Glossary Of Terms

We take great pride in making our clients feel confident about their jobs during the production process. To help you gain a better understanding of what’s happening to your project, we’ve compiled a glossary of terms that we commonly use in our industry.

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

• Absorbency

  The ability of a material to take up moisture

• AC

  Author's Correction

• Accordion Fold

  A type of paper folding in which each fold runs in the opposite direction to the previous fold creating a pleated or accordion effect.

• Achromatic

  The non-colors... black, white and gray.

• Acid Resist

  An acid-proof protective coating applied to metal plates prior to etching designs thereon. Bichromated solutions employed in photoengraving as sensitizers provide acid resist through the action of light on sensitized surface.

• Acrylic

  A water-soluble polymer used in paints to make them dry both tough and flexible.

• Additive Colors

  In photographic reproduction, the primary colors of red, green and blue which are mixed to form all other colors.

• Aerate

  This refers to a manual process whereby an air stream is blown onto paper sheets to create a riffling effect that separates the sheets as they are fed to the printing press.

• Agate

  A type size of 5 1/2 points. Reference, agate line.

• Agate Line

  In newspaper classifieds, a measurement denoting 1/4 inch depth by one column width. 14 agate lines = one column inch.

• Air

  Large white areas in a design layout.

• Airbrush

  A compressed air tool that dispenses a fine mist of paint or ink; used in illustration and photo retouching.

• Alignment

  The condition of type and or art materials as they level up on a horizontal or vertical line.

• Alkali Blue

  Also called reflex blue. A pigment used in carbon black inks and varnishes to improve luster.

• Alley

  A term for a random, coincidental path or a row of white space within a segment of copy.

• Alphabet Length

  The measured length (in points) of the lowercase alphabet of a certain size and series of type.

• American Paper Institute

  An organization that correlates all paper related information.

• Angle Bar

  In "web-fed" printing (printing on rolls of paper as opposed to single sheets), an angle bar is a metal bar that is used to turn paper between two components of the press.

• Antigua

  An eleventh century Italian script typeface.

• Antique Finish

  Paper with a rough, sized surface used for book and cover stock.

• Antiskinning Agent

  An antioxidant agent used to prevent inks from skinning over in the can.

• Apron

  The white area of text (or illustrations) at the margins which form a foldout.

• Aqua Tint

  A printing process that uses the recessed areas of the plate; ideal for graded and even tones.

• Arms

  Those elements of letters that branch out from the stem of a letter, such as: "K" and "Y".

• Arrowhead

  A symbol shaped like an arrowhead that is used in illustration to direct a leader line. Reference, leader line

• Art Paper

  A paper evenly coated with a fine clay compound, which creates a hard smooth surface on one or both sides.

• Art Work

  Any materials or images that are prepared for graphic reproduction.

• Art-Lined Envelope

  An envelope that is lined with an extra fine paper; can be colored or patterned.

• Artwork

  All illustrated material, ornamentation, photos and charts etc., that is prepared for reproduction.

• Ascender

  Any part of a lower case letter which rises above the main body of the letter such as in "d", "b" and "h".

• Assembled negative

  Film negatives consisting of line and halftone copy which are used to make plates for printing.

• Assembled view

  In illustration, a term used to describe a view of a drawing in its assembled or whole format.

• Author's Alterations (AA's)

  Changes made after composition stage where customer is responsible for additional charges.

• Autochrome paper

  Coated papers that are regarded as exceptional for multi-colored printing jobs.

• Back Lining

  The fixing of a material, either paper or cloth, to the back of a book before it is bound. Reference: case binding.

• Back Margin

  A term referring to the margin which lies closest to the back of the book.

• Back To Back

  Print applied to both sides of a sheet of paper.

• Background

  That portion of a photograph or line art drawing that appears furthest from the eye; the surface upon which the main image is superimposed.

• Backslant

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

• Balance

  A term used to describe the aesthetic or harmony of elements, whether they are photos, art or copy, within a layout or design.

• Balloon

  In an illustration, any line which encircles copy, or dialogue.

• Banner

  The primary headline usually spanning the entire width of a page.

• Baryta Paper

  A coated stock (barium sulfate compound) used for text impressions on typesetting machines.

• Base Line

  This is a term used to describe the imaginary horizontal line upon which stand capitals, lower case letters, punctuation points etc.

• Basic Size

  This term refers to a standard size of paper stock; even though the required size may be smaller or larger.

• Basis Weight

  Basis or basic weight refers to the weight, in pounds, of a ream (500 sheets) of paper cut to a given standard size for that particular paper grade.

• Bearoff

  The adjusting of spacing of type in order to correct the justification.

• BF

  An abbreviation for boldface, used to determine where boldface copy is to be used. Reference, boldface.

• Bible Paper

  A thin but strong paper (opaque), used for Bibles and books.

• Binding

  Various methods of securing folded sections together and or fastening them to a cover, to form single copies of a book.

• Black Out

  Also referred to as black patch; a piece of masking material which is used in layout to mask an area leaving a window into which another element can be stripped.

• Black Printer

  Refers to the film portion of the color separation process that prints black; increases the contrast of neutral tones.

• Blackening

  Darkening a portion of a sheet of paper due to the excessive pressure of the calendar roll. Reference, calendar.

• Blanket

  On offset presses a fabric-reinforced sheet of rubber to transfer the impression from the plate onto the paper.

• Blanket To Blanket Press

  A printing method in which there are two blanket cylinders through which a sheet of paper is passed and printed on both sides.

• Bleed

  Extra ink area that crosses trim line, used to allow for variations that occur when the reproduction is trimmed or die-cut.

• Blind Emboss

  A design or bas relief impression that is made without using inks or metal foils.

• Blind Embossing

  Embossed forms that are not inked, or gold leafed.

• Blind Folio

  Page number not printed on page.

• Blind Image

  A problem that arises in the lithography process when an image loses its ink receptivity and fails to print.

• Blistering

  Although seemingly dry, paper does contain approximately 5% moisture. In cases where there is excessive moisture, and the paper is passed through a high heat-drying chamber, the moisture within the paper actually boils and causes a bubble or blistering effect.

• Block

  Illustrations or line art etched onto zinc or copper plates and used in letterpress printing.

• Blocking Out

  To mask a section of an art layout before reproduction.

• Blow-up

  Any enlargement of photos, copies or line art.

• Blue-Line

  Photographic proof made from flats for checking accuracy, layout and imposition before plates are made. Also known as a dylux.

• Body Size

  The point size of a particular type character.

• Boldface

  Any type that has a heavier black stroke that makes it more conspicuous.

• Bond

  A grade of durable writing, printing and typing paper that has a standard size of 17x22 inches.

• Bounce 1

  A registration problem, usually on copiers, where the image appears to bounce back and forth. A bounce usually occurs in one direction depending on how the paper is passing through the machine. This is usually accented by card stock (especially if it's over the machine's spec). When a customer refuses a job for whatever reason.

• Box Liners

  A coated paper used on the inside of boxes, which are used for food.

• Brace

  A character " }" used to group lines, or phrases.

• Break For Color

  In layout design, the term for dividing or separating the art and copy elements into single color paste-up sheets.

• Bristol Board

  A board paper of various thickness; having a smooth finish and used for printing and drawing.

• Brochure

  A pamphlet that is bound in booklet form.

• Bulk

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

• Bulk

  A term used to define the number of pages per inch of a book relative to its given basis weight.

• Bullet

  A boldface square or dot used before a sentence to emphasize its importance.

• Calendar Board

  A strong paperboard used for calendars and displays.

• Caliper

  The measurement of thickness of paper expressed in thousandths of an inch or mils.

• Cameo

  A dull coated paper, which is particularly useful in reproducing halftones and engravings.

• Camera Ready

  A term given to any copy, artwork etc., that is prepared for photographic reproduction.

• Caps & Lower Case

  Instructions in the typesetting process that indicate the use of a capital letter to start a sentence and the rest of the letters in lower case.

• Caps & Small Caps

  Two sizes of capital letters made in one size of type.

• Case Binding

  Books bound using hard board (case) covers.

• Casing In

  The process of placing in and adhering a book to its case covers.

• Cast Coated

  A paper that is coated and then pressure dried using a polished roller which imparts an enamel like hard gloss finish.

• Chancery Italic

  A 13th century handwriting style which is the roots of italic design.

• Chase

  (old) Frame of steel, or cast or wrought iron, in which images are locked up for printing.

• Circular Screen

  A screen that utilizes a concentric circle pattern as opposed to dots used for halftones and to allow the platemaker to set exact screen angles.

• Coarse Screen

  Halftone screens commonly used in newsprint; up to 85 lines per inch.

• Coated (Paper)

  Paper coated with clay, white pigments and a binder. Better for printing because there is less picking.

• Coated Stock

  Any paper that has a mineral coating applied after the paper is made, giving the paper a smoother finish.

• Collate

  To gather sheets or signatures together in their correct order. (see Gather)

• Colophon

  A printers or publishers identifying symbol or emblem.

• Color Bars

  This term refers to a color test strip, which is printed on the waste portion of a press sheet. It is a standardized (GATF-Graphic Arts Technical Foundation) process which allows a pressman to determine the quality of the printed material relative to ink density, registration, and dot gain. It also includes the Star Target, which is a similar system designed to detect inking problems.

• Color Separating

  The processes of separating the primary color components for printing.

• Color Strength

  A term referring to the relative amount of pigmentation in an ink.

• Color Transparency

  Transparent film containing a positive photographic color image.

• Column Gutter

  Space between two or more columns of type on one page.

• Commercial Register

  Color registration measured within plus or minus one row of dots.

• Composition

  The assembly of characters into words, lines and paragraphs of text or body matter for reproduction by printing.

• Condensed Type

  A narrow, elongated type face.

• Contrast

  The degree of tonal separation or gradation in the range from black to white.

• Copy

  Refers to any typewritten material, art, photos etc., to be used for the printing process.

• Corner Marks

  Marks on a final printed sheet that indicate the trim lines or register indicators.

• Cover

  A term describing a general type of papers used for the covers of books, pamphlets etc.

• Crop

  To eliminate a portion of the art or copy as indicated by crop marks.

• Crop Mark

  Markings at edges of original or on guide sheet to indicate the area desired in reproduction with negative or plate trimmed (cropped) at the markings.

• Curl

  Not lying flat and tending to form into cylindrical or wavy shapes. A term to describe the differences of either side of a sheet relative to coatings, absorbency etc.; the concave side is the curl side.

• Cutter

  Machine for accurately cutting stacks of paper to desired dimensions...can also be used to crease. Also trims out final bound books' top size (soft cover).

• Cutting Die

  Sharp edged device, usually made of steel, to cut paper, cardboard, etc., on a printing press.

• Cyan

  A shade of blue used in the four-color process; it reflects blue and green and absorbs red.

• Deckle Edge

  The rough or feathered edge of paper when left untrimmed.

• Deep Etching

  The etching or removal of any unwanted areas of a plate to create more air or white space on the finished product.

• Delete

  An instruction given to remove an element from a layout.

• Densitometer

  An optical device used by printers and photographers to measure and control the density of color.

• Density

  The degree of tone, weight of darkness or color within a photo or reproduction; measurable by the densitometer. Reference, densitometer.

• Die

  Design, letters or shapes, cut into metal (mostly brass) for stamping book covers or embossing. An engraved stamp used for impressing an image or design.

• Die Cutting

  A method of using sharp steel ruled stamps or rollers to cut various shapes i.e. labels, boxes, image shapes, either post press or in line. The process of cutting paper in a shape or design by the use of a wooden die or block in which are positioned steel rules in the shape of the desired pattern.

• Digital Proof

  Color separation data is digitally stored and then exposed to color photographic paper creating a picture of the final product before it is actually printed.

• Dimensional stability

  The qualities of paper to stabilize its original size when undergoing pressure or exposed to moisture.

• Diploma

  A fine paper made specifically for the printing of diplomas, certificates and documents.

• Direct Screen Halftone

  A color separation process using a halftone negative made by direct contact with the halftone screen.

• Display Type

  Any type that stands out from the rest of the type on a page which attracts attention of the reader.

• Dog Ear

  Occurs when you fold into a fold (such as a letter fold). At the side of one of the creases you get an indentation. It may look like a small inverted triangle.

• Dot

  The smallest individual element of a halftone.

• Dot Gain

  Darkening of halftone image due to ink absorption in paper causing halftone dots to enlarge. Terms to describe the occurrence whereby dots are printing larger than they should.

• Drill

  The actual drilling of holes into paper for ring or comb binding.

• Drop Folio

  Page number printed at foot of page.

• Dry Mount

  Pasting with heat sensitive adhesives.

• Dry Offset

  Process in which a metal plate is etched to a depth of 0.15 mm (0.006 in), making a right-reading relief plate, printed on the offset blanket and then to the paper without the use of water.

• Dull Finish

  Any matte finished paper.

• Dummy

  A term used to describe the preliminary assemblage of copy and art elements to be reproduced in the desired finished product; also called a comp.

• Dummy Model

  Resembling finished piece in every respect except that the pages and cover are blank, used by the designer as a final check on the appearance and +feel+ of the book as a guide for the size and position of elements on the jacket.

• Duotone

  Color reproduction from monochrome original. Keyplate usually printed in dark color for detail, second plate printed in light flat tints. A two-color halftone reproduction generated from a one-color photo.

• Duplex Paper

  Paper which has a different color or finish on each side.

• Electronic Composition

  The assembly of characters into words, lines and paragraphs of text or body matter with graphic elements in page layout form in digital format for reproduction by printing.

• Electronic Proof

  A process of generating a prepress proof in which paper is electronically exposed to the color separation negatives; the paper is passed through the electrically charged pigmented toners, which adhere electrostatically, resulting in the finished proof.

• Elliptical Dot

  Halftone screens in which the dots are actually elongated to produce improved middle tones.

• Embossed

  A method of paper finishing whereby a pattern is pressed into the paper when it is dry.

• Embossing

  To raise in relief a design or letters already printed on card stock or heavy paper by an uninked block or die. In rubber and plastic plate making the process is usually done by heat.

• Enamel

  A term that describes a glossy coating on paper.

• Engraving

  A printing process whereby images such as copy or art are etched onto a plate. When ink is applied, these etched areas act as small wells to hold the ink; paper is forced against this die and the ink is lifted out of the etched areas creating raised images on the paper.

• Estimate

  The form used by the printer to calculate the project for the print buyer. This form contains the basic parameters of the project including size, quantity, colors, bleeds, photos etc.

• Estimator

  One who computes or approximates the cost of work to be done on which quotation may be based.

• Etch

  The process of producing an image on a plate by the use of acid.

• Expanded Type

  Type with width greater than normal producing a rectangular effect.

• F&G

  A term in the binding process referring to folding and gathering.

• Fan Fold

  Paper folding that emulates an accordion or fan, the folds being alternating and parallel.

• Fat Face

  Type that is quite varied in its use of very thin and very wide strokes.

• Felt Finish

  The smoother side of paper, usually a soft weave pattern used for book papers.

• Felt Side

  It is the top side of the sheet in the paper making process that does not lie on the Fourdrinier wire.

• Filling In

  A fault in printing where the ink fills in the fine line or halftone dot areas.

• Finish

  The surface quality of paper.

• Finish (Paper)

  Dull - (low gloss) also matte or matte gloss.

• Flush Cover

  A bound book or booklet etc. having the cover trimmed to the same size as the text.

• Foils

  Papers that have a surface resembling metal.

• Fold Marks

  Markings at top edges that show where folds should occur.

• Folder

  Machine used to fold signatures down into sections.

• Folio or Page Number

  Number of page at top or bottom either centered, flushed left or flushed right often with running headline.

• Font

  The characters which make up a complete typeface and size.

• Free sheet

  Any paper that is free from wood pulp impurities.

• French Fold(er)

  Folder with printing on one side so that when folded once in each direction, the printing on outside of the folds.

• Fuzz

  A term for the fibers that project from the paper surface.

• Gang

  Group of frames or impositions in the same forme of different jobs arranged and positioned to be printed together.

• Ganging

  The bundling of two or more different printing projects on the same sheet of paper.

• Gather

  To assemble or collect sections into single copies of complete books for binding.

• Gathering

  Assembling sheets of paper and signatures into their proper sequence; collating.

• Ghosting

  Image which appears as a lighter area on a subsequent print due to local blanket depressions from previous image areas on a letterpress rotary machine as well as on an offset press.

• Ghosting

  Marring a print by the placement of an image of work printed on the reverse side which has interfered with its drying so that differences in the trapping frame colors or glass variations are apparent.

• Gigo

  Garbage in, garbage out.

• Glassine

  A strong transparent paper.

• Gloss Ink

  Quick drying oil based inks with low penetration qualities, used on coated stock.

• Glyphic

  A carved as opposed to scripted typeface.

• Goldenrod

  An orange colored paper with gridlines, used to assemble materials for exposure for platemaking.

• Grain

  Direction of fibers in a sheet of paper governing paper properties such as increased size changes with relative humidity, across the grain, and better folding properties along the grain.

• Grained Paper

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

• Gravure

  An intaglio or recessed printing process. The recessed areas are like wells that form the image as paper passes through.

• Gutter

  Space between pages in the printing frame of a book, or inside margin towards the back or binding edge. The blank space or margin between the type page and the binding of a book.

• Hairline register

  Printing registration that lies within the range of plus or minus one half row of dots. It is the thinnest of the standard printers' rules.

• Halftone

  Tone graduated image composed of varying sized dots or lines, with equidistant centers.

• Halftone Paper

  A high finish paper that is ideal for halftone printing.

• Halftone Screen

  A sheet of film or glass containing ruled right-angled lines, used to translate the full tone of a photo to the halftone dot image required for printing.

• Hickies

  Imperfections in presswork due to dirt on press, trapping errors, etc.

• High Bulk Paper

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

• Highlights

  The lightest tones of a photo, printed halftone or illustration. In the finished halftone, these highlights are represented by the finest dots.

• House Sheet

  This is a term that refers to a paper that a printer keeps on hand in his shop.

• IBC

  Inside back cover.

• IFC

  Inside front cover.

• Image Area

  That portion of the printing plate that carries the ink and prints on paper.

• Imposition

  Arrangement of pages so that they print correctly on a press sheet, and the pages are in proper order when the sheets are folded.

• Impression

  Product resulting from one cycle of printing machine. The pressure of the image carrier, whether it be the type, plate or blanket, when it contacts the paper.

• Index Bristol

  A relatively thick paper stock; basis size---25 1/2 x 30 1/2.

• Indicia

  Markings pre-printed on mailing envelopes to replace the stamp.

• Industrial Papers

  A term used to denote papers such as janitorial, sanitary or heavy packing papers.

• Inserts

  Extra printed pages inserted loosely into printed pieces.

• Integral Proof

  A proof made by exposing each of the four-color separations to an emulsion layer of primary colors. These emulsion sheets are stacked in register with a white sheet of paper in the background. Types of integral proofs are cromalin, matchprint, ektaflex, and spactraproof.

• Interleaves

  Extra blank pages inserted loosely into book after printing.

• Italic

  Text that is used to denote emphasis by slanting the type body forward.

• Jacket

  The paper cover sometimes called the "dust cover" of a hardbound book.

• Job Number

  A number assigned to a printing project used for record keeping and job tracking. Also used to retrieve old jobs for reprints or reworking by customer.

• Jog

  To vibrate a stack of finished pages so that they are tightly aligned for final trimming.

• Jogger

  Vibrating, sloping platform that evens up the edges of stacks of paper.

• Kerning

  The narrowing of space between two letters so that they become closer and take up less space on the page.

• Keying

  The use of symbols, usually letters, to code copy that will appear on a dummy.

• Kiss Impression

  A delicate printed impression, just heavy enough to be seen.

• Kraft

  A coarse unbleached paper used for printing and industrial products.

• Lacquer

  A clear gloss coating applied to printed material for strength, appearance and protection.

• Laid Finish

  A parallel lined paper that has a handmade look.

• Layout

  A rendition that shows the placement of all the elements, roughs, thumbnails etc., of the final printed piece before it goes to print.

• Leaders

  The dots or dashes used in type to guide the eye from one set of type to the next.

• Leading

  Space between lines of type; the distance in points between one baseline and the next.

• Ledger Paper

  A stiff heavy business paper generally used for keeping records.

• Letterpress

  Printing that utilizes inked raised surfaces to create the image.

• Letterspacing

  The addition of space between typeset letters.

• Line Copy

  Any copy that can be reproduced without the use of halftone screens.

• Linen

  A paper that emulates the look and texture of linen cloth.

• Lithocoated Paper

  A paper that is coated with a special water-resistant material which is able to withstand the lithographic process.

• Lithography

  The process of printing that utilizes flat inked surfaces to create the printed images.

• Logotype

  A personalized type or design symbol for a company or product.

• M weight

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

• Machine Coated

  Paper that has had a coating applied to either one or two of its sides during the papermaking process.

• Machine Direction

  An alternate term for grain direction.

• Machine Finish

  A paper finish that results from the interaction of the paper with the Fourdrinier process as opposed to post machine embossing. Reference, Fourdrinier

• Magnetic Black

  Black pigments containing black iron oxides, used for magnetic ink character recognition.

• Make Rready

  Process of adjusting final plate on the press to fine tune or modify plate surface.

• Margin

  Imprinted space around edge of page.

• Mark-up

  To write up instructions, as on a dummy.

• Mask (1)

  The blocking out of a portion of the printing plate during the exposure process.

• Mask (2)

  A photo negative or positive used in the color separation process to color correct. Reference, PRINTING, mask.

• Matte Finish

  A coated paper finish that goes through minimal calendaring. Reference, calendaring.

• Measure

  The width of type as measured in picas. Reference, picas.

• Mechanical

  A term used to describe finished artwork that is camera ready for reproduction, including all type, photos, illustrations etc.

• Moire

  An undesirable halftone pattern produced by the incorrect angles of overprinting halftone screens.

• Natural

  A term to describe papers that have a color similar to that of wood; also called cream, off-white or ivory.

• Negative

  Film that contains the same images as the original print, except that all colors and shades are reversed. Reference, positive.

• Newsprint

  A light, low cost groundwood paper made especially for newspapers. Reference, groundwood.

• Nominal Weight

  When the basis weight of paper differs from the actual weight, the term nominal weight is used.

• OBC

  Outside back cover.

• Oblong

  A term used to describe printed books, catalogs etc., that are bound on their shorter side; also referred to as album bound.

• OFC

  Outside front cover.

• Off-shore Paper

  Any papers made outside the US and Canada.

• Offset

  The most commonly used printing method, whereby the printed material does not receive the ink directly from the printing plate but from an intermediary cylinder called a blanket which receives the ink from the plate and transfers it to the paper.

• Offset Gravure

  A complex offset process involving multiple transfers between the gravure plate, the plate cylinder and a solid rubber plate.

• Offset Lithography

  Indirect printing method in which the inked image on the press-plate is first printed onto a rubber blanket, then in turn offsets the inked impression on to the sheet of paper.

• Offset Paper

  A term for uncoated book paper.

• Onionskin

  A light bond paper used for typing and used with carbon paper because of its thinness.

• Opacity

  Quality of papers that defines its opaqueness or ability to prevent two-sided printing from showing through.

• Opaque

  A quality of paper that allows relatively little light to pass through.

• Opaque Ink

  Ink that completely covers any ink under itself.

• Over Run

  Surplus of copies printed.

• Overprinting

  Any printing that is done on an area that has already been printed.

• Page

  One side of a leaf.

• Page Makeup

  The assemblage of all the necessary elements required to complete a page.

• Page Proofs

  Proofs made up from pages.

• Paperboard

  Any paper with a thickness (caliper) of 12 points (.3mm) or more.

• Parchment

  A hard finished paper that emulates animal skin; used for documents, such as awards, that require writing by hand.

• Paste Ink

  An ink having a high level of viscosity.

• Paste-up

  Preparation of positive materials into a layout for photographing to film negatives.

• Perf Marks

  Markings usually dotted lines at edges showing where perforations should occur.

• Perfect

  A term used to describe the binding process where the signatures of a book are held together by a flexible adhesive.

• Perfect Binding

  Binding process where backs of sections are cut off, roughened and glued together, and rung in a cover.

• Perfecting Press

  A printing press that prints on both sides of the page in a single pass.

• Perforating

  Punching small holes or slits in a sheet of paper or cardboard to facilitate tearing along a desired line.

• Photostat

  A photographic print creating an image using photography and electrostatic processes; also called a stat.

• Pica

  Standard of measurement, 1/6 inch. 1 pica = 12 points 72 points = 1 inch

• Picking (1)

  When the tack of ink is stronger than the surface strength of the paper, some lifting of the paper surface occurs; this is referred to as picking.

• Picking (2)

  An occurrence in printing whereby the tack of ink pulls fibers or coating off the paper surface, leaving spots on the printed surface.

• Piling

  A build up of pigment or paper coatings onto the plate, blankets or rollers.

• Pinholing

  Failure of printed ink to form a completely continuous film, visible in the form of small holes in the printed areas.

• Plastic Comb

  A method of binding books whereby holes are drilled on the side closest the spine, and a plastic grasping device is inserted to hold the pages together.

• PMT

  Photomechanical transfer.

• Point

  A measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch. 12 points to a pica, 72 points to an inch.

• Ppi

  Pixels per inch.

• Premium

  Any paper that is considered better than #1 by its manufacturer.

• Press-Proof

  Actual press sheet to show image, tone values and colors as well as imposition of frame or press-plate.

• Primary Colors

  In printing the four primary colors are cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black.

• Printability

  The quality of papers to show reproduced printed images.

• Process Inks

  Printing inks, usually in sets of four colors. The most frequent combination is yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, which are printed, one over another in that order, to obtain a colored print with the desired hues, whites, blacks, and grays.

• Process Printing

  Printing from two or more half tones to produce intermediate colors and shades.

• Proof

  Impression from composed type or blocks, taken for checking and correction, from a lithographic plate to check accuracy of layout, type matter, tone and color reproduction.

• Rag paper

  Papers with a complete or partial content of cotton fibers.

• Ragged Left

  The term given to right-justified type that is uneven on the left.

• Ragged Right

  The term given to left-justified type that is uneven on the right.

• Railroad Board

  A thick, coated paper used for signs; usually waterproof.

• Ream

  500 sheets of paper.

• Register

  The arrangement of two or more images in exact alignment with each other.

• Register Marks

  Any crossmarks or other symbols used on layout to assure proper registration.

• Right Angle Fold

  A term that denotes folds that are 90 degrees to each other.

• Rub Proof

  That stage of printed ink where the maximum dryness is achieved, and the ink will not smudge.

• Run-Around

  A term given to copy that accommodates the lines of a picture or other image or copy.

• Runability

  A term used to describe how well a paper runs on a printing press.

• Running Head

  A title at the top of a page that appears on all pages of a book or chapter of a book.

• Saddle Stitching

  Stitching where the wire staples pass through the spine from the outside and are clinched in the center. Only used with folded sections, either single sections or two or more sections inset to form a single section.

• Safety Paper

  A paper that shows sign of erasure so that it cannot be altered or tampered with easily.

• Satin Finish

  A smooth delicately embossed finished paper with sheen.

• Scaling

  The enlargement or reduction of an image or copy to fit a specific area.

• Score

  Impressions or cuts in flat material to facilitate bending or tearing.

• Screen Angles

  The placement of halftone screens to avoid unwanted moire patterns. Frequently used angles are black 45deg, magenta 75deg, yellow 90deg, and cyan 105deg.

• Self Cover

  A cover made out of the same paper stock as the internal sheets.

• Shadow Dot

  The lowest density of a halftone image.

• Sharpen

  To decrease the dot size of the halftone which in turn decreases the color strength.

• Side Stitching

  Stitching where the wire staples pass through the pile of sections or leaves gathered upon each other and are clinched on the underside.

• Signature (Section)

  Printed sheet (or its flat) that consists of a number of pages of a book, placed so that they will fold and bind together as a section of a book. The printed sheet after folding.

• Silhouette halftone

  A halftone with the background screen removed.

• Slitting

  A term to describe the process of cutting of printed sheets by the cutting wheels of a printing press.

• Smoothness

  That quality of paper defined by its levelness which allows for pressure consistency in printing, assuring uniformity of print.

• Soft Dot

  An excessively large halo around a dot in a photograph that causes a fringe that diminishes the dot intensity.

• Spine

  Back edge of a book.

• Spiral Bind

  A binding whereby a wire or plastic is spiraled through holes punched along the binding side.

• Spot Color

  Small area printed in a second color.

• Spread

  A film image that is larger than the original image to accommodate ink trapping. Reference, trapping

• Stability

  The quality of paper to maintain its original size when it undergoes pressure and moisture changes.

• Star Target

  The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, GATF has established various quality control images; the star target appears along with the color bar and helps the pressman detect any irregularity in the ink spread. Reference, Color Bars

• Step And Repeat

  A process of generating multiple exposures by taking an image and stepping it according to a predetermined layout.

• Stet

  A proofreader's symbol that is usually written in the copy margin, that indicates that the copy, which was marked for correction, should be left as it was.

• Stock

  A term for unprinted paper or other material to be printed.

• Strip-In

  To add an element, such as copy that is shot separately, and then stripped into place on a goldenrod flat.

• Super Calendaring

  A machine procedure that produces a high finished paper surface that is extremely smooth and exceptional for printing.

• Synthetic Papers

  Any petroleum based waterproof papers with a high tensile strength.

• Tack

  The adhesive quality of inks.

• Tag

  A dense, strong paper stock.

• Tensile Strength

  A paper's ability to withstand pressure.

• Text

  A high quality printing paper.

• Thermography

  A printing process whereby slow drying ink is applied to paper and while the ink is still wet, it is lightly dusted with a resinous powder. The paper then passes through a heat chamber where the powder melts and fuses with the ink to produce a raised surface.

• Ticket Envelope

  Envelopes used mostly for theater tickets, with no other particular usage.

• Tint

  A halftone screen that contains all the same sized dots.

• Tooth

  The rough surfaced finish of papers such as vellum or antique.

• Transparent

  Inks that do not block out the colored inks that they print over, but instead blend with them to create intermediate colors.

• Trapping

  The process of printing wet ink over printed ink which may be wet or dry.

• Trim Marks

  Marks placed on the sheet to indicate where to cut the page.

• Two-sidedness

  The difference in feel and appearance of either side of a sheet of paper due to the papermaking process having a felt and wire side.

• Up

  A term used to describe how many similar sheets can be produced on a larger sheet; two up, four up, etc.

• Upright

  A term given to books bound on the longer dimension.

• Vellum

  A finish of paper that is rough, bulky and has a degree of tooth.

• W&T

  An abbreviation for work and turn.

• Watermark

  A translucent logo that is embossed during the papermaking process while the paper slurry is on the dandy roll. Reference, dandy roll

• Web

  The roll of paper that is used in web or rotary printing.

• Web Break

  A tear in a web roll during the printing process.

• Web Press

  Cylinder printing machine in which the paper is fed from a continuous reel, as opposed to sheet fed.

• Wedding Paper

  A soft paper that is thick and holds up well under embossing.

• Widow

  A single word or two left at the end of a paragraph, or a part of a sentence ending a paragraph, which loops over to the next page and stands alone. Also, the last sentence of a paragraph which contains only one or two short words.

• Wire Side

  That side of the paper which lies on the wire screen side of the papermaking machine.

• Wire Stitching Or Stapling

  To fasten together sheets, signatures, or sections with wire staples. 3 methods... saddle stitching, side stitching, and stabbing.

• Wove

  A smooth paper made on finely textured wire that gives the paper a gentle patterned finish.

• Wrinkles

  The unevenly dried surface of printed inks.

• Writing Paper

  Another name for bond paper.

• Xerographic Paper

  Papers made to reproduce well in copy machines and laser printers.