Printing Terminology and Frequently Asked Question

• Acetate: A transparent sheet.

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

• Author’s Alterations: (AA) At the proofing stage, changes that you the client requests to be made concerning
  the original art provided, AA are considered an additional costs to you the client.

• Bleed: An extra amount of the printed image that extends beyond the trim edge of the sheet or the page.

• Coated paper: Paper having a surface coating that produces a smooth finish, from matt to glossy.

• C M Y K: Abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black) the 4 base process colors.

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

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

• Die cutting: The process of using sharp steel blades formed in a special size/shape to cut paper.

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

• DTP: Technique of using a computer to design images and pages, and assemble type and graphics, then
  using a laser printer or imagesetter to output the assembled pages onto paper, film or printing plate. Desk
  Top Publishing.

• Embossing: Impressing an image under pressure to achieve a raised surface, ether overprinting or on
  blank paper called blind embossing.

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

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

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

• Graphic Design: Arrangement of type and visual elements along with specifications for paper, ink colors
  and printing processes that, when combined, convey a visual message.

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

• Kiss Die Cut: To die cut the top layer, but not the backing layer, of self-adhesive paper making it easier to
  peel.

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

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

• Make-ready: All preparation work is done to set up a press for printing.

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

• Pagination: In the book arena, the numbering of pages.

• Pixel: Short for picture element, a dot made by a computer, scanner or other digital device.

• Pixellation: An informal term to describe an image which is not smooth and natural looking. It is usually
  caused by a low resolution and low DPI

• Plate: Piece of paper, metal, plastic or rubber carrying an image to be reproduced using a printing press.

• P M S (Pantone matching system): Also referred to as “spot color” is a method of applying a pre-mixed color
  of ink directly to the paper and is useful to when you require a few colors. (business cards, stationery & flyers). The correct trade name of the colors in the Pantone Matching System is Pantone colors, not PMS Colors.

• Proof: Test sheet made to reveal errors or flaws, predict results on press and record how a printing job
  is intended to appear when finished. Supplied by either the designer, client or printer on request.

• Process Colour: The colors used for four-color process printing: yellow, magenta, cyan and black.

• Register: Fitting two or more printing images in exact alignment with each other.

• Resolution: Sharpness of an image on film, paper, computer screen, disc, tape or other medium.

• RGB: Abbreviation for Red Green Blue most commonly used by computer monitors and televisions.

• Screen Printing: Method of printing by using a squeegee to force ink through an assembly of mesh fabric
  and a stencil. Usually used in printing of non paper products – fabric, plastics

• Trim or crop marks: In printing, marks placed on the copy to indicate the edge of the paper.

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

• Varnish: Liquid applied as a coating for protection and appearance.

• Work-and-tumble: To print one side of a sheet of paper, then turn it over from the gripper edge to the back
  for the printing of the second side with guides remaining the same.

• Work-and-turn: To print one side of a sheet of paper, then turn it over from left to right for the printing of
  the second side, the side guide changes but the gripper edge remains the same.