Glossary

Glossary Of Terms

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4 Color Process

Printing using Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black to produce a full color image.

4/0

Full Color on one side, Blank Back

4/1

Full Color on one side, Black Ink on Back

4/4

Full Color on all Sides

A

Abbreviation for Aqueous Coating: A clear water based coating used to seal and protect the printed sheet. This is available in both a gloss and a matte finish.

Aqueous Coating

A clear water based coating used to seal and protect the printed sheet. This is available in both a gloss and a matte finish.

Artwork

All computer files including layout, images and fonts needed to produce the final printed product.

ASCII Text File (.TXT)

ASCII text file or .TXT is a file format is commonly used by clients to store mail list data.

B

Bindery

All options available to a product after it has completed printing. This includes cutting, folding, drilling, etc.

Bitmap Images

Bitmap images, or raster images, use pixels to represent images.

Bleed

Artwork extended 1/8" on all 4 sides to allow for cutter variance.

Blind embossing

An image pressed into a sheet without ink or foil.

Bond

Paper grade used for letterhead and forms.

Book

Medium weight paper used for fliers, posters and inside pages of books. Available in both coated and uncoated finishes.

Brightness

The brilliance, or "whiteness" of a paper. The higher the number, the brighter the sheet.

C

Cyan: One of four colors used in Full Color Printing.

C1S

Coated One Side: Sheet is glossy on front, flat with no coating on back.

C2S

Coated Two Sides: Sheet is glossy on both sides

Caliper

The thickness of paper measured in 1/1000".

CMYK

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black: The four colors used in full color printing.

Coated paper

Smooth finish paper with a Matte or Glossy finish. Available in Book and Cover.

Color Correct

To adjust the values of process colors to achieve the desired overall color.

Cover

Heavy weight paper used for book covers, postcards, folders, etc.

Coverage

Coverage is the total amount of ink per sheet side, usually given in percentages.

Crop

To cut off parts of a picture or image.

Crop marks

Printed lines showing the edges for trimming.

Crossover

Printing across the gutter or from one page to the facing page in booklets or other multi-page documents.

CSV

Comma separated values or tab-delimited is a text file format that contains information separated by commas or tabs. This format is commonly used to store mail list data.

Cure

To dry inks and coatings after printing to ensure good adhesion.

D

Deboss

Deboss means to press an image into paper so it lies below the surface.

Density

The degree of color in an image or photograph.

Die

Device made out of sharp steel that is used to cut irregular shapes,or to score, foil stamp, or emboss.

Die Cut

To cut irregular shapes using a die.

Direct to Plate

The transfer of information from a file directly to the plate, producing high-quality printed pieces.

DPI

Dots Per Inch: Term used in describing Resolution. Suggested image resolution for best print quality is 300 dpi.

Drill

To punch holes in the printed sheet.

E

Emboss

Pressing an image into paper to create a raised image.

Estimate

Cost of producing a custom printing order.

Excel Spreadsheet (.XLS)

Excel spreadsheet or .XLS is a file format commonly used by clients to store mail list data.

F

File Extensions

File extensions are three-digit codes at the end of a file name that indicate what format the file has been saved in.

Finished Size

Size of product after completion of all bindery options.

Flat Size

Size of product after printing and trimming, but before all other bindery options.

Foil emboss

The combination of foil stamping and embossing.

Foil stamping

Using a die to place an opaque metallic image on paper.

Four Color Printing

The process of combining four basic colors to create a printed color picture or colors composed from the basic four colors.

G

Gang Printing

The process of combining multiple print orders on one press run to minimize cost.

Gloss

Paper type with a shiny surface; best used with images.

Grain

The direction in which the paper fiber lie.

Grayscale

Grayscale is a strip of 256 gray values ranging from white to black.

H

Halftone

An image or other continuos tone that has been converted to dots for printing.

Hickey

Spots that appear in the printed image from dust or lint on blanket or plate.

High Res (Resolution)

Images with a resolution of 300 dpi or greater.

I

Image

An Image is a computerized representation of a picture or graphic.

J

JPEG

File format used for images requiring less storage space than needed for other file formats. Please supply uncompressed for printing.

K

Black: One of four colors used in Full Color Printing

L

Linen Finish

Paper finish that simulates a linen cloth.

Low Res (Resolution)

Images with a resolution less than 250 dpi.

M

Magenta: One of four colors used in Full Color Printing.

Matte

Paper type with a dull surface; best used with heavy text, and some images.

Micrometer

Instrument used to measure the thickness of paper.

O

Offset paper

Basic uncoated book grade of paper.

Offset Printing

Main printing techinique used on products offered on our site.

Offsetting

Images of one sheet transferring to sheet below it.

Opacity

The amount of show-through on a printed sheet.

Overprint

To print one image over another image, such as printing type over a screen background image.

P

Page

One side of a sheet.

Page count

Total number of pages in a book.

PDF

Portable Document Format is a file format developed by Adobe Systems to preserve all fonts, formatting, graphics, and colors of the native file into a universal document.

Perfecting press

A sheet fed printing press that prints both sides of a sheet in one pass.

Perforation

A line of small dotted holes for the purpose of tearing-off a part of a printed matter.

PMS

Pantone matching systems or PMS is a mixture of inks that will provide a specific color. This is used only on our 1/0 and 2/0 products.

Point

In paper, a unit of thickness equating 1/1000 inch.

Print Ready Files

Print-Ready files are digital artwork files that are 100% ready to print, requiring no adjustments.

Process Color

The process of combining four basic colors to create a printed color picture or colors composed from the basic four colors.

Proof

A PDF or Hard Copy showing a preview of art files submitted.

Q

Quotation

Cost of producing a custom printing order.

R

Recycled Paper

Paper made entirely or in part from old paper.

Position marks on artwork to help keep printing in register.

RGB

Abbreviation for red, green, blue, the color mode used for viewing on monitors and screens.

S

Saddle stitch

Binding a booklet or magazine with staples in the seam where it folds.

Score

To pre-crease paper along a straight line so it folds more easily and accurately.

Self Cover

A book where all pages are made of the same stock.

Sheetfed Press

Press that prints sheets of paper, as compared to a web press.

T

Tab Delimited

Comma separated values or tab-delimited is a text file format that contains information separated by commas or tabs. This format is commonly used to store mail list data.

Testing website

Test The website

TIFF

Computer file format used to store images.

Trim marks

Printed lines showing the edges for trimming.

Trim size

Size of product after printing and trimming, but before all other bindery options.

TXT

ASCII text file or .TXT is a file format is commonly used by clients to store mail list data.

U

Uncoated Paper

Paper without clay coating applied.

Printing multiple copies of same artwork on one sheet.

UV Coating

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

W

Watermark

An image created in paper at the time of manufacture that can be seen by holding the paper up to a light.

Wove paper

Bond paper with a smooth finish.

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