design images and pages,Publishing and assemble type and graphics, then using a laser printer or imagesetter

to output the assembled pages onto paper, film or printing plate.Abbreviated to DTP.

Despatch The act and process of sending out finished products from the productionfacility to the client. As imageData Group is delivering to locations acrossthe globe, despatch dates are deemed to be the working day prior todelivery being made. For example, if a client needs their delivery onMonday 5th March, the despatch date would be Friday 2nd March.imageData Group’s account services team ensure that all dates areaccurately logged onto Tharstern’s MIS so that clients deliveryrequirements are met.


Despatch Note Paperwork completed for the despatch and delivery of finished productsto the client. The signed copies of these are kept with the works docketas Proof of Delivery.

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

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

Die-Cutting The process of using sharp steel rules to cut special shapes into printedsheets. Designers will generally have to specify a cutting grid, in theirpage layout or vector drawing program, that the printer will use as aguide for making the die.

Die-Stamping An intaglio process of printing in which the resultant impression standsout in relief above the surface of the stamped material, either coloured(using inks or foil) or blind (no inks or foils).

Digital Files for printing that are produced on the computer.

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

Digital File An art file that resides on disk, usually in a native application format.

Digital Printing These systems work directly from electronic data and avoid theintermediate stage of films. They are very cost effective for short runs.Digital printing has steadily replaced lithography in many markets,especially at the consumer and business level. Because these systemsuse an inherently four colour process there is no cost saving to be madefrom using one or two colour designs. imageData Group’s extensiverange of digital facilities enables us to supply very cost effectiveoverprinting services, short run print-on-demand, and variable data /personalisation in full colour. imageData Group’s current mono printvolumes exceed 5 million impressions a month and colour volumes are inexcess of 3 million copies a month.imageData Group also has the most cost efficient large format, full colourdigital printing facilities capable of printing on virtually any substrate.Products range from large posters and point of sale/point of purchasedisplays to exhibition and backlit display materials.

Digital Proof A proofing system that does not include the use of film. Data is sent to aprinter and imaged directly onto paper. Strides in colour technologyincreasingly allow digital proofs to serve as contract proofs. After thedigital proof is approved, the same file used to create it is sent to the filmprocessor, which creates the film used in the printing process. Digitalproofing is generally less expensive than other prepress proofingmethods or press proofs but they are not as accurate for checkingtrapping and identifying moiré problems as overlay and laminate proofs.They are a viable option on most simple print projects and high-enddigital proofs can provide even greater accuracy for more complex jobs.Also Known As: dry proof, off-press proof, digital CMYK proof, continuoustone proof, halftone proof and half proof.

Digitise To convert an image or signal into binary code. Visual images aredigitised by scanning them, then assigning a binary code to the resultingvector or raster graphics data.


Dimensional The ability of paper to maintain its original size when under pressure, orStability exposed to moisture.

Direct Emulsion Liquid, light sensitive emulsion that is coated on the screen and thenexposed.

DirecType The image personalisation software used by imageData Group toproduce highly personalised communications across various forms ofmedia such as digital printing, e-marketing, web and mobile phonemessaging.

Disc Supplied A term which implies all digital artwork is supplied on one of a variety ofmedia types; CD, zip disc, optical disc etc. When supplying a disc withdigital artwork, it is important to provide a printed copy from yourown computer.

Display Card A small piece of point of sale display advertising, attached to a display ofmerchandise. Also Known As: shelf talker.

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

Dithering The process of averaging between pixels of different colours. This resultsin a smoother, blended transition between the edge of two areas ratherthan a jagged or 'stair-step' appearance. Also a method used on ink jetprinters where colours are produced by mixing coloured dots in a randompattern.

DL A standard finished / folded paper size, A4 flat size folded three times.

DL Envelope A standard envelope size of 110mm x 220mm, mostly used to mail DLfinished size items such as compliment slips.

Dmax The Maximum Density in an image.

Dmin The Minimum Density in an image.

Dot The smallest individual element of halftone.

Dot Adjusting the size of the dots in halftones or four colour images to allowCompensation for dot gain and to ensure that the colour and detail of the image print is

as intended. Also see dot gain, halftone, ink holdout, screen.

Dot Gain The halftone dots of an image print larger than the size they were on thefilms or printing plates. This results in some loss of detail. A printingdefect causing darker colours or tones due to the spreading of ink onstock. The more absorbent the stock, the more dot gain. Can vary by typeof ink as well. Some degree of dot gain is an unavoidable part of theprinting process and there are settings in a number of desktop publishingtools to allow for this. Adobe Photoshop, in particular, has settings toallow for dot gain under its colour settings preferences. Also Known As:dot growth, dot spread, and press gain.

Dot Size Relative size of halftone dots as compared to dots of the screen rulingbeing used. There is no unit of measurement to express dot size. Dotsare too large, too small or correct only in comparison to what the viewerfinds attractive.


Dots Per Inch (DPI) A measurement of output device (e.g. printer) resolution. Measures thenumber of dots a printer can print per inch both horizontally and vertically.A 600 dpi printer can print 360,000 (600 by 600) dots on one square inchof paper. While technically different than PPI (pixels per inch), the termsare interchangeable so that DPI can also be the measurement of inputdevice resolution (like a digital camera or scanner), or can be themeasurement of the resolution of an image. To check what DPI an imageis, open it in Photoshop and choose Image > Image Size from the menu.The DPI (or PPI) is listed in the Resolution value box.

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

Double Burn Exposing a plate to multiple images.

Double Each printing unit has two printing plates, allowing twice the number ofCircumference pages.Press

Double Coating Coating paper or board twice on one or both sides. Also see Medium-Weight Coated Paper (MWC).

Double One of four basic folds in web printing that forms a sheet into a signature.Digest Fold

Double Gatefold Three parallel folds. The left and right edges of the paper fold and meet inthe middle, without overlapping, along a centre fold. The outer panels areusually 1/32" to 1/8" smaller than the inner panels to allow for properfolding and nesting. A double gatefold might be used in the middle of amagazine for a fold-out centre spread. Also Known As: gatefolds and 3directional gatefold.

Double Page Two facing pages of a newspaper or magazine where the text on the leftSpread 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 Type faces which can be stored on a disk and then downloaded to theFonts printer when required for printing. These are, by definition, bit-mapped

fonts and, therefore, fixed in size and style.

Down Time Loss of chargeable time due to machine breakdown or other factors.

D Press imageData Group’s Komori S40D, Direct Imaging press is arevolutionary four colour B1 format press equipped with direct imagingtechnology. Printing plates can be imaged on the press itself, thuseliminating the traditional method of off-line plate production. This greatlyenhances quality, increasing speed of set-up and changeover, andeliminating environmental issues by dispensing with chemical processingand reducing material wastage. It is the ideal press for poster printing andalso allows imageData Group to supply cost effective wet proofs. AlsoKnown As: computer to press.

Drawn On A method of binding a paper cover to a book by drawing the cover onand gluing it to the back of the book.


Drill / Drilling Making the holes in paper for use in a ring binder. Drills can neatlyperforate a much greater thickness of paper than can the kind of holepunch you have in the office.

DRM (Digital Provides the software locks put on information distributed digitally toRights Management) prevent unauthorised distribution.

Drop Cap A large initial letter at the start of the text that drops into the line or lines oftext below. Can be decorative.

Drop Shadow A shadow image placed offset behind an image to create the affect of theimage lifting off the page.

Drum Scanner An extremely high resolution, prepress scanner that uses a high-speedrotating glass drum to scan transparencies and photographic images.Drum scanners give a much more detailed reproduction of an originalthan flat-bed desktop scanners and can capture a much greater range oftones. However, the gap between some of the top flatbed scanners anddrum scanners is narrowing at a dramatic rate.

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

Dry Transfer Characters, drawings, etc, that can be transferred to the artwork byrubbing them off the back of the transfer sheet. Also Known As: letteringand letraset.

Dual-purpose Bond paper suitable for printing by either lithography (offset) orBond Paper xerography (photocopy), is usually an un-coated material. Abbreviated to

DP bond paper.

Duct The ink reservoir in a printing machine.

Dummy (1) A preliminary layout showing the position of illustrations and text asthey are to appear in the final printed piece.(2) A plain white simulation of a booklet or brochure not printed but madeup using the intended stock to show the size, shape, fold, and generalstyle of a printed piece. This is the best way to get a feel for the finishedproduct for more complex publications. Also Known As: mock-up.

Dumpbins Point of sale storage boxes usually made of corrugated board for shortterm promotions and displays. A cost-effective and simple solution toloose fill merchandising. Also see back card. Also Known As: bin.

Duotone A two colour halftone reproduction generated from a one colour photo.

Duplex A capability of printers and copiers that enables printing on both sides ofa sheet of paper.

Duplex Paper A paper with a different colour or finish on either side of the sheet.


EEB Double Wall If strength and good printability are required then EB Double wall is aFlute Corrugated good option. Other benefits are that the performance of EB to BC is notBoard that different but EB uses much less storage space. Conversion speeds

are similar to C flutes.

EB inks Inks cured by electron beams (polymerization). The advantage of EB inksover UV inks is the thickness of the layers that can be applied, as theelectron beams penetrate deeply. EB inks are easier to store than UVinks, however, curing has to be done in an oxygen-free environment, inorder to avoid oxidation of the ink and the printing material caused by thehigh-energy electrons.

E-business imageData Group likes to work with customers and harness technologyto provide the highest level of customer service and to minimise costs.Customer benefits include speed, efficiency, brand integrity, and lowertransactional costs with e-business solutions.E-business is playing an ever increasing role within the business andimageData Group has extensive experience in working with a range ofweb-based supplier quotation systems and will work with any client’schosen system. ImageData Group’s IT department has also developedonline systems tailored specifically to individual customer’s needs.imageData Group can accept orders, supply proofs, provide invoices,and accept payment electronically.

Editions A series of printed products, usually limited or numbered editions i.e. aspecific number are produced and are assigned unique numbers.

Editing Assessing and amending an item before publishing, a manuscript,composition, audio, or visual item.

E Flute A fine flute used for corrugated 'cartons'. It gives excellent crushCorrugated Board resistance and a compression strength better than solid fibreboard.

Excellent printability. This single faced flute product is ideally suited forlitho laminating display packaging where the thin printed top sheet ismounted onto a corrugated board. The resulting combination addsexcellent strength, protection and quality graphics to the overall pack.

Electromechanical Machine which makes gravure printing cylinders.Engraver (EME)

Electronic Publishing via the internet or other electronic format, rather than on paper.Publishing

Electronic The use of a digital printer to create a book. EPOD books often havePublishing on relatively small print runs, even single copies, sometimes causing theDemand (EPOD) method to be derisively referred to as vanity publishing.

Electrophoto- A photocopying technique developed by Chester Carlson in 1938. Alsography see xerography.

Elementally The more common name for molecular chlorine free and a method ofChlorine Free bleaching that doesn’t use chlorine gas.(ECF)

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

Em A square unit with edges equal to the chosen point size, named from theletter M which was the widest letter.

Embossing A process performed after printing to stamp a raised image into thesurface of paper, using engraved metal embossing dies, extremepressure, and heat.

Emulsion Light sensitive coating found on printing plates and film.

En A unit of measurement that is half as wide as an em.

Encapsulated Computer file containing both images and PostScript commands. ThePostScript File preferred file format for saving images, as it is resolution independent.(EPS) Abbreviated to EPS.

Encapsulation A fully sealed film (polyester or polypropylene) to both surfaces of asheet, enhancing durability.

End-aisle Display A display of a product set up at the end of an aisle in a retail store to callattention to a special offering or price.

End Board In ram-bundling, the piece of plywood or hardboard, placed at each endof the bundle to protect the printed product from the strapping.

End Papers The four page leaves at the front and end of a book which are pasted tothe insides of the front and back covers (boards).

Engraving A printing process using intaglio, or recessed plates. Made from steel orcopper, engraving plates cost more than plates used in most otherprinting processes, such as lithography. Ink sits in the recessed wells ofthe plate while the printing press exerts force on the paper, pushing it intothe wells and onto the ink. The pressure creates raised letters and imageson the front of the page and indentations on the back. The raised letteringeffect of engraving can be simulated using a less costly process, calledthermography.

EP Abbreviation for envelope.

EPS See encapsulated postscript file.

Equivalent Paper Paper that is not the brand specified, but looks, prints and may cost thesame. Also Known As: comparable stock.

Erasable A printing form where the print image can be removed from the form andPrinting Form the form can be re-used.

Erratum Author's or printer’s error, discovered after the book has been printed.

Estimate The estimated cost of a print job, based on the specification outlined bythe client. It is sent prior to entry of an order on the system and pricesmay change if the artwork or order specification are not the same as theestimate specification. Also Known As: bid, quotation, and tender.


Etching (1) the process of forming a design or drawing on a metal or plastic plate;(2) a design or picture etched on a plate or a print made from an etchedplate.

Ethanol Comparatively non-toxic alternative solvent for printing inks.

Eurobind A patented method of binding perfect bound books so they will stayopen. Also Known As: lay flat bind.

European Colour A European group of colour management and printing experts founded inInitiative (ECI) 1996. The ECI has been influential in promoting and implementing ICC

(International Colour Consortium, www.color.org) and ISO (InternationalOrganisation for Standardization, www.iso.org) based colour and printingworkflows in Europe and beyond.

Exception In word processing or desktop publishing this is a store of pre-Dictionary 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.

Exposed Flute A double wall product, where the outer most liner is excluded thusBoard revealing the top flute profile. This product is ideal for creating unique

decorative display packaging, particularly when combined with a preprintflute liner. In addition, exposed flute can also be used as a double wallmounting sheet where the exposed fluting has a litho or screen printedtop sheet mounted to it thus creating a strong and rigid product ideal forheaders or free standing displays. Also see EB flute corrugated boardand NE flute corrugated board.

Exposure (1) In photography, allowing light to reach the light sensitive film andreproduce the image being transmitted.(2) In screen making, allowing light to reach the light sensitive photostencil and reproduce the image of the light blocking film positive.

Exposure Unit Any exposure system that is self-contained with a light source and screenholding set-up.

Extent Page count in a book.

Ex-works Estimate calculated with no courier or delivery costs. The supplier’s onlyresponsibility is to make the ordered goods available to the client at thesupplier's premises. The client bears the cost and risk in transporting thegoods from the supplier's premises to destination.

Eyelet Metal, plastic or rubber rings that are inserted into a hole made throughanother material. They may be used to reinforce the hole (for fastening orhanging), to shield something from the sharp edges of the hole, or both.Also Known As: grommet.

Eyeletting The punching of small holes into a material for the purpose of attachinggrommets, cords, or hooks for hanging.

Eyemark A small rectangular printing area, usually located near the edge of a webor design, to activate an automatic electronic position regulator forcontrolling register or the printed design with subsequent equipment oroperations.


FFabric The cloth used in screen making to hold the stencil and to screen print

through.

Fabric Stretcher A mechanical device for tensioning screen printing fabrics over the screenframe, accurately and correctly.

Face (1) In abbreviation for typeface referring to a family in a given style.(2) The edge of a bound publication opposite the spine. Also Known As:foredge.

Face Material Any paper, film, fabric, laminate or foil material suitable for converting intopressure sensitive label stock. Also Known As: face stock.

Faded Colour Colour lost (usually in large solids or solid tints) during drying or when theprinted sheet is exposed to light.

Fast Colour Inks Inks with colours that retain their density and resist fading as the productis used and washed.

Feathering Ink spread at edges of type due to the poor quality of ink or itsdistribution.

Feeder Equipment for feeding and positioning paper sheets in printing presses.

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

Feet Wire devices inserted into pole toppers to render them able to standvertically erect.

Felt Side The smoother side of a sheet of paper. The wire side is the rougher sideof the paper. The difference happens in the papermaking process but iseliminated when papers are gloss or matt coated.

Ferrous Inks These inks are printed on the reverse side of displays or posters, so aquick change over can be made on pre-magnetized boards. This can beprinted all over or have a percentage coverage on paper and for PVCheavier strips / coverage are printed to hold the display on panels. AlsoKnown As: magnetic inks.

F Flute This material offers an exceptional surface for printing and is impressivelyCorrugated strong thus creating a versatile decorative packaging material. It isBoard suitable for printing by screen, flexo and can be processed by new

generation litho machines. This single faced flute product is ideally suitedfor litho laminating display packaging where the thin printed top sheet ismounted onto a corrugated board. The resulting combination addsexcellent strength, protection and quality graphics to the overall pack.

Fibre Filaments of plant tissue, such as cotton fibre and wood fibre. Somespeciality papers may contain synthetic fibres, such as rayon or nylon.


Fifth Colour Although there can be many additional colours (in addition to the fourCMYK process printing inks) a single fifth colour is the most common.Often this is the corporate colour of a company's logo or corporateidentity, which needs to be reproduced accurately. Also Known As: spotcolour and Pantone.

File Format The information of a digital file is stored in various file extensions /formats. The formats are either based in the application program thatcreated the file, (for example .psd is a Photoshop file), or a more universalformat that is supported by most imaging programs such as .tiff and .jpg.Some compress information in the image more so it creates smaller files.Whilst this is good for storage space and emailing, information will be lostin the image when you come to print it. Some common file formats areAI, BMP, DCS, EPS, TIFF, JPG, PSD, GIF, and EPS.

File Transfer Allows the uploading, downloading or transfer of files or websites to aProtocol (FTP) computer.

Filler Extra material used to complete a column or page, usually of littleimportance.

Filling In A condition when ink fills in the space between halftone dots and also fillsin type.

Film Transparent material made of plastic acetate with a light-sensitiveemulsion for recording an image.

Film Negative Film developed after exposure. Images appear with transparent blackhues and opaque white areas.

Film Positive Film exposed to a film negative and developed. Images appear withopaque black hues and transparent white areas. Required for photostencils in serigraphy (screen printing).

Filmsetter An output device which produces film positives or negatives directly fromripped data.

Filter Creative effects applied with an illustration program to selectivelyemphasise or de-emphasise all or portions of an image. Filters can beused to sharpen or blur images or apply special effects. Filters also allowtext and graphic images to look like they were created using texturedbackgrounds or applied on various types of backgrounds using differenttypes of paint.

Final Proof Once called a "Blueline" this is now a digitally generated full colour proof.

Fine Screen Screen ruling with 150 lines per inch or more.

Finish (1) Surface characteristics of paper.(2) General term for trimming, folding, binding, and all other post pressoperations.

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


Finishing Any process that follows the actual printing. Includes: trimming, creasing,folding, stitching, binding etc.

First Colour Down The first colour printed on a printing press.

Fit The registration of the different colours on a printed sheet.

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.

Flash-curing Most screen printing on garments is done with wet ink going onto wet ink.Certain jobs and most dark garment prints need to have key colours(such as white) dried or cured before another colour can print on top of it.On an automatic press a flash-curing heater replaces one of the printheads. Some jobs also need a short cool-down period before the nextcolour is printed. Therefore, what appears to be a simple six colourdesign with one flash-cure would need a minimum of eight printingstations - six for the colours, one for the flash heater and one for thecooldown. Flash-curing will often slow down the production cycle of the job.

Flatbed Scanner A desktop or design studio based scanner that works by placing originalartwork face down on a glass sheet and an electronic sensor scans theselected image area and outputs the digital file to a desktop computer.The quality of desktop flatbed colour scanners has improved dramaticallyin recent years. Some of the higher end flat-bed scanners are evencapable of prepress quality colour scans.

Flat Colour (1) Any colour created by printing only one ink, as compared to a colourcreated by printing four colour process. Also Known As: block colour andspot colour.(2) Colour that seems weak or lifeless.

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

Flexography A method commonly used for printing on packaging and other unevensurfaces. In "flexo," the plates used in the printing process are often madeof rubber or plastic, allowing the inked surface to conform to many kindsof substrates due to its flexibility. Also Known As: flexo and surfaceprinting.

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

Flooding A fault within the screen-printing process where images are ‘thickened’and have un-sharp edges and shadow tones can fill in. Can be caused,amongst other things, by thin ink. Also Known As: splurging.

Floor Graphic Graphics designed for adherence to retail floor space, printed on aunique plastic substrate. Also Known As: floor mat.

Fluorescent Ink Ink that has bright and luminous colour because of the phosphorouschemicals in it.


Fluorescent Paper A white base paper or board coated with a mixture of fluorescentand Board pigments and binders. The coating is activated by ultraviolet light, usually

natural light.

Flush Cover Cover trimmed to the same size as inside pages, as compared tooverhang cover. Also Known As: cut flush.

Flush Left Copy aligned along the left margin.

Flush Right Copy aligned along the right margin.

Flyer An inexpensively produced circular used for promotional distribution.

Flying Imprinter A device on a printing unit of a web press which allows for one plate to bechanged without stopping the machine.

FoamBlast ink Provides a unique raised tactile finish with an extremely high coatingweight, which provides a decorative finish. Available in 5 colours; blue,white, red, yellow, and black.

Foamboard Rigid foam centered boards made with paper, veneer, or plastic outers.

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

Foil Blocking A printing process whereby metallic foil is applied to the printing substratevia a heated die for decorative purposes. Also Known As: foil stampingand foil embossing.

Folder A finishing machine dedicated to folding printed materials.

Fold Marks With printed matter, markings indicating where a fold is to occur, usuallylocated at the top edges. Also Known As: fold lines.

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

Folio Printer's technical term for what the rest of the world calls a page number.

Font Fonts provide a document with its own style and appearance. Fonts aredesigned by people who like the shape and form of letters and thesefonts are given names to help identify them from others. Sometimes fontsare designed for specific uses for example, Times, was designed for usein the famous newspaper “The Times”.

Font Issues PCs and Apple Macintosh computers both use different font types andthese are not interchangeable. If you are using an Apple computer yourfonts will be compatible with your printers. PC TrueType fonts behavedifferently on the Apple system, this is usually overcome by the use ofPDF files.

Food Contact Adhesives meeting specifications for use with food. TheseAdhesives regulations cover direct food labelling as well as incidental contact.

Special product recommendations are necessary for specific applications.


Footer Text or images that appear at the bottom of every page in a document.

Form Each side of a signature. Also spelt forme.

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

Formatting Altering the appearance of text, graphic accents, or visuals by changingtheir formatting attributes, including (in the case of text) typeface, typesize, leading, kerning, and colour.

Former The mechanism that makes the first fold of a web-fed press.

Form Letter A letter template in which address and other details can be semi-automatically inserted by a word processor using mail merge.

Form Roller(s) Roller(s) that come in contact with the printing plate, bringing it ink orwater.

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

Fountain Trough or container, on a printing press, that holds fluids such as ink,varnish or water. Also Known As: duct and ink fountain.

Fountain Solution Mixture of water and chemicals that dampens a printing plate to preventink from adhering to the non image area. Also Known As: dampenersolution.

Four Colour The most common system for producing full colour print. Artwork andProcess originals are separated using filters and four separate printing plates are

produced. The four ink colours are Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black(CMYK). Because the inks used are translucent, they can be overprintedand combined in a variety of different proportions to produce a widerange of colours.The vast majority of magazines and colour books are produced using fourcolour process. Theoretically it is possible to produce an adequate rangeof colours using just Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. However, in practicemuch better results are achieved with the addition of black. The blackplate is used to strengthen the shadow areas and reduce the amount ofCMY inks required.Although the range of colours which can be achieved is adequate formost jobs the process has its limitations. Many colours, which areavailable as special inks have no close equivalent in four colour process.In some cases it may be necessary to print a fifth plate in order to match,for example, a particularly difficult company logo colour. The additionalcost of this is normally prohibitive and the necessity could be avoided atthe design stage.

FPO See for position only.

Fraction A ratio of two whole numbers, such as 1⁄2 (one half). Presents a problemin typesetting because there are too many possible fractions to create acharacter for each one. Although some fractions are usually includedin a character set, the rest must be typeset using subscripted andsuperscripted characters kerned around a solidus.


Fragrance Designed to add a specific “BURST” of fragrance when applied to aBurst Inks small area of printed sheets. The fragrance is released by gently rubbing

the fragrance burst area. Most fragrances can be supplied to order. AlsoKnown As: perfumed inks or scratch & sniffs.

Free Sheet Paper made from cooked wood fibres mixed with chemicals and washedfree of impurities, as compared to groundwood paper. Also Known As:woodfree paper.

Free Standing Point of Sale display stands which are independent of other retail shelvingDisplay Units units and can be placed anywhere in store. Made in a variety of materials(FSDU) including card, plastic, timber, steel etc.

French Fold A sheet which has been printed on one side only and then folded withtwo right angle folds to form a four page uncut section.

FTP See file transfer protocol.

Full Measure A line of type set to the entire line length.

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

Full-scale Black Black separation made to have dots throughout the entire tonal range ofthe image, as compared to half-scale black and skeleton black. AlsoKnown As: full-range black.


GGalley Proof A proof of text before being made up into pages. Also Known As: slip

proof.

Gamma The measure of contrast that results in the lightening or darkening ofCorrection the midtone regions of a document.

Gamut The range of colours available to a specific output device, such as a laserprinter or an imagesetter. If the colour range is too wide for that particulardevice, it is referred to as 'out of gamut'. For example, the RGB colourrange is much broader than the CMYK colour gamut (which is what mostprepress output devices use). Colours specified using the RGB gamut willoften fall out of the gamut range when output on a CMYK device.

Gang Getting the most out of a printing press by using the maximum sheet sizeto print multiple images or jobs on the same sheet. Also Known As: gangup and ganging-up.

Gatefold An oversize page where both sides fold into the gutter in overlappinglayers. Used to accommodate maps into books.

Gathering The operation of inserting the printed pages, sections or signatures of abook in the correct order for binding.

Generation First generation of original copy should yield the best quality.

Ghosting (1) Phenomenon of a faint image appearing on a printed sheet where itwas not intended to appear. Chemical ghosting refers to the transfer ofthe 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 animage on the same side of the sheet.(2) Phenomenon of printed image appearing too light because of inkstarvation.

GIF An eight bit (256 colours or shades of grey) or less computer file format.Commonly used to post photographic images to computer bulletinboards and the Internet, GIF files are almost never used for professionalprinting.

Gilding In book printing, the application of gold leaf to the edges of a book.

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

Gloss Finish A highly reflective smooth finish projecting a shiny appearance.

Gold Blocking Stamping a design onto a book cover using gold leaf and a heated die orblock.

Golden Ratio Proportion of height to width thought to produce the most pleasing result1:1618.

Gondola A section of shelving in a retail store. Usually with shelving running onboth sides.]


Gondola End Product display designed for the end of a gondola. Usually considered aprime, large-display situation.

Gondola Topper POS signage designed to rise above a gondola end display.

Gothic Typefaces with no serifs and broad even strokes.

Gradated Screen tint that changes densities gradually and smoothly, not in distinctScreen Tint steps. Also Known As: degrade, gradient, ramped screen, and vignette.

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

Gradient Fill Background fill created with illustration and presentation programscharacterised by a smooth gradation from one colour to another, or fromone colour to white or black. The transition can be in any direction. AlsoKnown As: vignette.

Graduated Screen A smooth transition between black and white, one colour and another, orcolour and the lack of it.

Grain In papermaking, the direction in which most of the fibres run. Tear anypiece of paper and it will have one direction where it tears in a straightline (the grain direction) and one where the tear is more ragged (acrossthe grain). Wetting a strip of paper will cause it to curl in the oppositedirection to the grain.

Grain Direction Predominant direction in which fibres in paper become aligned duringmanufacturing.

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

Grams per Square GSM is the term used for the method of measuring paper and boardMetre (GSM) weight. Also Known As: grammage.

Graphic Computer data in the form of a picture or an image.

Graphic Design Arrangement of type and visual elements along with specifications forpaper, ink colours, and printing processes that, when combined, convey avisual message. Also see design.

Gravure A not very common printing process where the image area is etchedbelow the surface of the plate (an intaglio process). Gravure is most oftenused for either very high quality or long run printing. The web version issometimes referred to as rotogravure.

Greeking Gibberish or grey areas to simulate lines of text.

Grey Balance Printed cyan, magenta, and yellow halftone dots that accuratelyreproduce a neutral grey image.

Greyscale Strip of grey values ranging from white to black. Used by process cameraand scanner operators to calibrate exposure times for film and plates.


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

Grind-off The area which runs along the spine of each section (signature) of aperfect bound book which is removed, after being gathered, to allow theglue to penetrate every leaf. The UK standard grind-off dimension is 3mm.

Gripper On printing presses these are fingers that keep the sheet in place andcarry it during the impression.

Gripper Edge Edge of a sheet held by grippers on a sheetfed press, thus going firstthrough the press. Nothing can be printed on this area. Also Known As:feeding edge and leading edge.

Gripper Margin The precise clearance allowed on the paper's edge to avoid damagingthe printed image.

Groundwood Low cost papers such as newsprint made by mechanical pulping.

GSM See grams per square metre.

Guard A narrow strip of paper or linen pasted to a single leaf to allow sewinginto a section for binding.

Guillotine A machine used to accurately cut or trim a large number of sheets ofpaper.

Gum Arabic Used to desensitise non-printing areas and to sensitise etching areas ona printing plate.

Gutter The central blank area between left and right pages.

Gutter Margin The blank space, or inner margin from the printing area to the binding.


HHairline Register Printing registration that lies within the range of plus or minus one half

row of dots. It is the thinnest of printers’ rules.

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.

Halftone An illustration reproduced by breaking down the original tone into apattern of dots of varying size. Light areas have small dots and darkerareas or shadows have larger dots. Simulating a continuous tonephotograph using dots.

Halftone Process Technique used in printing to reproduce the full range of tones in aphotograph or other illustration.

Halo Effect Faint shadow sometimes surrounding halftone printed dots. The halo itselfis also called a fringe.

Hanging Indent Where the first line of a paragraph is set full out to the column and theremaining lines are indented by 1 em.

Hanging Sign In retail a sign that usually hangs from the ceiling, rafter, printed on bothsides.

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

Hard Copy Printed copy of information from a computer. A hard copy is so-calledbecause it exists as a physical object. Also Known As: printout.

Hard Dot A very clean, fringeless, sharp dot.

Hardwood Pulp Pulp made from deciduous trees (trees that drop their leaves, such asmaple and oak). Hardwood pulp has short fibres, which give paper bulk,body, and smoothness. Papers are often made from a blend of hardwoodand softwood pulps, combining the qualities of both into a single paper.

Head The larger bold text at the top of a page.

Header (1) At the top of a page, the margin.(2) POS signage projecting above a retail display.

Head-to-Head Imposition with the heads of each page facing the heads of another.

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

Heat Resistance Ability of substrate to resist the effects of high temperature exposure.

Heat Seal To bond or weld material together by the use of heat.


Heatset Web Reelfed press equipped with a drying tunnel which dries the ink beforethe printed web of paper is either folded, sheeted or re-reeled.

Helvetica The Helvetica sans-serif font was created by the Haas’sche SchriftgießereiSwitzerland in 1957. Originally called Neue Haas Grotesk, the typeface'sname was changed by Haas' German parent company Stempel in 1960 toHelvetica, (derived from Helvetia, the Latin name for Switzerland) in orderto make it more marketable internationally.Documentary film director Gary Hustwit has produced a documentary onHelvetica, called simply Helvetica, with a release date of 2007 to coincidewith the 50th anniversary of the typeface's introduction.Helvetica is widely used in signs, television news identities, and in thelogos of companies like 3M, AGFA, BASF, American Airlines, BMW,Hoover, Lufthansa, Fendi, Knoll, Intel, Motorola, Muji, Nestle, Panasonic,Parmalat, Samsung, Staples, Target, Texaco etc.Helvetica is also one of the default typefaces for the Mac OS system. Thetypeface Nimbus Sans (one of the default typefaces for GNU/Linux) isbased on Helvetica, as is Bitstream’s Swiss 721 (imageData Groupcorporate font family), which even bases its name on the same theme.Helvetica has also replaced Akzidenz Grotesk as the font used for thesigns of the New York City Subway system.

Hemp A plant fibre used to make paper. Desirable because it grows quickly andits fibres are strong (they are also used to make rope).

Hexachrome The Hexachrome printing process uses a colour model based on sixprimary colours as opposed to the traditional four colour process. As wellas cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, Hexachrome also adds orange andgreen into the range. To utilise the six colours, images must be scannedand imported using software that can understand the file formats, whichmost up to date DTP graphics software can. Orange and green are thehardest colours to reproduce in vibrant shades using the traditional CMYKfour colour process and so Hexachrome is used when an extremely highprint quality colour reproduction is required. The downside is that it isgenerally far more expensive at both the prepress and print productionstages.

Hickies A dust particle sticking to the printing plate or blanket which appears onthe printed sheet as a dark spot surrounded by a halo.

High Bulk Paper Paper stock that is comparatively thick in relation to its basis weight.

High Contrast Large difference of dark to light areas in a photographic reproduction.

Highlight The lightest area in a photograph or illustration, as compared to midtonesand shadows.

HLS Abbreviation for hue, lightness, saturation in graphic software.

Hologram Laser-created, three-dimensional recording of a 3D or 2D imagereproduced by hot foil stamping or embossing onto reflective-backedmaterial.

Holographic A range of three-dimensional eye catching images available in clear andLaminating metallised films which can be used for any number of decorative

purposes from greeting cards to book covers.


Hopper A name for the box on a finishing machine where sections are loaded tothen be stitched.

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

House Style Copy editing rules for spelling, punctuation, etc., used in a publishinghouse or publication.

HSB (Hue, Hue is the pigment, saturation is the amount of pigment, and brightnessSaturation, is the amount of white included. With the HSB model, all colours can beBrightness) defined by expressing their levels of hue, saturation, and brightness in

percentages.

HTML (HyperText A method of tagging text in order for it to be presented on the internet.Mark-up Language)

Hue The wavelength of light that represents a colour. Hue is the mostdifferentiating attribute of a colour.

Hyphenation Breaking of words into syllables separated by hyphens. Impedesreadability but is usually necessary to maintain even right margins andtext colour in fully justified type.


IICC Profile A file that contains the mathematical colour characteristics of a device(International (e.g. scanner, printer, monitor, etc,) in a colour workflow. ICC profiles areColour Consortium) used in conjunction with some colour management systems.

iD-alliance Division of imageData Group developed to service the marketingservices and trade printing sectors.

Ident The identifying mark on a sign, i.e. the brand name.

Illustrator (1) An individual who draws or paints images for use in commercial art.Many new tools enable a variety of expressions with traditional media ornew computer enhanced illustration techniques.(2) Adobe Illustrator is a drawing package that enables users to createsophisticated artwork, technical illustrations, graphics, and page designsfor print, multimedia, and the Web. Illustrator offers a full range of drawingand painting tools, as well as typographic control.

Image Area Portion of paper on which ink can appear.

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

Impose The layout of pages on the printed sheet so that they are in the correctorder when the sheet is folded up and trimmed. Imagine a 16 page A5leaflet printed on a single SRA2 sheet. The sheet is folded in half threetimes before trimming and stitching. If you look at the printed, unfoldedsheet you will see that, for example, page 2 is adjacent to page 15 andhalf the pages are upside down! There are many different impositionlayouts - some of them very complex. For example, once the 16 pageshave been 'imposed', page 1 and page 2 are both printed back-to-back,and pages 1 and 16 are printed side by side. NOTE: when a series ofpages are 'imposed', the left-hand pages should ALWAYS be evennumbers and the right-hand pages should ALWAYS be odd numbers.This is traditional etiquette and creates a professional look to the printedjob. Also Known As: imposition.

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

Impression Cylinder, on a press, that pushes paper against the plate or blanket, thusCylinder forming the image.

Imprint (1) Required by law if the book is to be published. Shows printer's name,location, and date of publication.(2) To print new copy on a previously printed sheet, such as imprinting anemployee's name on business cards. Also Known As: surprint andoverprint.


INCA Columbia imageData Group operate 2 INCA Columbia large format, 4 colour digitalTurbo Large flatbed presses. Capable of printing on practically any substrate up toFormat Digital 40mm thick, right to the edge of the sheet/material with precise registerPress accuracy. Instant drying UV curing inks to speed delivery and high

durability for interior or exterior use. Resolution 800 x 1200dpi. Maximumsheet size 3200mm x 1600mm, maximum material thickness 40mm,maximum output 160m2 per hour.

InDesign The next generation desktop publishing program from Adobe.

Indigo Digital Brand of short-run printer, uses direct-from-digital media, bypassing thePress (HP) need for plate production. imageData Group operate three HP Indigo

3050 digital presses, for image quality that rivals offset, combined withhigh-volume printing capacity. The Indigo’s can print up to seven-colour,with high definition images and outstanding substrate selection.Throughput is geared to ensure fast time-to-market, reaching 4,000 four-color A4 single sided images-per-hour (two-up) or 16,000 single-colour A4images-per-hour (two-up).

Injection A moulding technique wherein molten material is inserted into a mouldMoulding cavity and formed by "injecting" a positive mould part into that cavity.

Ink Colour, other than the colour of the paper, is produced by ink. Colourprinting falls into two broad categories: spot colour, using pre-mixed inks,e.g. Pantone and process colour, (four colour process) Cyan, Magenta,Yellow, and Black.Inks are made up of three basic ingredients: Pigment, (the colour),Vehicle (carries the pigment), and the Drying Agent (speaks for itself).Ink qualities depend on what process the ink is intended for. Lithographicinks are thick bodied (body referring to viscosity, or stiffness). Such inksbecome more fluid and softer after they warm up. Generally the faster thepress, the greater the viscosity required. Inks also need the quality oftack, or stickiness. This plays a role in picking (where the particles of thepaper surface are pulled off and collect on the plate and/or blanketleaving white dots in printed areas) trapping, and sharpness of print. Inmulticolour printing the tack must vary between inks, with first downhaving the highest level of stickiness. The stranding caused by two stickymaterials is referred to as length, with long inks being used on newsprint.If an ink is too short it will build up on the press. Drying is from acombination of some or all of the following: absorption into the paper,oxidation, evaporation, heat, and UV curing. The final appearance of theprinted item depends on correct drying.

Ink Absorption Capacity to accept or absorb ink.

Ink Fountain The reservoir on a printing press that holds the ink.

Ink Holdout Resistance to the penetration of ink. Coated papers tend to have good inkholdout. The ink pigments sit on the surface of the coating and are notabsorbed into the spaces between the paper fibres. This minimises dotspread and results in a sharp image. Uncoated papers tend to absorb inkinto the sheet, but printers can compensate for this and still produce avery bright, sharp image on uncoated paper.

Inking Roller A printing machine roller that carries ink from the fountain to the plate.


Inkjet Printing A printing process where the printer places extremely small droplets ofink onto paper to create an image.

In-line Display POS display that is erected within the line of shelving in a store. Oftenshelves are removed and actually replaced by the display fixture.

Inline Finishing When a publication goes from a web press to a binding line and isfinished in a single operation.

Inline Graphic A graphic that is locked to text so that it moves as preceding text is editedor deleted. Useful for captions, as they will not become separated fromthe picture.

Insert A piece of printed material that is inserted into another piece of printedmaterial, such as a magazine or catalogue.

Insert Cards Printed graphics designed for insertion into a permanent frames.

Intaglio Printing method in which the image in the plate is etched or recessed.The ink is applied to the plate, wiped clean, and then the ink remaining inthe recesses transfers to the substrate.

Interleaving Introducing alternate sheets of blank paper between the printed sheets asthey come off the press to prevent set off.

Interrobang Punctuation mark comprised of a question and exclamationsuperimposed.

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

ISDN (Integrated Internet connection at higher speeds than normal phone lines.Services Digital Network)

Island Display A display of merchandise which stands alone in a store and can beshopped from 360°.

ISO Paper Sizes International Standards Organisation European paper size standard. See‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’ series.

ISO 14001:2004 An International Standard on Environmental Management.

ISO 9001:2000 An International Standard on Quality Assurance Management. AllimageData Group sites are accredited to this standard.

Italic Type with sloping letters.

Ivory Board A smooth, high white board often used for business cards, invitations,and other quality printed material.


JJacket The cover in which a hardback book is sold.

Jaggies An image that has been scanned at too low a pixel resolution will appearpixelated. If the graphic is output at too low a printed resolution, it willalso appear jagged or aliased. Jaggies can also occur to linked imageswhich have been output to a high resolution printer, or an imagesetter, butwhere the original linked image file is missing. Also Known As:bitmapped.

Jaw Folder Mechanism on a web press that folds paper into signatures.

JDF (Job An industry standard designed to simplify information exchange betweenDefinition Format) different applications and systems in and around the graphic arts industry.

JDF builds on and extends beyond pre-existing partial solutions, such asCIP3's Print Production Format (PPF) and Adobe Systems' Portable JobTicket Format (PJTF). It enables the integration of commercial andplanning applications into the technical workflow. JDF is a comprehensiveXML based file format and the proposed industry standard for end-to-endjob ticket specifications combined with a message description standardand message interchange protocol. It ensures maximum possibleportability between different platforms and ready interaction with Internetbased systems.

Job Docket A docket to keep track of jobs by printers. Also Known As: job tickets, jobbag and works order.

Job Number A number assigned to a specific printing project in a printing company foruse in tracking and historical record keeping.

Jog To vibrate a stack of finished pages so that they are tightly aligned forfinal trimming or binding.

Jogger A machine with a high vibration rate that is used in the finishing processto even up large stacks of printed sheets.

JPG A JPG is a type of compressed, digital file. This file 'format' wasdeveloped by a group of photographic experts who wanted a file formatwhich would allow photographs to be rendered with a good colour andtonal range, yet provide a relatively small file size. By their very nature,JPGs have already had some quality removed and therefore not all JPGsare suitable for high quality colour printing. Also Known As: jpeg (JointPhotographic Experts Group).

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


KK (1) Kilobyte 1024 bytes, a binary 1,000.

(2) Short for the black in CMYK.

Keep Standing To hold type or plates ready for reprints.

Kerning The adjustment of spacing between certain letter pairs, A and V forexample, to obtain a more pleasing appearance.

Keyline An outline drawn or set on artwork showing the size and position of anillustration or halftone.

Key Plate The printing plate used as the guide for other plates, usually containingthe most detail. Also Known As: key forme.

Kiss-cut Light cut into the peelable surface of a self-adhesive sheet, leaving thebacking sheet intact.

Kitting The collating and packing of numerous components into one lot, i.e. storespecific kits. Also Known As: Pick ‘n’ Pack.

Knife Fold A fold created by a blunt straight edge plunging down into the middle of aflat sheet.

Knife Lock A small slot die-cut into a paperboard display to accept a tab that, whenforced through the slot, will lock securely. Also see lock in tabs.

Knocking Up The adjustment on one or two edges of a pile of sheets so that they canbe cut squarely.

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

Komori imageData Group operates Komori Lithographic printing presses. TheGroup’s headquarters are home to 6 Komori presses including theLithrone S40SP multi-colour super perfecting press.

KPIs (Key A set of measures that enables a business to benchmark its performancePerformance Indicators) against others or against a set of internally defined targets.

Kraft Paper A tough brown paper used for packing.


LL*a*b An internationally recognised measure of colour. It incorporates

Brightness, Saturation and Hue. L stands for brightness, a and b arecombined elements of saturation and hue, representing the Red/Greenand Yellow/Blue elements of the colour respectively. There are severalversions of L*a*b, the current internationally recognised one is CIEL*a*b(CIE stands for Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage). imageDataGroup's lithographic process prints to an accuracy of 2.5 delta E, thelimit of what the human eye can recognise.

Lacquer A non-pigmented, gloss varnish applied to printed material for strength,appearance, and protection.

Laid Paper with a watermark pattern showing the wire marks used in the papermaking process. Usually used for high quality stationery.

Laminate A transparent coating applied to printed sheets to give either a shiny(gloss) or neutral (matt) finish. Usually used on the outer covers ofbrochures or heavy, single sheet, printed materials. Helps protect thedocument from moisture and heavy usage, as well as being aestheticallypleasing.

Lamination A plastic film bonded by heat, adhesive and/or pressure to a printedSheet sheet for protection or appearance. Two or more materials bonded

together functioning as one.

Landscape The orientation of the page so that the long edge is along the bottom.The opposite of portrait. Also Known As: horizontal.

Large Format A term used to describe printed products larger than 420 x 594mm,16.5 x 23.5" (A2 size). Uses of Large format items include: graphics foradvertising, poster displays, exhibition panels and exhibition systems,promotional point of sale and signage.

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

Laser Compatible Paper that performs on a laser printer or copier. Laser compatible paperhas good dimensional stability that keeps it from curling, changing shape,and causing paper jams in printers and copiers.

Laser Printer A high quality image printing system using a laser beam to produce animage on a photosensitive drum. The image is transferred on to paper bya conventional xerographic printing process.

Last Colour Down Last colour to be printed on the press.

Lateral Reversal A positive or negative image transposed from left to right as in a mirrorreflection of the original.

Laydown The imposition supplied by a printer with all the information for outputtingfilms, with such information as grips and margins.


Laydown Order in which colours are printed.Sequence

Lay Edges The edges of a sheet which are placed flush with the side and marks on aprinting press to ensure that the sheet will be held properly by thegrippers and have uniform margins when printed.

Layout A sketch of the final composed pages of a publication showing therelative positions of headlines, body, and pictures.

Lead or Leading Space added between lines of type to space out text and provide visualseparation of the lines. Measured in points or fractions thereof. Namedafter the strips of lead which used to be inserted between lines of metal type.

Leaders Row of typographic dots or dashes.

Lead Time Time required from receipt of customer purchase order to produce anddeliver a product.

Leaf One sheet of paper in a publication. Each side of a leaf is one page. e.g.1pp, 2pp, etc.

Leaks A fault within the screen-printing process which leads to ink spotsappearing in the non-imaged area and also ink leaks around the actualimage. Can be caused by marks being present on the stencil in the non-imaged area. Also Known As: bleeds.

Legend (1) The descriptive matter printed below an illustration, mostly referred toas a cutline or caption.(2) An explanation of signs or symbols used in timetables or maps.

Lenticular A 3-dimensional, or motion, effect created on a "flat" surface, achieved byPrinting superimposing a grooved plastic sheet over printed matter, causing

different portions to be seen from various angles.

Letter Fold Two folds creating three panels which allow a sheet of A4 paper to fit intoa standard business DL envelope

Letterpress A relief printing process in which a raised image is inked to produce animpression. The impression is then transferred by placing paper againstimage and applying pressure.

Letterset A printing process combining offset printing with a letterpress reliefprinting 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 Known As: stock image and stock photo.

Ligature Letters which are joined together as a single unit of type such as oe and æ.


Light Box A specially designed box with the facilities to change light tubes used toshow how a printed item will look under different lighting. imageDataGroup has both on and off press light boxes with facilities for differentlight tubes.

Lightface Type having finer strokes than the medium typeface. Not used asfrequently as medium.

Lightfastness The rate at which dyes, pigments, and paints change colour or get lighteras a result of being exposed to UV or daylight, heat, acids or alkalis. Theexpected or estimated life of a print can be measured by tests such asthe Blue Wool scale (UK) and the Wilhelm laboratory reports (USA).However lightfastness can be affected by the combination of ink andpaper used, and therefore all the inks may not fade at the same rate.

Light Table A special table with a light underneath used in reprographics for paste-ups. Also Known As: line-up table.

Light-weight LWC printing paper combines low-freeness mechanical pulp with longCoated Paper fibre cellulose fibres to achieve superior strength. Excellent printability is(LWC) then added by coating both sides of the paper to give it a high degree of

smoothness and gloss. LWC is intended for printing applications inwhich high information capacity is needed. Its main uses are forcatalogues and magazines with a high advertising content. The higher thebasis weight, the higher the brightness level. LWC comes in differentversions suiting heatset web offset printing. A matt-surfaced version isvery popular for offset printing of textbooks. A hybrid grade is available inthe 60-75gsm range commonly called LWC Hi-Brite. These offer a higherbrightness level than conventional LWC, whilst retaining opacity whichMWC (Medium Weight Coated Paper) cannot match. Basic weight range45 – 80gsm, the most popular being 47 and 70gsm. Also Known As:Blade Coated Mechanical.

Limp Cover A flexible book cover, as distinct from a cased-in board cover.

Line Art Any graphic image that is not a halftone image. Line art may becomposed of one or more colours.

Line Break Command that allows you to break headlines at logical pauses withoutadding paragraph spacing. Line breaks also help you to avoid anextremely long line followed by a very short line.

Line Copy Copy suitable for reproduction without using a halftone screen.

Linen Tester A magnifying glass designed for checking the dot image of a halftone.Also see loupe.

Lines Per Inch A measure of the frequency of a halftone screen (usually ranging from 55-(LPI) 200). 150 lpi is the standard printing resolution. Fewer lines per inch are

often used for printing on newsprint or low quality paper.

Linting Printing problem caused when fibres from uncoated paper are pulledonto the blankets, plates or rollers.


Literature Holder A display stand that holds product or service brochures, usedprimarily in the retail market place at the point-of-purchase.

Lithocoated Paper coated with a special water-resistant material so that it canPaper withstand the lithographic process.

Lithography By far the most common type of commercial printing. The basic principleon which it works is that oil and water do not mix. A litho printing platehas non-image areas which absorb water. During printing the plate is keptwet so that the ink, which is inherently greasy, is rejected by the wet areasand adheres to the image areas.Artwork is produced digitally with graphic design software. Printing platesare produced by a photochemical process. The plate surface has non-image areas which absorb moisture and repel ink. The flexible plates,which can be made of a variety of materials, are attached to the platecylinder. The plate is kept moist throughout so that ink only adheres toimage areas.During every cycle of the press the ink image is first transferred to arubber surfaced blanket cylinder and from there to the paper. This indirectmethod is the 'offset' after which the process is named. The blanketcylinder's flexibility both preserves the delicate plate and conforms to thesurface of textured papers. After printing the sheets are taken for finishing.

Loading Clay or mineral fillers used in paper finishing to produce an opaquesmooth sheet.

Lock In Tabs Used in cardboard display engineering primarily on POS, tabs that securedisplay sections or pieces in the intended position without tape or staples.

Logo (1) Short for logotype. A word or combination of letters set as a singleunit.(2) The identifying symbol or trademark of an organisation designed aspart of a corporate image.

Long Grain Press A press where the longest side of the standard folded product runsparallel to the grain of the paper.

Loose Insert Any item inserted into a printed product without being affixed in any way.Can be either placed (in a specific position in the product) or random(anywhere in the product). Can be carried out by hand or mechanically.

Loose Leaf A method of binding which allows the insertion and removal of pages forcontinuous updating.

Lossless A method of compressing graphic image data that does not degradeimage quality.

Lossy A method of compressing graphic image data by eliminating someredundant information. Results in loss of image quality.

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

Lower Case The small letters in a font of type.


LPI See lines-per-inch.

Luminescent These are dull colours during the presence of light, but once in the darkInks (i.e. no light what so ever) they emit light and hence appear bright. There

is only a limited colour range available; the most common colours areyellow & green. Also Known As: night glow.

Luminosity A value corresponding to the brightness of colour.


MM (Megabyte) One million bytes.

Machine Finished Featuring very high bulk, is ideal for printed products in which goodCoated Paper (MFC) rigidity is desired. Its matt surface and high brightness factor make for

very readable printed text. The relative smoothness of this paper and itslow ink absorption facilitate a glossy image. This is an importantadvantage in colour printing, because it ensures excellent intensity andgloss contrasts, especially in pictures. Speciality magazines andadvertising products are among the main uses for MFC. Heatset is themost suitable printing method with this grade. Basic weight range 51 –80gsm.

Machine Finished An uncoated mechanical paper. Its main characteristic is high bulkPaper (MF) combined with a low weight. Most MF papers are 'tailormade' grades,

which are characteristically light and have surfaces meeting particularrequirements. Their information capacity (i.e. ability to show fine printeddetail) is limited due to the ink-absorption of this grade. The almostentirely mechanical fibre content means the MF will discolour whensubjected to sunlight. MF is intended for use in web-offset presses whichdo not have external ink-drying (coldset) equipment. Basic weight range45-80gsm, the most popular being 55 and 60gsm. Also Known As:improved newsprint.

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

Machine Proof A proof of the job from the printing press. Also Known As: wet proof andpress proof.

Macromedia A major publisher of DTP software with such programs as Freehand andDreamweaver.

Magenta The name of the shade of red from the standard four colour printing inks,CMYK.

Magnetic Ink A magnetized ink that can be read both by humans and by electronicmachines. Used in cheque printing.

Make Ready (1) All activities required to prepare a press or other machine to functionfor a specific printing or bindery job, as compared to production run. AlsoKnown As: setup.(2) Paper used in the make ready process at any stage in production.Make ready paper is part of waste or spoilage.

Make Up The assembly of text, headings, and illustrative material into pages withheadlines, folios, columns, etc. (traditionally a manual operation).


Management imageData Group utilises industry leading TharsternSQL™ Print MIS,Information which provides an integrated solution for managing the print process fromSystem (MIS) sales generation to estimating right through to production, despatching,

and invoicing. TharsternSQL™ enables imageData Group to accuratelymeasure all response times and deliveries and enables us to produceactual versus expected data analysis. All production and commercialactivities are controlled via a centralised database.Using TharsternSQL™ in conjunction with Crystal Reports, a whole suiteof standard reports are available and bespoke reports can be readilydeveloped, to cover all aspects of the account activity including:• orders placed• orders in progress• delivery on time, to specification, correct quantity etc.• quotation turnaround• delivery note accuracy• invoice accuracy• response to complaints

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

Marbling Paper with strongly stained fibres to give the paper a marble effect.

Margins The non printing areas of a page.

Mark Up Copy prepared with typesetting instructions.

Mask Traditionally, opaque material or masking tape used to block-off an areaof the artwork; the inactive area of a bitmapped image which will notrespond to changes. Now it is done electronically.

Masthead A panel that communicates the essential details of a publication such asthe people responsible for its production, copyright information,publication schedule, etc.

Material Splice An area where tape has been used to attach two rolls of material togetherto form one continuous web.

Matt Art A coated printing paper with a dull surface.

Mechanical A term for a camera-ready paste-up of artwork.

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

Mechanical Any paper containing mechanical wood pulp. Also Known As: partPaper mechanical.

Medium-Weight Paper with a medium-thickness coat. Its double coat gives this paper aCoated Paper consistent surface texture and excellent smoothness, ensuring(MWC) high gloss colour printing. This good surface ensures low dot-gain in

offset printing and explains why MWC is so popular for demanding full-colour applications. MWC boasts the highest information capacity of allthe mechanical-pulp-based grades. It is most suitable for perfect boundspeciality magazines and advertising articles in which quality demandsare exceptionally high. Basic weight range 80 – 115gsm. Also Known As:double coated mechanical.


Merchant A distributor of papers, often representing several different paper mills ormanufacturers. Also Known As: paper merchant.

Mercury Vapor Screen exposing lamp that is made of mercury enclosed in a quartz tube.Lamp

Mesh Fabric used to make screen for screen printing.

Mesh Count A numbering system to denote the number of threads per inch of mesh.

Metal-halide Screen exposing lamp that is made of mercury and metal halide additivesLamp in a quartz tube.

Metallic Ink Printing inks which produce an effect, e.g. gold, silver, bronze or metalliccolours.

Metamerism The tendency of colour to change with the light source in which it'sviewed. For example, two reds may appear to match under fluorescentlight, but clash badly in the light of the sun.

Microflute Board A board type that offers an alternative to solid board. The small pitch anddensity of flutes creates a superior surface for printing.

Micrometer Instrument used to measure the thickness of paper.

Micron A unit of measure. One millionth of a meter or about .00004" (25 microns= 0.001").

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

Mill Making Order for paper that a paper mill makes to the customer's specifications.Also Known As: making order.

Mineral Spirits Aliphatic solvent, commonly used to clean plastisol ink from screens. AlsoKnown As: paint thinner.

Mini Sample Small to scale model of a 3d retail display. Can also be but not requiredto be mocked up.

MIS See management information system.

Mirri Board A smooth glossy highly reflective material ideal as a base for creativeapplications in packaging and point of sale. Available in silver, gold, blue,copper, green, graphite, pink, purple, and red. Mirri board has anuntreated polyester surface which be overprinted suing fully oxidising orUV curing inks. Can also be matt laminated to produce Mirri Silk, resultingin a silky metallised paper or board more resistant to finger printing thanstraight Mirri board.

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

Mock-up The rough visual of a publication or design. Also Known As: dummy.

Modern Refers to type styles introduced towards the end of the 19th century.Times Roman is a good example of modern type.


Moiré A printing fault where halftones appear as patterns of dots. Also KnownAs: cross-screening.

Moisture Content The amount of moisture in paper. It is expressed as a percentage of itsweight. Typically, a moisture content of around 7-8% is recommended forprinting paper.

Mono Single colour printing (black).

Monochrome An image made up of varying tones in one colour. Also see duotone.

Montage A single image formed from the assembly of several images.

Mottle The appearance of irregular spots or blotches from uneven ink absorptionin a printed area that should be even in colour.

Mounting Board A heavy board used for mounting artwork.

Mounting Press Machine that dry mounts photographs and artwork without liquidadhesives.

Multi-Service Any company that provides ideas and products from conception of anidea through manufacturing to in-store display set-up for client's in needof POS advertising. Services include assembly, concept development,design, engineering, fabrication, warehouse/distribution, marketing,model making, printing/decoration promotion planning and research.

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


NNatural A term to describe papers that have a colour similar to that of wood. Also

Known As: cream, off-white, and ivory.

NCR Common name for carbonless paper.(No Carbon Required)

NE Flute A superior double wall combination that maximises the graphical benefitsCorrugated that can be obtained from claycoat liners. NE flute provides the optimumBoard print surface for both screen printing and post print flexo applications, by

having the outer liner fully supported by the N flute profile - this results inthe complete elimination of flute shadow. It prevents unwanted densityand tone changes during printing. This not only speeds up the printingprocess, through more control and less waste, but also produces asuperb reproduction of your graphics. NE flute is an outstanding versatiledesign product. It is thin in caliper, light in weight, yet exceptionallystrong. It is easily formed and enables tighter constructional tolerancesthus permitting the creation of more elegant display packaging.

Negative Film that has been exposed and processed to fix a reverse tone or image.

Neutral Greys without a colour hue.

Newsprint Low quality, absorbent paper used for printing newspapers.

Newton Ring Flaw caused by dust that produce rainbow rings.

N Flute A fine flute that has been specifically engineered to allow for direct lithoCorrugated printing. It is light in weight, offers exceptional protection and has aBoard superior surface for printing thus making it ideal for decorative packaging

applications.

Nipping In the book binding process, a stage where air is expelled from itscontents at the sewing stage.

Non Impact Refers to laser printing, inkjet printers, and photocopying devices.Printing

Novelty Printing Printing on products such as coasters, bags, pens, balloons, golf ballsetc. Also Known As: advertising specialities and premiums.

Numbering Printing a unique number on a job (e.g. tickets).


OObject-oriented A type of drawing that defines an image mathematically rather than as

pixels in a bitmap (vector-based as opposed to rasterised).

Oblique A slanted character, the sans serif equivalent to italics.

Offline Finishing Any finishing process which occurs separate from the printing process.

Offprint A run on or reprint of an article first published in a magazine or journal.

Offset Powder A material used to facilitate the subsequent drying of inks. Inks appliedonto the surface of a substrate undergo drying. Before stacking printedsheets, a printer “dusts” the inked surface with an offset powder, whichprevents the front or printed side of a substrate from intimately contactingthe back or unprinted side of a substrate. Although offset powders arevery beneficial, they sometimes can contribute detrimental characteristics.For example, a printed substrate that will undergo lamination. Theapplication may a substrate on which a gloss finish and an opticallyperfect appearance are necessary. The dusting of offset powder acts likea sprinkling of dirt or other contaminant: It will produce surfaceimperfections in the laminate and seriously detract from the finalappearance. Also Known As: offset spray.

Offset Printing The most commonly used printing method, where the printed materialdoes not receive ink directly from a printing plate. It receives ink from anintermediary blanket that receives the ink direct from the plate and thentransfers it to the paper. Lithography is an offset printing method.

OHSAS 18001: A guidance document produced by the British Standards Institute on1999 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.

Old Style A 16th Century style of type characterised by stressed strokes andtriangular serifs. An example of an old style face is Garamond.

On Demand Usually refers to printing output only when it is needed, instead of havingit stored on the shelf.

On Time In Full When referring to deliveries, this is an order that has been received by the(OTIF) customer, complete and on time.

OKTP Abbreviation for OK to print, indicating that the job is ready to go to press.

One-to-One An approach that concentrates on providing services or products to oneMarketing customer at a time by identifying and then meeting their individual needs.

It then aims to repeat this many times with each customer, such thatpowerful lifelong relationships are forged. Whilst at first the conceptappears to be only suitable for a niche market of rich clients, moderninformation technology, particularly the new interactive mediums, providean opportunity to bring personalised and customised products to themass market yet at a mass produced price. Also see DirecType.


Onion Skin A translucent lightweight paper used for air mail stationery.

Opacity The amount of show-through on a printed sheet. The more opacity or thethicker the paper the less show-through. (The thicker/heavier the paperthe higher the cost).

Opaque Ink which does not allow the substrate beneath to show through.

OPI (Open A process in which low resolution files are replaced automatically by highPrepress Interface) resolution files at the prepress stage.

Optical Character Electronic scanning device that can read characters, either typed with aReader (OCR) special OCR font, or computer created, and convert these characters to

magnetic form.

Optical Disc A direct access storage device written and read by laser light. CDs, DVDs,and laser discs are optical discs

Optical The optical graphics resolution is the real maximum resolution that anResolution input device, such as a scanner or digital camera, can render a bitmap

image. As opposed to the interpolated resolution, which is where theinput device's software will enlarge the image resolution by artificiallyadding pixel data.

Optical Storage Storing or archiving data on optical discs such as CD or DVD.

Originals The basic elements of the artwork. Includes photographs on print ortransparency, illustrations, line artwork, etc.

Orphan Line of type on its own at the top or bottom of a page.

OTS (Opportunities The advertisements in a campaign - the number of times the targetTo See) audience is potentially exposed to the advertisement. Use of the word

'opportunities' allows that not everyone who reads or looks at an issuecontaining an advertisement sees the ad.

Outdoor General term referring to out-of-home media, usually billboards, butincluding transit, skywriting, etc.

Outer Form Form (side of a press sheet) containing images for the first and last pagesof the folded signature (its outside pages), as compared to inner form.

Outline A typeface in which the characters are formed with only the outlinedefined rather than from solid strokes.

Outline Halftone Removing the background of a picture or silhouetting an image in apicture.

Out-of-register When the colours of a printed image are misaligned.

Output Computer image transferred to colour proof, paper, film or temporaryplate material by an imagesetter device.

Outsert A printed element which is usually stitched to the outside of a magazinecover.


Outwork Work that is produced through a sub-contractor.

Overlay Proof Colour proof consisting of polyester sheets laid on top of each other withtheir image in register, as compared to integral proof. Each sheetrepresents the image to be printed in one colour. Also Known As:celluloid proof and layered proof.

Overprinting Any printing that is done on an area that has already been printed (pre-printed). For example, digitally printing personalised information onlithography pre-printed sheets such as car showroom address details.

Overs (1) Additional paper required to compensate for spoilage in printing.(2) Copies printed in excess of the specified quantity. (printing tradestandard is to allow for + - 10 % to represent a completed order.)

Overspray Access ink or coating material.


PPacking Material, usually paper, placed on the printing press to give an even

pressure for printing.

Page One side of a leaf in a publication.

Page Count Total number of pages in a book including blanks.

PageMaker Widely used desktop publishing software from Adobe.

Page Makeup The assembly of all the elements that make up a page.

Page Printer The more general (and accurate) name used to describe non-impactprinters that produce a complete page in one action. Examples includelaser, LED, and LCD shutter xerographic printers, ion deposition, electro-erosion, and electro-photographic printers.

Page Proof Initial output to proofing printer. The best stage for identifying andcorrecting mistakes, typos, and other problems.

Pagination The numbering of individual pages in a multi-page document.

Painted Sheet Sheet printed with ink edge to edge. The painted sheet refers to the finalproduct, not the press sheet, and means that 100 percent coverageresults from bleeds off all four sides.

Palette (1) Limited number of colours available for a given image, typically 2colour, 256 colour, or 24-bit.(2) A name often applied to floating toolbars in certain applications (e.g.Photoshop).

Pallet A platform with a slatted bottom, used to hold and ship cartons of paperand finished goods stacked on top of each other.

Panel POS or exhibition posters for indoor or outdoor use. The final graphic canbe made up of any number of panels, which are usually numbered.

Pantone A registered name for an ink colour matching system, often abbreviatedMatching System to PMS. The proprietary PMS colour matching system is the most popular

method of specifying extra colours (not out of the CMYK four colourprocess) for print. Pantone colours are numbered and are made up out ofa base set of colours. By specifying a specific Pantone colour, a designerknows that there is little chance of colour variance on the presses.Pantones are generally used as spot colours, such as logos, to ensurecolour consistency for corporate identities. However, they can also beused in halftone graphics and for duotones. Pantones can be simulatedusing the colours from the CMYK spectrum, and Pantone publish a guidefor doing so.

Paper A complex matted web of cellulose fibres.


Paperboard Within the commercial papermaking industry, the term used to describe athick sheet of paper. Because of this simple definition, there is someconfusion as to what qualifies as paperboard. The term is not familiar tomany English speakers, who use the broader non-technical termcardboard instead. Paperboard is not usually corrugated, but thecommon term cardboard generally does include corrugated-sandwichforms. So, a technical person would call thick paper "paperboard" and thecorrugated-sandwich composite construction "corrugated", but anordinary speaker would refer to them both as "cardboard". Thickness,bulk and caliper are significant aspects to paperboard manufacture, asthe end product must be able to withstand the bending forces ofpackaging, load carrying, shipping etc., while still maintaining their shape.Consequently, these paperboard products are usually comprised of twoor more plies to provide the required stiffness. Within the industry,paperboard is referred to by weight (pounds per 1000 square feet (MSF)or edge-crush pounds per lineal inch for stacking strength properties),pressure (pounds per square inch), by thickness (by thousandths of aninch, or 'points' - i.e. 0.009" thick paperboard is also known as 9-point) orby name (foodboard, corrugating medium, boxboard etc.).

Paper-ink Affinity The tendency for paper and ink to attract, and stay attracted to eachother. This keeps the ink on the paper and off the reader's hands or thenext sheet. An incompatibility between ink and paper can cause printingproblems.

Papermaking Creating a web of fibre from plant cellulose (or, less commonly, fromsynthetic fibres). Papermakers today follow the same steps that itsinventor, Ts'ai Lun, followed almost two thousand years ago: pulpingvegetable matter and leaving the cellulose fibres behind; mixing the pulpwith lots of water; draining it; forming paper on a sieve-like mould;pressing the paper to remove some of the water; and drying it to removethe rest of the water. Technology has speeded up the process and helpedto improve the smoothness, brightness, and printability of the paper, butit hasn't changed the essence of papermaking.

Paper Stock Supply of paper according to specifications such as size, type, weight,opacity, etc.

Papyrus An aquatic plant found in northern Africa. Although papyrus is consideredto be the first paper, it is not, in the strict definition of the word, paper(which is a matted web of individual fibres). Rather, peeling the plant,which is constructed like an onion, and placing one layer on top ofanother made early papyrus “paper”. The natural juices acted like glue,bonding the layers and leaving the cellular structure of the plant layersintact.

Parallel Fold A method of folding, i.e. two parallel folds will produce a six page sheet.

Part Mechanical A paper containing up to 50% mechanical pulp, with the remainder beingmade up of chemical pulp. Also see mechanical.

PAS 75 A British Standards Institute Kite Mark specification for the print industry. Itamalgamates many of the requirements of ISO 9001, 14001, 27001 andOHSAS 18001.


Pass for Press The final approved version of the job prior to going to press. Some formof proof will have been signed by the client indicating that the job is readyfor production to commence.

Paste up The various elements of a layout mounted in position to form camera-ready artwork. Pre-digital era.

PDF See portable document format.

PE Proof reader mark meaning printer error, as opposed to an error by thecustomer.

Pearlescent Developed to offer a range of translucent pearlescent effects in 5 coloursAcetate Film (silver, gold, red, blue, and green). The appearance is more suited for

use over a dark background.

Pearling When ink incorrectly forms liquid droplets or pearls on the printed sheet.The pearling appearance is caused by the ink being too thin.

Penetration Change of appearance of the face material due to movement of one ormore components from the adhesive or the substrate. Also Known As:bleed through.

Percentage In screen printing the amount of coverage in a halftone dot is calledpercentage or tint. A 10% dot is much smaller than an 80% dot. Whenscreen printed, a dot grows in size. This is called dot gain and it can beas much as 30% when printing on an automatic press and 40% whenusing a manual. For this reason you should try not to apply any tints indesigns above 70% (they will just grow and be a solid). It is alsoimportant to take into account dot gain when using tints. Always use asmaller tint percentage than you think because in most drawing programsyou cannot specify the dot gain (you can in Photoshop!).

Perfect Binding A bookbinding technique in which the pages are glued, rather than sewn,to the cover and used primarily for paperbacks, small manuals,brochures, phone books, etc. Thinner publications, such as trademagazines and journals, are generally saddle stitched.

Perfecting Printing both sides of a sheet in one pass through the press.

Perfector A printing press which prints both sides of the paper at one pass throughthe machine. imageData Group’s range of lithographic presses include aKomori 540SP B1 super perfecting press. Also Known As: perfecting press.

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

Perforating Creating a line of punched dots on a printed sheet so that a part of asheet can be detached by the end user at a later date.

Permanence A paper's ability to resist tears, fading, and general aging over time. Thenational standard for permanence requires a pH of 7.5-8.5; at least 2%calcium carbonate; and no ground wood or unbleached fibre. Thestandard also has specific fold endurance and tear resistancerequirements. Paper meeting the standard for permanence can beexpected to last more than 100 years. Paper with a pH level of 5.5 orhigher can be expected to last up to 50 years.


Permanent In the retail sector a display with an intended length of use of six monthsDisplay or more.

Personalised Process where each copy in a print run is unique. A common applicationPrinting of this process is the insertion of contact details, i.e. name and address.

Although with the emergence of products such as DirecType it is nowpossible to create photo-realistic images; unique for each end customer.

Petroleum-based An ink using petroleum as the vehicle for carrying the pigment. InkInk manufacturers are seeking new vehicles to reduce the need for

petroleum-based solvents, which may be toxic at high levels. Also see inkand vegetable-based ink.

PH A number used for expressing the acidity or alkalinity of solutions. Paperwith a pH below 7.0 is considered acidic; paper with a pH above 7.0 isconsidered acid-free, or alkaline.

Phosphorescent Inks containing optically active Phosphorescent pigments which absorbGlow in the energy from a light source and then re-emits it as light, when viewed inDark Inks darkness.

Photochromic Mostly used for the printing of security documents. Prints are nearlyPrinting Inks colourless and become coloured when exposed to sunlight, strong

artificial light or ultraviolet light. This photocolouration is reversible. Theprinting inks contain photochromic compounds which are protectedagainst other ink components and are used to deter counterfeiting.

Photocopy A mechanical printing process that uses a light sensitive printing element,magnetic toner and a heating element to fuse the toner to the paper.

Photosensitive Light sensitive.

Photoshop Originally an Apple Macintosh based software program, now available forboth Apple and PC computers. Created by Adobe Systems for themanipulation of digital images.

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 ofcomputerisation, a pica is 1/6 of an inch.

Picking The effect of ink being too tacky and lifting fibres out of the paper. Showsup as small white dots on areas of solid colour, and is generally a papermanufacturers quality control problem.

Pick Out A problem on press caused by unevenly sealed paper, or paper with lowbonding strength. The ink "picks" off weak areas of the paper, liftingcoating from a coated stock, or lifting fibres from an uncoated stock andtransferring them to the printing blanket. These fibres will eventually betransferred back onto the sheets being printed, causing printinconsistencies.

Pick-up Page An exact repeat of a page used in a previous edition.

Pi Fonts Characters not usually included in a font, but which are added specially.Examples of these are timetable symbols and mathematical signs.


Pigment Particles that absorb and reflect light and appear coloured to our eyes;the substance that gives ink its colour.

Piling In printing, the build-up of ink on rollers, plates or blankets which causean uneven, mottled appearance in the print.

Pinholing Unwanted holes in printed areas.

Pin Marks In web printing, the web of paper can be driven into the folder by pinswhich penetrate the surface of the web on the outer edges of the sheet.The resulting holes are called pin marks. Pin marks are usually trimmedoff but newspapers often have visible pin marks.

Pin Register A standard used to fit film to film, and film to plates, and plates to press toassure the proper registration of printer colours.

Pipelining The ability of a program to automatically flow text from the end of onecolumn or page to the beginning of the next. An extra level ofsophistication can be created by allowing the flow to be re-directed to anypage and not just the next available. This is ideal for US-style magazineswhere everything is 'Continued on...'

Pixel The smallest distinct unit of a bitmapped image displayed on a screen.

Plan-o-gram In retail the diagrammed configuration of products as they will occupy agiven shelf section. Often developed in conjunction with a keymanufacturer, who seeks to maximize space allocated to his own brands.Also Known As: shelf set.

Planographic A method for printing ink onto paper, where the image sits on the samesurface as the printing plate. The image area is greased to attract ink,while the rest of the plate attracts water and repels ink. As the paper ispressed onto the flat surface of the plate, it picks up ink from the greasyimage areas and a small bit of water from blank areas. This is the printingprocess used in lithography and offset lithography.

Plate A sheet of metal holding the image from which an impression isproduced.

Plate Cylinder The cylinder that holds the inked printing plate in position.

Platemaker Device with lights, timing mechanism, and vacuum frame used to makecontact prints, duplicate film, proofs and plates.

Platesetter A machine where the printing plate is produced directly from data withoutthe need for film. Also Known As: computer to plate (CTP).

Plugging Printing problem when ink fills in around halftone dots, causing a loss ofshadow detail.

PMS See pantone matching system.

PNG (Portable "Ping", developed for use on the Internet. It became popular after theNetwork Graphic) standard GIF file format was ruled to breach copyright and will increase in

popularity as software developers can incorporate PNG compatibilitywithout paying royalties.


Point A measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch. 12 points to a pica, 72points to an inch. Abbreviated to Pt.

Pole Display A pole situated behind the merchandise holding up a flag / banner, thepole is hidden from view by the merchandise.

Pole Topper The display carrying the POS message on top of the pole to achieve extravisibility.

Polybagging A version of finishing in which finished products of the same item, or a setof different items, are bagged together in polythene bags, providing extraprotection.

Polyethylene An extruded, tough, stretchy film having limited temperature resistancebut good moisture barrier properties.

Polypropylene A polyolefin plastic similar in properties to polyethylene but with highertemperature capability and greater strength.

POP Advertising or promotional displays in a store. Also Known As: POS(Point of Purchase) (point of sale).

POPAI The non-profit, global trade association of the point-of-(Point of Purchase purchase / marketing at retail industry. (www.popai.com)Advertising International)

Pop-up A POS display piece that virtually automatically assembles whenunpacked.

Porosity Refers to the openness or compactness of the fibres in a paper and ismeasured by the ability of air to pass through the sheet. The more open apaper is, the greater its porosity.

Portable Document A file format that has captured all the elements of a printed document asFormat (PDF) an electronic image that you can view, navigate, print or forward to

someone else. PDF files are created using Adobe Acrobat, or similarproducts. PDF files are invaluable as they can be read and / or opened byany computer operating system, regardless of how the original file wascreated.

Portrait The orientation of the page so that the short edge is along the bottom.The opposite of landscape. Also Known As: vertical.

Positive A true photographic image of the original made on paper or film.

Post Card Size Standard post card size is A6 (148mm x 105mm).

Post-consumer Paper material recovered after being used by a consumer.Recovered Paper

Poster POS large sign on paper or cloth, intended to attract consumer attention.

Poster Frames Usually outdoor frames for posters and large advertisements. Layers ofadverts may be mounted at one time, on one frame whereby the top onecan be taken off to reveal the next ad.


Poster Paper An outdoor poster paper for pasteable signage applications where imagequality and resolution is a priority. Typically an uncoated paper designedfor outdoor exposure with the durability to withstand wet pasting andability to soften before being posted.

PostScript A page description language developed by Adobe Systems. Widelysupported by both hardware and software vendors, it represents thecurrent 'standard' in the market.

Post Testing In the retail sector this refers to store audits undertaken after a displayhas been in situ to judge its effectiveness. Usually measured by increasein sales and/or brand awareness.

PPD (PostScript A special file used to define the output options for a specific printingPrinter Description) device. PPDs are used by some Windows based applications and by

Macintosh computers to define printing devices.

PPI (Pixels Per Inch) The representation of the number of pixels used to create an image on acomputer monitor.

Precision Sheeting Converting rolls of paper into finished sheet sizes in a single operation.

Pre-consumer Paper recovered after the papermaking process, but before use by aRecovered Paper consumer.

Pre-flight A checklist used as a final check to ensure that all prepress tasks havebeen done. Once a designer is happy with fonts, images, and colourchoices, and has everything arranged just the way they want it to look, it'sstill not ready to print or “go to press”. During the prepress stage thedesigner has to make sure that the desktop publishing file has all thenecessary information in it, properly arranged, so that the design will printthe way it was intended to. Also Known As: prepress, reprographics, andrepro.

Premium Any paper that is considered better than grade #1 by its manufacturer.

Prepress The process of preparing digital files for printing. Prepress tasks will varydepending on file complexity and printing method but some may includedouble-checking fonts; making sure graphics are in the right format;preparing camera ready artwork; creating colour separations; adding cropmarks; trapping; imposition; producing prepress proofs; and obtainingfilm for creating printing plates. Also Known As: pre-flight, reprographics,and repro.

Pre-print To print portions of sheets that will be used later for over printing.

Pre-print The method of adding up to 6 colours and varnish, in one pass, onto aFlute Board liner prior to corrugating. The advantage of this application is that due to

having no flute profile to contend with an excellent print reproduction canbe achieved as print registration and colour balance are more readilycontrolled.

Press Pass Event at which make ready sheets from the press are examined by the


client before authorising full production to begin.

Press Proof A copy obtained from inked type, plate, block or screen from the actualproposed production press for checking purposes; the most accuratesample of how a finished piece is intended to look. Also used to check forconsistency and accuracy. Also Known As: machine proof and wet proof.

Press Run In the printing of a job, the total number of copies produced in oneprinting. Also Known As: print run.

Press Time Amount of time that one printing job spends on press, including timerequired for make ready.

Pressure- Paper material with self sticking adhesive covered by a backing sheet.sensitive Paper

Price Break Quantity at which the unit cost of paper or printing drops.

Price Card POS signage designed primarily to feature brand name and brand price.

Price Channel The extended groove attached to the front of retail shelves, designed tohold plastic pricing numerals by snapping them into the channel. Canalso be used to affix other POS items, i.e. wobblers.

Primary Colours Additive and subtractive primary colours can be mixed to form all othercolours. The additive primary colours are red, green, and blue (RGB), andcan be added together to make all other colours, as is done when light isemitted from the screen of a television set or computer monitor. Thesubtractive primary colours (cyan, magenta, and yellow) are those that,when mixed, subtract light from white to make all the other colours. Thisis what happens when pigments are mixed to create printing inks.

Printability How well a paper performs with ink on press. Absorbency, smoothness,ink holdout, and opacity all affect printability.

Printer Pairs An imposition showing consecutive pages as they appear on a signature.

Print Driver A piece of software used to control or ‘drive’ a peripheral device such asa scanner or printer.

Printing The process of applying images to a variety of surfaces. A non exhaustivelist of printing processes including: offset lithography, thermography,gravure, letterpress, screen, digital, laser, dye sub, and photographic.

Printing Methods A means or tool for placing ink on paper. Most printing is done with aplate. The four main types of printing methods are relief, where words orimages are raised above the surface of the plate; intaglio, where they areetched through the surface; planographic, on the same plane as thesurface; and stencil, or screen printing, cut below the plate surface.Words and images may also be "printed" electronically, using


photocopiers and inkjet printers.

Printing-on- Print on demand with digital technology is used as a way of printing itemsdemand for a fixed cost per sheet or finished article, irrespective of the size of the

order. While the unit price of each physical printed item is higher than withlitho printing, when setup costs are taken into account digital print ondemand provides lower per unit costs for very small print runs thantraditional printing methods. Some key business benefits are: 1) largeinventories of the printed items do not need to be kept in stock, 2) thetechnical set-up is usually quicker and less expensive than for traditionalprinting and 3) there is little or no waste from left over products.

Printing Plate The physical plate which carries the image.

Print Quality The overall excellence of a printed piece. Paper, ink, press, and the skill ofthe press operators all affect print quality.

Print Ready File A computer file that has been converted into a PostScript language fileand is ready to be submitted to a RIP for printing. Print ready files willcontain all the information, fonts, and graphics, necessary for printing.

Print Run The total number of finished copies of a publication.

Print To File The process of converting an application file into a print ready file using aspecific printer driver.

Process Colours See four colour process.

Process Plates A set of printing plates using halftones representing process colours, toproduce a variety of colours and shades, usually three or four colourprocess.

Production Run Term used to describe the actual printing job on press.

Profile Refers to specific colour settings to be used with different papers and inksets, to create the correct colour reproduction. It is used to transform fromone colour space to another.

Progressives Colour proofs, taken at each stage of printing, showing each colourprinted singly and then superimposed on the preceding colour.

Promotional A display designed specifically for the duration of a particular promotion.Display Also see permanent and semi-permanent display.

Proof A test print produced to show what the finished product will look like.These can be made in a variety of different ways and at different stages ofthe production process. The simplest form is a colour laser or inkjet printwhich can create a rough impression. It should be remembered that atthis point there are still a number of stages through which the data has topass and therefore a laser print cannot be relied upon as an accurateproofing method. Photochemical proofing systems like Cromalin have formany years been the most popular method. The colour print is produceddirectly from the separated films and therefore gives an accurateinterpretation. Sometimes the colours can be even sharper and more vividthan can be achieved on the press and there is a danger of creating


unrealistic expectations for the client. The most accurate method is a wetproof. This involves using a special proofing press, designed for veryshort runs, or using a production press as imageData Group do, andactually print a quantity of sheets using the real stock and real inks. Ofcourse this requires producing the films and plates, not to mention thecost of make ready which makes wet proofing an expensive option,particularly if corrections are required. This is a bad time to start lookingfor typographical errors. Increasingly popular are digital proofing systemswhich aim to simulate the Cromalin type proof. They are essentially veryhigh resolution colour printers which make use of colour managementtechniques for their accuracy.

Proofing Press There are special proofing presses which are built with the specificpurpose of creating accurate proofs. The advantage is that the proofs areprinted using the same materials (ink and paper) as the intended printjob, without the commercial commitment of the press proof. Thedownside is that the colours are often more vibrant than they would be onthe actual printed document.

Proof of Delivery A delivery signed for (on paper or digitally), by the customer, as having(POD) been received. Delivery date and time are also usually noted. imageData

Group scan all PODs into Tharstern MIS so they can be forwarded ontothe client electronically as a PDF if required.

Proof Reading To read and mark typesetting corrections in written matter.

Proof Reading A standard set of signs and symbols, used in copy preparation, toMarks indicate corrections on proofs. Marks are placed both in the text and in

the margin with a line connecting them. Also Known As: proof correctionmarks.

Proportional A method of spacing whereby each character is spaced to accommodateSpacing the varying widths of letters or figures, so increasing readability. Books

and magazines are set proportionally spaced; typewritten documents aregenerally monospaced.

Prototype Blank construction of a POS piece, used as the engineering model for thefinished item.

public-iD Division of imageData Group developed to service public sector clients.

Pulp The basic material used in papermaking, broken down mechanically orchemically.

PUR Binding The same process as perfect binding, but a synthetic adhesive(Polyurethane React) is used in place of conventional hot-melt glue. Theglued spine is more pliable and the adhesive bond much stronger than aperfect bound product and so has increased longevity.


QQuad Specified typesetting size, em-quad, en-quad, hence the old term from

the pre-digital era, Quadding: the addition of space between words/lettersto fill out a line of type using en or em blocks.

Quality imageData Group is committed to supporting its clients’ brand bysupplying high quality finished service & products on a right first timebasis. Operational controls throughout the Company are ISO 9001:2000compliant ensuring that imageData Group can guarantee the highestlevels of project control across all print processes.imageData Group’s commitment to continual improvement also meansthat if there is a better, faster or more economical way to achieve theclient’s objectives, imageData Group will make it happen.By monitoring imageData Group’s operation against Key PerformanceIndicators, and acting on any service or product deviancies, the companycan identify areas for continuous improvement.

Quark Xpress The industry standard typesetting and page layout program. Highlyrecommended.

Quarter-fold Two or more folds, each fold at 90 degrees to the previous one. AlsoKnown As: right-angle fold.

Quarter Tones The tones in an image that lie between the midtones and the highlights.Three quarter tones lie between the midtones and the shadows.

Quarto Sheet folded twice making an 8-page signature.

Quick Set An ink resistant to drying on the fountain system, press rollers andblankets while drying quickly on the substrate to help avoid setoff transferto the backside of the next sheet in a pile and handling without smudging.

Quire 1/20th of a ream (25 sheets).

Quotation Price offered by a printer to produce a specific job.


RRack Drying The drying of screen printing sheets in racks, usually in ambient

temperatures, but sometimes placed in a heated room or area.

Racking The manual placing of screen printing sheets on racks for drying.

Ragged Left Type that is justified to the right margin and the line lengths vary on theleft.

Ragged Right Type that is justified to the left margin and the line lengths vary on theright.

Rag Paper High quality stationery paper made from cotton rags.

Ram Bundled A method of packing printed products by strapping a bundle very tightlywith end-boards to compress the product and keep it flat for subsequentmachine insertion.

Ranged Left/Right Type aligned to left or right margin.

Raster Image A RIP is a hardware or software tool that processes a digital PostScript fileProcessor (RIP) and converts it (rasterizes) to a printable format.

Raster Rulings Shows the resolution that a human eye can discern from certaindistances. Used when deciding the actual production resolution.

Rasterization The process of converting mathematical and digital information (vectorcommands) by an output device into a series of dots.

Ream 500 sheets of paper.

Reclaimed Printing screens conditioned for re-use by the removal of excess ink andScreens stencil, and the reconditioning, if necessary, of the screen printing fabric

to receive a new stencil.

Reclaiming (1) The process of removing both ink and stencil from the screen fabric,after a printing run, in order to re-use the fabric for a later job.(2) The process of distilling used solvents to obtain a re-usable, cleanersolvent for cleaning screens.

Recovered Paper Paper that has been separated, diverted or removed from the solid wastestream.

Recycled Paper New paper made entirely or in part, from old paper.

Reel Term used for continuous roll or web of printing paper.

Reel Width The dimension of a reel of paper measured across the reel (against thegrain).


Refining The process of cutting, breaking, and flattening the cellulose fibres inpulp. Pulp fibres need to be flattened and frayed in order to form astrong, flexible paper. The refiner has metal discs that can be adjusted tocreate longer or shorter fibres.

Reflectivity Ability of paper or board to reflect light; a measure of gloss.

Reflow Reflow affects the character spacing within fonts and adds more spacethan was intended, and it can change the layout of the entire document.Reflow can occur when one element of the original file is missing in thefile supplied to your printer. Providing an accurate hard copy proof withyour digital files will ensure this error is caught and corrected.

Refractiveness A measure of how much a sheet of paper deflects the light that hits it. Themore light a sheet deflects, the greater its refractiveness, making a printedimage more brilliant and detailed. Also Known As: brightness andwhiteness.

Register When a printed sheet is 'in register', it means that all the plates (Cyan,Magenta, Yellow, and Black, in the case of a four colour process job) arelining up accurately on the printing press and producing a clearly definedcolour image. If a job is out of register, there will be a blurring at theedges of images that are made up of more than one colour.

Register Marks A set of fine line crosses, or other suitable devices added to originalartwork to provide reference points for accurate subsequent multi-colourprinting or finishing.

Registration The quality of alignment of the coloured inks when applied to paper.

Relief Printing method using a raised image, e.g. letterpress or flexography.

Repeat The printing length of a plate cylinder, determined by one revolution of theplate cylinder gear.

Reprographics The process of producing four colour separations from artwork for plateproduction. Also Known As: repro, pre-flight, and prepress.

Resample To change the resolution, and resulting size, of an image by removing oradding of data in the file.

Resolution The measurement used in typesetting to express quality of output.Measured in dots per inch, the greater the number of dots, the smootherand cleaner the character/image will appear. Photographs need to bescanned at a resolution of 300 dots per inch. Screen resolution is 72 dotsper inch and something that looks wonderful on a computer screen or onthe Internet could look terrible when printed. Vector files define resolutionin a completely different way and therefore can be used successfully atany size. Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Freehand can both be usedto develop vector files.

retail-iD Division of imageData Group developed to service retail sector clients.

Retouching A means of altering artwork or colour separations to correct faults orenhance images.


Reverse Out Type, graphic or illustration reproduced by printing ink around its outline,thus allowing the underlying colour or paper to show through and formthe image. The image 'reverses out' of the ink colour. Also Known As:knockout.

Revise Indicates the stages at which corrections have been incorporated fromearlier proofs and new proofs submitted, e.g. first revise, second revise,etc. Also Known As: revision.

RFI (Request for A process used by a number of companies to secure as muchInformation) information as possible for a product or service being sought, usually

requesting strategic proposals on how suppliers would provide such aproduct or service.

RFQ (Request A document that contains detailed information about a potential buyerfor Quotation) and a request for prices for the products or services they require.

RGB (Red, These are the primary colours of light, which computers use to displayGreen, Blue) images on your screen. An RGB computer file must be translated into the

CMYK (the primary colours of pigment) colour space in order to beprinted on a printing press.

Rich Black Because of impurities in commercial printing inks, 100% solid blackgenerally appears nearer to a dark grey. Because of this, printers oftenadd a 'wash' of other coloured inks to create a rich black. Typically this is40% of cyan, but other combinations of cyan, yellow, magenta, and blackare not unknown.

Right Reading A positive or negative which reads from left to right.

RIP See raster image processing.

Roll Label Pressure-sensitive labels that are produced in a continuous roll form.

Roman Type-face that has vertical stems, as distinct from italics or oblique thatare set at angles.

Rosette The formation created by the dots that make up four colour images. Thedots, in magenta (red), cyan (blue), yellow, and black, overlap each otherin a cluster. Because the dots are not perfectly round and because theyare turned at angles to each other, this cluster resembles the arrangementof petals in a rose.

Rotary Printing Accomplished by means of a cylindrical impression cylinder and acylindrical printing plate.

Rotary Trimmed In-line trimming of a product as it passes over slitting knives. Very costeffective, but can leave a “feathered” edge. Not as clean-cut as a staticknife trim on a finishing line.

Rough A preliminary sketch of a proposed design.

Rub and Reveal These inks, applied by the screen process are used primarily to hideThermochromatic printed messages or images. When rubbed the thermochromatic inkInks changes to a semi-transparent grey / white state allowing the message

underneath to be read, the message becomes fully hidden again whenthe ink returns to temperature.


Rubber Plate Flexible relief plate made from rubber and used in flexography.

Rubbing When printed ink appears dry but does not resist surface rubbing orabrasion. Also Known As: scuffing.

Rub-off Rub off occurs when ink is transferred from one surface to another,usually caused by pressure of stacked material. Can also be causedduring the finishing process if the pressure of clamps is too tight. AlsoKnown As: set-off.

Rub Removable Available in silver and gold these opaque inks have been designed toLatex Ink print over tickets or promotional cares and are readily removable using a

coin or fingernail to display a pre-printed message underneath.

Ruleup Map or drawing given by a printer showing how a printing job must beimposed using a specific press and sheet size. Also Known As: presslayout, printer's layout, and ruleout.

Runaround The ability within a program to run text around a graphic image within adocument, without the need to adjust each line manually. Also Known As:text wrap.

Runnability The ability of a paper or board to perform on a printing press withoutproblems.

Running This is the direction in which the fibres lay within paper. In most cases it isDirections best to print running with the grain as this gives the paper more stability.

Outer paper packaging usually shows which way the grain runs.

Run On A printing price can be quoted as a figure for the basic job plus a figurefor additional copies. For example, the price may be 2000 copies at £300with £25 for a 500 run on. This enables the client to calculate a range ofprices for different quantities. It is very important to note that the run onprice is for copies printed at the same time as the main run. For instance,in the example given, you could not have 2000 copies today and thenexpect to have another 500 at some future date for just £25. In mostcases the set-up and make ready charges represent a large proportion ofthe print cost.


SSaddle Stitching A method of binding where the folded pages are stitched through the

spine from the outside, using wire staples. Generally people would call itstapling but in printing it is called stitching.

Safelight Lamp used for the illumination of a darkroom without affecting light-sensitive materials.

Sandwich Panels composed of a lightweight core material to which two relativelyConstruction thin, dense, high strength faces, or skins, are adhered.

Sans Serif A typeface that has no serifs (small strokes at the end of the main strokeof the character). Helvetica, Geneva, and Arial are examples of sans-seriffonts.

Satin Finish A smooth finished paper with a sheen to the surface.

Saturation The amount of grey in a colour. The higher the grey content, the lower thesaturation.

Scale The means within a program to reduce, or enlarge, the size of an imageto achieve the correct size for printing.

Scaleable Artwork Vector art, the type of illustration produced by software such as Illustratorand Freehand. Because the files describe the shape of the images bymathematical formulae, rather than exact pixels, they are, like Postscript,resolution independent.

Scaling A means of calculating the amount of enlargement, or reduction,necessary to accommodate a photograph within the area of a design.

Scamp A sketch of a design showing the basic concept.

Scan To convert human-readable images into bitmapped or ASCII machinereadable code. imageData Group has a very high resolution drumscanner, which produces superb digital scans from colour slides, prints orflat artwork. The associated scanning software automatically converts andcompensates the file to CMYK, ready for printing.

Scanner An electronic device using light sensitivity to translate a picture or typedtext into a pattern of dots which can be understood and stored by acomputer. Also Known As: optical scanner.

Scanning Using a scanner to digitise images to be manipulated, output or stored ona computer.

Score Heavier paper and boards need to be scored with a rule to make foldingeasier, more accurate, and to ensure that the material will not damage.


Screen (1) A screen is like a printing plate used in the screen printing process.One screen is needed for each colour to be printed.(2) A screen is a thin transparent film onto which is printed a very finematrix. A screen enables a continuous tone image, such as a photographor transparency, which cannot be reproduced by most printing process,to be broken down into tiny dots which can be printed and which from anormal viewing distance give the illusion of continuous tone. Screens arealso used to print tints of solid colours by altering the size or spacing ofthe dots. Screens are referred to in terms of DPI (dots per inch) or dotsper centimetre and the finer the screen, the better the quality ofreproduction.

Screen Angles Angles at which screens intersect with the horizontal line of the presssheet. 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 Known As: screen percentage.

Screen Fabrics Most fabrics used for screens are made from one of the followingmaterials:- Silk used to be the most common fabric because of its durability, but it is

not used as much today because other fabrics, especially synthetics,have proven to be as good or better and are less expensive.

- Organdy is inexpensive and is good for short and medium runs.- Nylon is the most durable fabric (synthetic or natural). It is a good

choice for print applications involving convex or concave surfaces.- Polyester is widely used for its durability and versatility.- Metal Mesh is made of stainless steel, copper, bronze, or brass and is

used when plastic substrates are printed with heated inks.

Screen Frequency The number of lines or dots per inch on a halftone screen.

Screen Mesh (1) A term generally indicating screen printing fabric.(2) That portion of the screen printing fabric which can be counted ormeasured to identify fineness or coarseness of the fabric.

Screen Printing A process where the ink is transferred to the printing surface by beingsqueezed through a fine fabric sheet stretched over a frame. The screencarries a stencil which defines the image area. The process is mostsuitable for short runs. Screen printing is usually used for large posterwork and display material. Also Known As: silkscreen printing.

Screen Ruling The number of lines per inch (or centimetre) on a halftone or tint screen,equal to the number of dots per inch on the printed image.

Screen Tint Colour created by dots instead of solid ink coverage. Also Known As:benday, fill pattern, screen tone, shading, tint, and tone.

Screen Washer A unit in which printing screens can be washed out to remove inkresidues after printing, or be reclaimed completely by removing thestencil, usually by high pressure spray.

Script A typeface designed to look like handwriting.

Scum Unwanted deposits of ink in the non-image area of a printed piece.


Seal See aqueous coating.

Section A folded sheet which is assembled with others to make up a book.Sections are saddle stitched together to form a booklet. Larger bookletsof, say, more than sixty pages could be, and usually are, perfect bound.

Security Paper Paper incorporating special features (dyes, watermarks etc) for use incheque printing.

Selective Binding Recent developments in binding technology enable specific sections tobe included in, or excluded from, a single copy within a print run,dependant upon electronic information linked to the address file of therecipient.

Self Cover A cover that is the same paper stock as the internal sheets.

Self Mailer A printed item independent of an envelope. A printed item capable ofindependent travel in the mailing arena.

Self-tensioning A screen frame that enables the fabric to be tensioned and re-tensionedwithout the aid of a stretcher.

Semi-permanent Any form of display which is likely to be used for less than six months butDisplay more than two months.

Separations Term used in the four colour process printing world, each film or printingplate showing images of one specific colour, e.g. Cyan, Magenta, Yellow,and Black.

Serif A small cross stroke at the end of the main stroke of a letter.

Serigraphic Printing method whose image carriers are woven fabric, plastic or metalPrinting meshes that allow ink to pass through some portions and block ink from

passing through other portions. Serigraphic printing includes screen andmimeograph.

Set Off Undesirable transfer of wet ink from one sheet to the back of another asthey lie in the delivery stack of a press. Can be cured by interleaving ifnecessary. Also Known As: offset.

Set Solid Type set without leading (line spacing) between the lines. Type is oftenset with extra space; e.g. 9 point set on 10 point.

Shade Hue made darker by the addition of black, as compared to tint.

Shadows Darkest areas of a photograph or illustration, as compared to midtonesand highlights.

Shape Dots are also used in various shapes ranging from diamonds, to squares,circles, and ellipses. An elliptical dot is the best to use because it tends tochain together and is easier to burn on a screen and the dot gain will notbe as noticeable in the midtone range.

Sharpening A technique of increasing the contrast between all ranges of the tonaldifference within an image.


Sheet - 4 sheet, 1.02m x 1.52m portrait. Small panel poster whose visualimpact is more suited to pedestrians; often found in shopping centresor thoroughfares (though some are sited on bus shelters). There areapproximately 70,000 4 sheet panels in Great Britain.

- 6 sheet, 1.8m x 1.2m portrait, alternatively called superlites. Principallysited on bus shelters, they are back-lit to improve night-time impactand are usually sited to catch motorists’ vision as well as pedestrians’.There are over 25,000 6 sheet panels in Great Britain.

- 12 sheet, 3.05m x 1.52m landscape. From mid-1991, this size of panelhas no longer been used for roadside posters though it is still used forsome transport posters. There are fewer than 1,000 remaining.

- 16 sheet, 2.03m x 3.05m portrait. Often found attached to the side ofbuildings. There are about 11,000 such panels in Great Britain.

- 32 sheet, 4.06m x 3.05m landscape. Often found attached to the sideof buildings. There are fewer than 2,000 panels remaining in GreatBritain.

- 48 sheet, 6.1m x 3.05m landscape. The predominant large poster size,of strong impact to both passing motorists and pedestrians. There aremore than 40,000 48 sheet poster panels in Great Britain.

- 64 sheet, 8.12m x 3.05m landscape. A variant on the 32 sheet size.There are fewer than 700 in Great Britain.

- 96 sheet, 12.2m x 3.05m landscape. Often referred to as supersites,although some include 64 sheet and miscellaneous larger panels inthat description. There are about 2,500 such panels in Great Britain.

Sheet Fed A printing press which prints single sheets of paper, not reels as on a webpress.

Sheetwise A method of printing a section. Half the pages from a section are imposedand printed. The remaining half of the pages are then printed on the otherside of the sheet.

Sheet Work Sections printed by backing up a sheet with a different form from thefront. The opposite of work and turn.

Shelf Edge Strip Extruded metal or plastic moulding covering the front edge of a retaildisplay shelf that communicates price, unit cost, etc.

Shelf Life The period of time during which a product can be stored under specifiedconditions and still remain suitable for use. Also Known As: storage life.

Shelf Organizer In store an implement designed to help present products. Usually hastracks or channels which separate the overall area and allow products tobe displayed in specific places.

Shelf Talker Small printed POS display signs, attached to shelf edge displaysdesigned to draw attention to a product.

Shell A printed job which contains blank areas intended for additional printingat a later stage.

Short Grain Press A press where the shortest side of the finished product runs parallel to thegrain of the paper.

Short Run A small quantity print run for a publication.


Show-through When the printing on one side of a sheet is seen from the other side. Afrequent problem with thin papers. Also Known As: opacity.

Shrink Wrapping Shrink packaging is used to protect printed or unprinted pieces. Theadvantages of shrink wrapping are many. In addition to being able to seethe product through the wrapping, the film acts as a protector from dust ifyou don’t plan to use the product immediately. The packaging is neat andthe product can be bundled in the quantity the end user would find mostadvantageous. The product is inserted into a folded roll of polyethylenefilm which is heat-sealed around the edges of the product. It then goesinto a shrink tunnel where the proper temperature shrinks the film tightlyaround the product. This process can also be done with out shrinking thefilm around the product leaving the film loose.

Sidebar A vertical bar positioned usually on the right hand side of the screen.

Side Guides The guides on the sides of a printing press that consistently positions thesheet sideways as it is fed through the press.

Side Heading A sub heading set flush into the text at the left edge.

Sidelay The datum point on the press, at 90 degrees to the grip edge, whichcontrols the lateral position of the sheet. The same sidelay must then beused when trimming the sheet to ensure that the image position remainsconstant. Sidelay is the term used both for the edge of the printed sheetand the mechanical device on the press which determines the position.

Side Stitched To bind by stapling through sheets along, one edge, as compared tosaddle stitch. Also Known As: side stabbed, cleat stitch, and side wire.

Signature A sheet of printed pages which when folded become a part of a book orpublication.

Single Face Material made up of a flat facing piece with a corrugated piece glued to it.CorrugatedBoard

Single Wall Material made of two flat pieces with a corrugated inner glued inside.Corrugated Board

Size A solution based on starch or casein which is added to the paper toreduce ink absorbency.

Skewing When the plate or blanket cylinder are not parallel and so do not makeproper contact.

SLA (Service An agreement between client and supplier regarding acceptableLevel Agreement) parameters of services and products.

Slip Sheets (1) Separate sheets (stock), independent from the original run, positionedbetween the "printed run" for a variety of reasons.(2) A release treated sheet used to protect the edges of rolls from stickingto each other whilst stacked.

Slit To cut rolls of stock to specified widths. Either rotary or stationary knivesor blades are used with mechanical unwinding and rewinding devices.


Slurring A smearing of the image, caused by paper slipping during the impressionstage.

Small Caps A set of capital letters which are smaller than standard and are equal insize to the lower case letters for that typesize.

Smoothness The surface property of paper that describes its degree of uniformevenness and flatness. When printing, the smoother the paper, the betterthe ink dot formation and the sharper the image.

Smudge Resistance of a printed paper surface to ink blurring or smearing and thusResistance related to the absorption of the paper. Also Known As: smear resistance.

Soft Copy An electronic copy of some type of data, such as a file viewed on acomputer's display or transmitted as an e-mail attachment. Such material,when printed, is referred to as a hard copy.

Soft Dot A type of dot in a halftone screen whose edge is not smoothly circular,which can create a fuzzier image. Contrast with hard dot.

Soft or A specially coded hyphen which is only displayed when formatting of theDiscretionary hyphenated word puts it at the end of a line.Hyphen

Softwood Pulp Pulp made from coniferous trees (evergreen trees with cones andneedles, such as pine and fir trees). Paper is often made using a blend ofpulps; softwood pulp has long fibres, giving paper strength; hardwoodfibres are short, lending smoothness, bulk, and body.

Solid Any area of the sheet receiving 100 percent ink coverage, as compared toa screen tint. Also Known As: block colour.

Solvent A chemical substance capable of thinning or reducing the viscosity of ink,coating or adhesives. Specifically, a solvent is a liquid that dissolvesanother substance.

Solvent Inks Manufactured from resins (polymers), in powder or granular form, such asacrylic, vinyl, polyester, urethane, and epoxy. These form the chemicalbackbone of the ink and give it its finished properties. The resins aredissolved in a mix of volatile solvents to create a fluid of a suitableviscosity for printing.

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

Sparkle Varnish A high gloss UV varnish containing metallised polyester flakes (glitter).These add “sparkle” when applied to selected areas of a printed imageand will produce “shelf appeal” and visual impact to a wide range ofprinted products.


Special Colours This refers to colours which are produced using specially mixed inks fromone of the commercially available colour ranges such as Pantone, DIC orFocoltone. They are most commonly used in two colour printing. If, forexample, the exact colour of a company logo could not be achieved froma CMYK mix then it would be necessary to print a fifth plate with thespecial ink. Also Known As: Pantone and spot colour.

Special These are inks that puff, feel like suede, glitter, sparkle, reflect, or glow.Effects Inks They are generally harder to use and cost more money.

Specifications Complete and precise written description of features of a printing job,such as type size and leading, paper grade and quantity, printing orbinding method. Abbreviated to specs.

Spectrophotometer Instrument used to measure the index of refraction of colour.

SPI This is the same as PPI and is really how we should talk about a(Samples-per-inch) scanner’s resolution. SPI appears in some scanner adverts it is the same

as PPI and DPI.

Spine The binding edge at the back of a book.

Spine Glued A product which is held together with a thin film of adhesive runningdown the spine of each page. Can be produced in-line (on press) onsome web presses.

Spiral Bind A type of binding where a metal or plastic wire is spiralled through holesdrilled along the binding side of a document. Different coloured wires canbe selected. This handy iD guide is spiral bound.

Split Fountain Putting more than one ink in a printing fountain to achieve special colouraffects.

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

Spot Colour An ink colour. The ink is usually Pantone Matching System (PMS)consisting of named or numbered colours and is often only applied to apartial area of the sheet. Also Known As: Pantone.

Spot Gluing Applying a spot of glue (or glue dot) to attach one piece of material lightlyto another.

Spot Varnish Varnish used to highlight a specific part of the printed sheet.

Spread (1) Two pages that face each other and are designed as one visual orproduction unit.(2) Technique of slightly enlarging the size of an image to accomplish ahairline trap with another image.

Squeegee A tool used to force ink through the openings of a screen printing stencilwhen in contact with a substrate. It consists of a rubber or plastic strip orblade held in the edge of a wooden or metallic handle.


Squeegee Angle The angle formed by the near-vertical axis of the squeegees and theplane of the screen, measured when the squeegee is in position, but noforce or movement has been applied.

SRA A series of standard sizes for un-trimmed paper. They are slightly largerthan the corresponding A-series sizes. Printers buy un-trimmed paper,bind it and then trim it down to standard A-sizes.

SRA0 = 900 x 1280 mmSRA1 = 640 x 900 mmSRA2 = 450 x 640 mmSRA3 = 320 x 450 mmSRA4 = 225 x 320 mm

S/s (Same size) An instruction to reproduce to the same size as the original.

Stab Stitch Finishing process whereby a single stitch (staple) is placed in the top lefthand corner of a document.

Stacker Device on the take-off end of a press that automatically stacks sheetedlabels.

Stack Press Flexographic press where the printing stations are placed one above theother, each with its own impression roll.

Stamping Term for foil stamping.

Standard Background of 60 percent neutral grey and light that measures 5000Viewing degrees Kelvin, the colour of daylight on a bright day. Also Known As:Conditions lighting standards.

Standee Usually a cardboard engineered POS display product which is not usedto house products.

Standing Cap A large capital letter that shares a baseline with the adjoining text butrises above it.

Static Cling Signage printed on plastic material which adheres to smooth surfaceswithout adhesive, typically used on windows.

Stem The main vertical stroke making up a type character.

Stencil The component of a printing screen which controls the design to beprinted.

Step-and-repeat A procedure for placing the same image on plates in multiple places.

Stet Used in proof correction work to cancel a previous correction. From theLatin: 'let it stand'.

Stickyback Double-faced, adhesive coated material used for mounting printing platesto the plate cylinder.

Stiffener A fabric strip, folded back to enhance the strength on the edge of adisplay.


Stochastic A relatively new method of reproducing halftone screens. TraditionalScreening halftone screens (also called amplitude modification (AM)) simply adjust

the size of the dots to reproduce tonal variations in images. Larger dotsproduce darker tones, whilst smaller dots reproduce the lighter areas ofan image.Stochastic screening aims to achieve a higher quality reproduction ofgraphic images by using complex mathematical algorithms to modify thenumber of halftone dots. By varying the position and clustering of halftonedots, stochastic screening can achieve a smoother tonal reproductionand a higher quality printed reproduction of image detail. Anotheradvantage of using a stochastic screening method is that it can have adramatic effect on reducing the potential for moiré patterns to appear.Also Known As: frequency modulation (FM).

Stock A word used for paper or board.

Stock Art Copyright-free photos.

Stock Order Order for paper that a mill, or merchant, sends to a printer from inventoryat a warehouse, as compared to a mill order.

Strap A sub heading used above the main headline in a newspaper article.

Strawboard A thicker board made from straw pulp, used in bookwork and in themaking of envelopes and cartons. Not suitable for printing.

Streaks A line which appears across the image, in the direction of the squeegee,affecting screen-printed sheets. Usually caused by a fault on thesqueegee blade.

Streamer POS item that can be printed on numerous substrates including paperand cloth. Displayed either inside or outside.

Stretch (1) The tensioning of screen printing fabric preparatory to securing it tothe printing frame, or by self-stretching frame.(2) The degree to which a material can accommodate deforming tension.

Stretch Frame A screen printing frame so constructed that after the fabric is secured,additional stretch can be applied by threaded rods, bolts, cams, corneradjustments, etc. Also Known As: retensionable frame.

Strike-through The effect of ink soaking through the printed sheet.

Stringing (1) Signage which is stretched over wire, usually to spell out words or anadvertising slogan.(2) ) Mechanically applied string or cord to a tag or similar product, usuallypre-printed on a thin card stock, e.g. clothes price tags, gifts tags, etc.

Strip To assemble images on film for platemaking. Stripping involves correctingflaws in film, assembling pieces of film into flats, and ensuring that filmand flats register correctly. Also Known As: film assembly and imageassembly.

Style Sheet A collection of tags specifying page layout styles, paragraph settings andtype specifications which can be set up by the user and saved for use inother documents.


Sub-contract Supply of services or products from a third party. Given the extensivefacilities within imageData Group, only specialist finishing processesare subcontracted.

Subscript The small characters set below the normal letters or figures.

Substrate Any material or surface that is to be printed. For example, paper is aprinting substrate. Other printing substrates include plastics, card, andeven metals.

Subtractive The inks (cyan, magenta, and yellow) used in process colour printing toPrimaries create different colours. In contrast to additive primaries, these produce

darker colours when combined.

Supercalendered An uncoated grade containing mechanical pulp and fillers. It has aMagazine Paper smooth finish with a polished appearance, produced by rolling the paper(SC) between calenders. It is probably the most economical magazine paper if

its price-to-information-capacity ratio is taken as a measure. This gradeis made for heatset web offset and gravure presses. SC is particularlysuitable for mass circulation and full colour magazines. SC offset is usedfor TV programme magazines, direct advertising products, newspapersupplements, and other printed articles in which high information capacityis an essential requirement. Another of SC's outstanding features is itsgood brightness. Powerful supercalender rolls give this paper a dense,smooth, and glossy finish. Basic weight range 52 – 80gsm.

Superscript The small characters set above the normal letters or figures.

Surprint Taking an already printed matter and re-printing again on the same. AlsoKnown As: overprinting.

Swatch A colour sample.

SWOP Specifications recommended for web printing of publications.(Specifications for Web

Offset Publications)

Synthetic Papers Any non-wood or cloth paper, usually petroleum (plastic) based.


TTabloid 279mm x 432mm (US), 375mm x 290mm (UK), a page half the size of a

broadsheet.

Tabular Setting Text set in columns, such as timetables.

Tack That property, governed by viscosity and adhesion, which renders a filmof printing ink sticky to the touch.

Tags The various formats which make up a style sheet i.e. paragraph settings,margins and columns, page layouts, hyphenation and justification, widowand orphan control, and automatic section numbering.

Tamper Proof Destructive label. A pressure-sensitive construction made with a faceLabel material having a low strength so that attempted removal of a label made

from this stock will usually result in destruction of the label.

Target Ink Densities of the four process inks as recommended for various printingDensities processes and grades of paper. Also see total area coverage.

T-Barr A bar which is T-shaped and used to hang either two signs next to eachother or to house a large poster which would be hung over it and seenfrom both sides.

Tear Strength A measure of how likely a paper will continue to tear once started. Tearstrength will be different with and against the grain of paper. Paper to bepunched should have good tear strength.

Template A standard layout usually containing basic details of the pagedimensions.

Temporary A display product which usually has a short life span and often used forDisplay specific, timed events such as Mother’s Day, Easter etc.

Tender With so many different and varied products in the marketplace, a tender isdesigned to help organisations find an appropriate solution, and supplier,at the best possible price.

Tension Tightness of screen fabric when stretched.

Tent Card A tent shaped, folded piece of print which is usually used on desks, barsand counters etc and acts as a promotional tool, i.e. a calendar.

Text The written or printed material which forms the main body of apublication.

Text Paper A high quality, light weight printing paper.

Text Type Typefaces used for the main text of written material. Generally no largerthan 14 point in size.


Text Wrap See runaround.

TharsternSQL™ imageData Group operates the TharsternSQL™ Print ManagementInformation System. The system manages the entire print process fromsales generation and estimating right through to production, despatching,and invoicing. Also see management information system.

Thermal Transfer A thermal printing process utilising a temperature sensitive ribbon that,through heat and pressure, is selectively transferred to a printable surfacethus creating the desired image. The ink is transferred from the ribbon tothe print surface, thus the term “thermal transfer”.

Thermography A printing process whereby slow drying ink is applied to paper and, whilstthe ink is still wet, is lightly dusted with a resinous powder. The paperthen passes through a heat chamber where the powder melts and fuseswith the ink to produce a raised surface.

Thickness The thickness of a single piece of paper, as measured in thousandths ofan inch, called "caliper". Thickness measurements define the bulkiness ofa sheet of paper, but the actual number of sheets in an inch-high stack ofpaper is referred to as PPI, or pages per inch. This is usually measuredunder slight pressure with a special gauge.

Thin Space The thinnest space normally used to separate words.

Thumb Index An index where the divisions or chapters are cut into the edge of thepublication.

Thumbnails Sketches or small versions of an illustration, especially on a computer.

Tick Marks Small marks printed at the edge of the image area to enable accuratetrimming of a finished sheet. Also Known As: trim marks.

TIFF A common file format, mostly for uncompressed photos and Bitmap(Tagged Image illustrations.File Format)

Tint The effect of adding white to a solid colour or of screening a solid area tolighten an image.

Tip In The separate insertion of a single page into a book either during or afterbinding by pasting one edge.

Tissue Overlay Usually a thin transparent paper placed over artwork for protection andused for marking colour breaks and other printer instructions.

Tolerances The specification of acceptable variations in a range of printingparameters to take account of the imperfections in each process.

Toner Negatively charged chemical used by Laser printers to create documents.

Tooling Usually refers to die cutters, butt cutters, etc., used to cut out labels, etc.

Total Area Total of the dot percentages of the process colours in the final film. AlsoCoverage (TAC) Known As: density of tone, maximum density, shadow saturation, total dot

density, and total ink coverage.


Tracking The amount of space in between all letters in selected text. Unlikekerning, adjusting tracking will change the letter spacing between allletters, not individual characters. Slightly reducing letter spacing to –3often improves the appearance of text.

Training & Acknowledged as experts in the industry, imageData Group regularlyConsultancy holds training workshops for customers’ personnel. Tailored to their

specific needs the workshops can cover a specific area or the wholespectrum of print (litho, screen & digital) and related reprographics andprint finishing processes. The workshops ensure that delegates gain abetter understanding of the processes and how to get the very best andmost cost-effective results from them. Also see blue sky days.

Translucent Substrate or material that permits light to pass through it, but is less clearthan "transparent."

Transmissive Instrument used to measure the coverage of exposed film.Densitometer

Transparency A full colour, photographically produced image on transparent film.

Transparent Ink A printing ink that does not conceal the colour under it.

Trapping Because the commercial printing process involves laying down colours insequence it is nearly impossible to align every graphic object exactly.Because of this, objects of different colours, that are next to each other,are set to trap. What this means in practice is that one object overlaps theother by a fraction of a millimetre, thereby ensuring that there is no whitespace between them.

Trim The cutting of the finished product to the correct size.

Trim Line The line in a layout where a guillotine cut is to be made after printing.

Trim Marks Marks are incorporated on the printed sheet to show where the trimmingis to be made. Also Known As: tick marks.

Trim Size The size of the printed material in its finished stage (e.g. the finished trimsize is 5 1⁄2 x 8 1⁄2).

Triple Wall Material made with four flat pieces and three corrugated pieces.Corrugated Board

TrueType Fonts A computerised font type used to represent alpha-numeric information indocuments. TrueType fonts are common to both Windows and Macintoshcomputer platforms.

Turn Around Amount of time needed to complete a job.Times

Twin Wire Paper which has an identical smooth finish on both sides.

Typeface A complete set of characters forming a family in a particular design orstyle.


Typesetting Setting type or typesetting is the process of putting text into the right styleand size of type and the desired arrangement on the page in preparationfor printing. Typesetting was once the realm of skilled typesetters buttoday is handled by the designer, using desktop publishing software toset type. Also see typography.

Typo (US) An abbreviation for typographical error. An error in the typeset copy.

Typography The design and layout of type.


UU & lc An abbreviation for UPPER and lower case.

UCR (Undercolour A technique for reducing the amount of magenta, yellow, and cyan inRemoval) neutral areas and replacing them with an appropriate amount of black.

Ultraviolet The section of the electromagnetic spectrum in the 200 to 400 nanometerregion that is used to expose screens and cure certain types of inks.

Ultravisions Panels, mainly in the larger sizes, comprising of rotating vertical triangularbars with different posters mounted on each of the three sides so thatrotation of the panels enables three posters to be shown sequentially.

Unbleached A term applied to paper or pulp which has not been treated withbleaching agents.

Uncalendered Papers that are not smoothed by going through the calendaring process.

Uncoated Paper Paper that has not been coated with clay. Recycled and bond are typicaluncoated paper stocks. Bond paper is primarily used for stationery, e.g.letterheads, compliment slips, etc. Also Known As: offset paper.

Undercut In printing presses, the difference between the radius of the cylinderbearers and the cylinder body, to allow for plate (or blanket) and packingthickness.

Under-run Production of fewer copies than ordered.

Unit The combination of inking, plate, and impression operations required toprint a single colour (on multicolour printing presses). A four colour presshas four printing units.

Universal Gives protection to authors or originators of text, photographs orCopyright illustrations, etc, to prevent use without permission or acknowledgment.Convention (UCC) The publication should carry the copyright mark, the name of the

originator, and the year of publication.

Unsharp Masking Technique of adjusting dot size to make a halftone or separation appearsharper (in better focus) than the original photo or the first proof. AlsoKnown As: edge enhancement and peaking.

Up Term to indicate multiple copies of one image, printed in one impression,on a single sheet. "Two up" or "three up" means printing the identicalpiece twice or three times on each sheet.

UV Ink Ink specially formulated to dry quickly with ultraviolet (UV) light whilst stillon press. UV drying improves turnaround time because it eliminateswaiting for the first side to dry before printing the second side. Thiseliminates the need for the paper to pass through the press more thanonce. UV ink is used by imageData Group on its range of screen printingpresses.


UV Resistant Being resistant to ultra violet (UV) light or sunlight. UV light, or sunlight,will cause non-resistant materials and surfaces to fade or discolour.

UV Varnishing A method of adding a gloss or matt finish to printed surfaces. Theadvantage of UV varnishing is that it is similar to printing an extra colourand can be applied to selected areas to produce special effects. The UVrefers to the ultra violet lamp under which the varnished sheets pass forrapid drying. Also Known As: UV coating.


VVacuum Formed A type of moulding, in which thin plastic is heated and sucked into the

mould by means of a vacuum created by drawing air out through tiny pin-holes.

Value The shade or tint of a colour.

Varnishing A finishing process whereby a transparent varnish is applied over theprinted sheet to produce a glossy finish. Also Known As: UV varnishing.

Vector Resolution and device independent, vector images are produced usingmathematical descriptions of shapes. Made up of primitives, vectorimages require much less storage space and memory than bitmaps, i.e.the file size for a vector image the size of a business card will be prettymuch the same for the same image on a billboard. They don't distortwhen re-sized like bitmaps, can be infinitely re-scaled and have nospecific resolution until output.

Vegetable-based Using vegetable oil, rather than petroleum solvents, as the vehicle forInk carrying pigment. Vegetable ink colours tend to be more vibrant than

petroleum-based inks, but may take longer to dry.

Vellum A finish of paper that is somewhat bulky and is slightly rough.

Verso The left hand page of an open book.

Vertical The ability to adjust the interline spacing (leading) and manipulation ofJustification text in fine increments to make columns and pages end at the same point

on a page.

Vignette A photo or illustration, in which the tones fade gradually away until theyblend with the background they are printed on.

Vignette Halftone Halftone whose background gradually and smoothly fades away. AlsoKnown As: degrade.

Vinyl Synthetic plastic products which can be made in film, sheet or otherforms. Vinyls can be manufactured in rigid or flexible constructions.Generally more flexible and formable than polyesters. A tough durableplastic film having excellent resistance to oils, chemicals and manysolvents. It has excellent abrasion-resistance and can also be coloured.Its high stretch is due to the addition of plasticiser. Also Known As: PVCand polyvinyl chloride.

Virgin Fibre Paper or board pulp fibre, which is being used for the first time, ascompared to recycled fibre.


Virgin Paper Paper made exclusively of pulp from trees or cotton, as compared torecycled paper.

Viscosity The amount of tack and flow of a printing ink or varnish.

VOC Petroleum substances used as the vehicles for many printing inks.(Volatile Organic

Compounds)


WWall Banner Large slogan or advert which is hung from a wire across a store.

Wall Display A form of printed display which is usually hung on the wall of a store. Canbe mounted directly onto a flat wall or at an angle.

Warm Colour A colour with a reddish tone rather than a blue tone. Browns, oranges,reds, and yellows are generally considered to be "warm" colours.

Wash Up Removing printing ink from a press, washing the rollers and blanket.Certain ink colours require multiple washups to avoid ink and chemicalcontamination.

Waste Unusable paper or paper damage during normal make ready, printing orbinding operations, as compared to spoilage.

Waterless A printing process that runs on offset lithography presses, but withoutPrinting using water. The non-image areas of the plate are coated with silicone,

allowing the ink to run off freely into shallow wells in the plate. Becausefiner dots can be used in waterless printing, the image is very detailed.The cost for this printing process is relatively high.

Watermark An impression, incorporated in the paper making process, showing thename of the paper and/or the company logo.

Web A web printing machine is one that accepts the paper on a large roll (theweb). These are very fast presses but are only economic for long run andhigh volume work. Most people have seen film of newspapers beingprinted - this is a web process. The majority of magazines you find in thenewsagent have been printed by web. The alternative is sheet fed.

Web Break Split of the paper as it travels through a web press, causing operators tore-thread the press.

Web Fed Press A printing press with paper supplied by a web rather than single sheets.

Web Gain Stretching of paper.

Web Perfector A web-printing machine that prints on both sides of the web at once.

Web Tension The tension or pull exerted by the web press on the web roll.

Weight The degree of boldness or thickness of a letter or font.

Wet-on-dry Screen printing one colour of ink and drying it first before screen printinga second colour on top of it.

Wet-on-wet Screen printing one colour of ink directly onto another colour withoutcuring or drying in between.


Wet Proof Proof from the press that the final job will be produced on. Also KnownAs: machine proof or press proof.

Wet Trap To print ink or varnish over wet ink, as compared to dry trap.

WF (Wrong Font) Abbreviation used when correcting proofs to indicate where a character isin the wrong typeface.

Whiteness The measure of the amount of light reflected from a sheet of paper. Howwhite a paper is depends on how evenly it reflects all colours in the visiblespectrum. If it reflects more blue than red and yellow, it will have a cool,blue tinge to it, making it appear brighter than white. A cool paper willappear brighter than a similar paper with a warm tinge. A cool or warmtinge doesn't affect paper quality, but it does create optical impressions.For example, in colour printing with blues and blacks predominating, acool white sheet tends to brighten the colours. But colour printing withreds, oranges and yellows predominating, a neutral or warm white sheettends to make the colours appear clearer and stronger.

White Point The samples in an image that will print the lightest tone possible of theintended output device.

White Space The area of a page with no printing on it.

Widow A single word left on the last line of a paragraph which falls at the top of apage.

Window Display POS signage intended to be hung in a retailer’s window.

Window Strip Displayed horizontally at the bottom of a window to promote productsand messages.

Wire The wire mesh used at the wet end of the paper making process. Thewire determines the textures of the paper.

Wire-O A finishing trade name for mechanical binding using double loops of wirethrough a hole. Also Known As: wire binding.

With the Grain Parallel to the grain direction of the paper being used, as compared toagainst the grain. Also see grain direction.

Wobbler POS piece that hangs down from a shelf, usually from the price channel.Also Known As: dangler.

Woodfree Paper Made from chemical pulp only with size added. Supplied calendered orsupercalendered.

Word Break The division of a word at the end of a line.

Work and Tumble A method of printing where pages are imposed together. The sheet isthen printed on one side with the sheet being turned or tumbled fromfront to rear to print the opposite side.


Work and Turn A method of printing where pages are imposed in one form or assembledon one film. One side is then printed and the sheet is then turned overand printed from the other edge using the same form. The finished sheetis then cut to produce two complete copies.

Work and Twist To print the same plate twice on the same side of a sheet turning thesheet through 180 degrees between print runs.

Work in Progress Term used to refer to all jobs currently going through the production(WIP) system.

Workflow Refers to having a complete system of scanner, monitor, software, printer,and paper which are all calibrated to each other. This makes colourmanagement easier and quicker.

Wove A finely textured paper without visible wire marks.

Wrap-around A roll of printed material wrapped around a medium, i.e. a label wrappedaround a tin, a cover used on pull out forms which starts at the back ofthe binding stub and wraps all the way around the length of the form andback up to the binding stub perforation in the front, and in retail POSdesigned to wrap around a display.

Wrong Reading An image that is backwards when compared to the original. Also KnownAs: flopped and reverse reading.

WYSIWYG Describes a program that allows the user to see what the end result willlook like whilst an application, image or document is being created.WYSIWYG is an acronym for "what you see is what you get."


XXerographic Papers made to reproduce well in copy machines.Paper

Xerography A photocopying/printing process in which the image is formed using theelectrostatic charge principle. The toner replaces ink and can be dry orliquid. Once formed, the image is sealed by heat.

Xerox imageData Group operates a range of Xerox digital presses includingiGen3’s, DocuColor’s, Docutech’s, and Nuvera’s. Xerox digital printingpresses integrate digital colour printing into existing workflows to enableapplications such as print on demand and one-to-one marketing.

X-height The height of a letter excluding the ascenders and descenders, i.e. 'x',which is also height of the main body.


YYellow One of the four process colours, or CMYK, the Y is for yellow.

Yellowing A process over a lengthy period of time that changes the colour of whitepaper as a result of exposure to air, heat, light, moisture and otherelements.


ZZip File Zipping a file compresses one or more files into a smaller archive. It takes

up less hard drive space and less time to transfer across a network or theinternet.


Numbers2 Colour Commonly used for stationery because of its cost effectiveness. ThePrinting typical design includes a special colour, such as a Pantone ink, along

with black. The special ink is for the 'company colour', usually the logoand the black is for text. In addition, tints of both inks could be used toproduce variations of the colour and greys respectively. For example, if astrong blue is chosen as the main colour then the opportunity exists tohave a pale blue tint, perhaps as a background 'ghost' image. A range ofgreys is also available from tints of black. Two colour printing can be aneconomic way of producing brochures and catalogues if full-colourimages are not required. There are creative options, such as duotoneswhich can be considered if the subject matter is suitable. imageDataGroup’s print facilities include a Komori Sprint GS 228P B2 two colourpress.

2 Up, 3 Up, etc Printing where one or many of the same images are printed on the sameside of a sheet. Also Known As: up.

3d visual Computer generated models which provide clients with a visual of thefinal point of sale product before production begins.

3-knife Trimmer Three guillotines that trim top, bottom, and side of a publication in onepass.

8 Sheet A poster measuring 1.53m x 2.03m traditionally made up of eightindividual sheets.

16 Sheet A poster size measuring (30.5m x 2.03m). Also see sheet.

32 Sheet A poster size measuring (3.05m x 4.06m). Also see sheet.

96 Sheet A poster size measuring 12.2 m x 3.05m. Also see sheet.

When you have finished with this handy iD guide please recycle it.


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Our team of dedicated account managers work with some of the biggest names in retail, corporate and public sectors to deliver

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your handy guide to print jargon - imagedata · 2019-04-30 · Aqueous Coating Coating in a water base and applied like ink by a printing press to protect and enhance the printing