Print Terms &amp; Glossary

24# Uncoated and 28# UncoatedPaper

24# and 28# uncoated are a standard stock commonly used for envelopes, also called white wove. The 28# is thicker and heavier than the 24#.

70# Uncoated Text covers the uncoated, non-glossy white stocks Printing for Less uses: 70# Lustre for stationery and envelopes and 70# Cougar Opaque Offset for calendars and newsletters. They are guaranteed safe for desktop laser printing and feel thick and substantial. Many common stationery stocks are not appropriate for four-color printing, so these were chosen for best results.

80# Dull/matte textPaper

80# Dull/matte text is a stock finely coated with a non-gloss finish, giving an excellent opaque base for easy-to-read, crisp typography. Standard uses include brochures, catalog inserts and flyers.

Shop: Brochures

80# Gloss CoverPaper

80# Gloss Cover is a stiff cover stock, about like a postcard or baseball card, coated with a glossy finish that makes photographs and other images look beautiful. Standard uses include durable, heavy-weight brochures, catalog covers and product spec sheets.

Shop: Brochures Catalogs & Booklets

80# Gloss TextPaper

80# Gloss Text is a standard glossy paper stock about as thick as a light magazine cover. The shiny finish gives rich process color printing an excellent opaque base. It is Printing for Less' most popular stock for brochures, catalog inserts, flyers and posters.

Shop: Brochures

100# Gloss TextPaper

100# Gloss Text is similar to 80# gloss text but 25% thicker and heavier, for a piece that feels more substantial. Standard uses include brochures, information sheets and self-mailers.

Shop: Brochures

100# Uncoated CoverPaper

100# Uncoated Cover is a bright white, smooth, #1 grade cover stock, 14 pt thick, that matches the 70# text-weight stock used for letterhead and envelopes. It is an option for business cards, rack cards and bookmarks.

Shop: Business Cards

120# Gloss CoverPaper

120# Gloss Cover is a high-quality, thick 14 pt stock used on all Printing for Less card products. Its glossy, coated finish makes photographs and other images look beautiful.

A

A4 PaperPaper

A4 paper is the ISO standard paper size of 210 x 297 mm (8.3 x 11.7 in), commonly used outside the US in place of 8.5 x 11 in.

Accordion FoldFinishing

An accordion fold bends each fold in the opposite direction of the previous fold, creating a pleated, accordion-like effect.

Also called: Z-fold

Related: Gate Fold Tri-Fold Scoring

Shop: Brochures

Acid-Free PaperPaper

Acid-free paper contains no acid or acid-producing chemicals, so it degrades more slowly over time than acidic paper.

Also called: Archival paper

Related: Cardstock

Against the GrainPaper

Running against the grain means feeding a sheet through a printing press at right angles to the paper's grain direction instead of with the grain. It is usually suboptimal for both press operation and registration of the four-color process inks, and is sometimes called cross grain.

AirbrushArtwork

An airbrush is a compressed-air tool that sprays a fine mist of paint or ink, used in illustration and photo retouching.

Anti-AliasingArtwork

Anti-aliasing is the process of averaging between pixels of different colors, which gives a smoother, more blended transition at the edge of two areas instead of a jagged appearance.

Related: Raster Image DPI

ArtworkArtwork

Artwork is the original physical materials, including photos, graphic images and text, needed to produce a printed piece. It can also mean the electronic or digital components used to prepare a piece for production on a press or copier.

Related: PDF/X Bleed CMYK Prepress

AscenderTypography

An ascender is the part of a lowercase letter that rises above the main body of the letter, as in d, b and h.

B

BackslantTypography

Backslant is type that tilts to the left, or backward; it is the opposite of italic type.

Back UpProduction

Back up describes how an image on one side of a printed sheet aligns with the image on the other side.

BalloonArtwork

A balloon is a line in an illustration that encircles copy or dialogue.

Base lineTypography

The base line is the imaginary horizontal line on which capitals, lowercase letters and punctuation stand.

Basis WeightPaper

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

Also called: Paper weight in pounds

Related: GSM Ream Caliper

Belly BandFinishing

A belly band is a strip of paper wrapped around a printed piece or product to hold it together or add a message.

Also called: Paper band

Related: Foil Stamping Tip-On

Bible paperPaper

Bible paper is a thin but strong, opaque paper used for bibles and books.

BinderyProduction

A bindery is a business or department within a printing company that does cutting, folding, collating, drilling and other finishing operations on printing projects.

Also called: Finishing department

Related: Saddle Stitch Scoring Collate

BlanketProduction

A blanket is the rubber-surfaced material secured onto a cylinder on an offset press; ink transfers from the plate to the blanket and then to the paper.

BleedArtwork

Bleed is any element, such as a color, image or background, that extends up to or past the edge of a printed page.

Also called: Bleed area

Related: Trim Size Safe Zone Crop Marks

BlockingProduction

Blocking is when ink or coating causes printed sheets in a pile to stick together, causing damage when they are separated. It is normally caused by too little anti-offset powder or too much ink, and usually ruins the printed job.

BodyTypography

Body is the main portion of a letter character in typography, other than the ascenders and descenders.

Related: Leading Point Kerning Font

Bond PaperPaper

Bond paper is a grade of durable, somewhat rigid paper for writing, printing and typing that can be erased.

Also called: Writing paper

Related: Text Weight Uncoated Stock

Book PaperPaper

Book paper is paper typically used for printing books, in text weight, and is divided into uncoated or offset paper and coated paper, which includes matte or gloss coating.

Bottle Neck HangerProduction

A bottle neck hanger is a printed tag with a hole or slit that hangs over the neck of a bottle.

Also called: Bottle necker

Related: Hang Tag Die Cut

BounceProduction

Bounce is inconsistent positioning of the printed image on sheets as they travel through a printing press.

Box TopperProduction

A box topper is a printed card or sheet placed on top of a box to carry a message, coupon or menu.

Related: Tip-On

BristolPaper

Bristol is a board paper of various thicknesses with a smooth finish, used for printing or drawing.

BulkPaper

Bulk describes the thickness of a paper relative to its weight.

Shop: Every Door Direct Mail® Service How Every Door Direct Mail® Works

BulletTypography

A bullet is a boldface square or dot placed before a sentence to emphasize its importance.

Bundling and LabelingEDDM®

Bundling and labeling means grouping EDDM® mailpieces into bundles and marking them as USPS requires before they are delivered to the post office.

C

C1S and C2SPaper

C1S and C2S stand for Coated One Side and Coated Two Sides paper stock. C1S is a cover stock with a glossy finish on one side and uncoated on the other, usually between 8 pt (.008 in) and 18 pt (.018 in) thick.

Also called: Coated one side, coated two sides

CaliperPaper

Caliper is the thickness of paper, measured in thousandths of an inch, or mils.

Also called: Paper thickness

Related: Basis Weight GSM

Carbonless PaperPaper

Carbonless paper is chemically treated so the impression made on the first page transfers to the pages beneath it.

Also called: NCR paper

CardstockPaper

Cardstock is thick, rigid paper used for business cards, postcards and covers.

Also called: Cover stock

Related: GSM Text Weight

Shop: Every Door Direct Mail® Service How Every Door Direct Mail® Works

Carrier RouteEDDM®

A carrier route is the set of addresses one mail carrier delivers to on a regular path.

Also called: Postal route, EDDM® route

Case bindingBinding

Case binding is a method of binding books using hardboard (case) covers.

Related: Perfect Binding Square Back Binding Signature Page Count

Cast coatedPaper

Cast coated paper is coated and then pressure dried using a polished roller, giving it an enamel-like hard gloss finish.

Center spreadArtwork

A center spread is the two facing pages in the center of a book or publication.

Chain linesPaper

Chain lines are lines that appear on laid paper from the wires of the papermaking machine.

Clear SpaceEDDM®

Clear space is an area of a mailpiece kept free of design elements so barcoding, addressing and postage markings fit.

Also called: Mail clear space

Shop: USPS Mail Layout Templates

Clip artArtwork

Clip art is graphic images, designs and artwork in digital form that can be used in a digital document.

CMYKColor

CMYK is the four-ink color model used in print: cyan, magenta, yellow and black.

Also called: Process color

Related: RGB Spot Color Rich Black

Coarse screenColor

A coarse screen is a halftone screen of up to 85 lines per inch, commonly used in newsprint.

Coated StockPaper

Coated stock is any paper that has a mineral coating applied after the paper is made, giving it a smoother finish.

Coil BindingBinding

Coil binding is a method where a metal or plastic wire is spiraled through holes punched along the side of a stack of paper. It is commonly used for reports, proposals and manuals, and the pages lay flat and can rotate 360 degrees. It is also called spiral binding.

Also called: Spiral binding

Related: Wire-O Binding Comb Binding

Cold colorColor

A cold color is any color toward the blue side of the color spectrum.

CollateProduction

To collate is to gather sheets or printed signatures together in their correct order.

Also called: Gathering

Related: Bindery Signature

ColophonTypography

A colophon is a printer's or publisher's identifying symbol or emblem.

Color balanceColor

Color balance is the relative amounts of process colors used to reproduce an image, either digitally or on a press.

Color barsColor

Color bars are a color test strip printed on the waste portion of a press sheet. They help a press operator monitor and control quality, including ink density, registration and dot gain, and can include a Star Target that detects inking and press problems.

Color castColor

A color cast is an unwanted color tone or overall shading that distorts the normal color balance of a photographic image.

Color correctionColor

Color correction is using a computer to adjust, change or manipulate a color image, such as retouching or adjusting color balance, saturation and contrast.

Color gamutColor

A color gamut is the entire range of hues that can be reproduced on a specific system, such as a computer screen or a four-color printing press.

Related: RGB CMYK PMS Proof

Color SeparationColor

Color separating is the process of separating the primary color components (CMYK) for printing.

Related: CMYK Process Printing Halftone

Color sequenceColor

Color sequence is the order in which process inks are printed on a press. It is also called the color rotation or laydown sequence.

Color shiftColor

A color shift is a change in the perceived color of elements on a printed piece, caused by changes or irregularities in ink densities, dot gain or color register during a four-color press run.

Color transparencyColor

A color transparency is transparent film containing a positive photographic color image.

Comb BindingBinding

Comb binding holds a stack of paper together by inserting the teeth of a flexible plastic comb into holes punched along one edge. It is commonly used for catalogs, reports and manuals.

Also called: Plastic comb binding

Related: Coil Binding Wire-O Binding

Condensed typeTypography

Condensed type is a narrow, elongated typeface.

ContrastColor

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

CoverPaper

Cover is a general type of paper used for the covers of books and pamphlets, and also for business cards and postcards.

CoverageColor

Coverage is the extent to which ink covers the surface of a printed sheet, frequently described as light, medium or heavy.

CropArtwork

To crop is to reduce the size of an image.

Crop MarksArtwork

Crop marks are small printed lines around the edges of a printed piece that show where it is to be cut out of the sheet. They are sometimes called cut marks.

Also called: Trim marks

Related: Bleed Trim Size

CrossoverArtwork

A crossover is an image, rule or line art on one printed page that carries over to an adjacent page of a bound or folded work.

CyanColor

Cyan is a shade of blue used in four-color process printing, the C in CMYK. It is also called process blue.

D

DampeningProduction

Dampening is the part of offset printing where rollers spread a solution over the non-printing area of the plate so it repels ink. Some newer presses use a waterless ink technology that does not use dampening.

DebossFinishing

To deboss is to press an image into paper with a die so it extends below the surface; it is the opposite of embossing, where the image is raised above the paper surface.

Also called: Recessed impression

Related: Embossing Foil Stamping

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Deckle edgePaper

A deckle edge is the rough or feathered edge of paper left untrimmed.

DensitometerColor

A densitometer is an optical device printers and photographers use to measure and control the density of ink or color.

DensityColor

Density is the degree of tone, or weight of darkness or color, within a photo or reproduction, measured by a densitometer.

Related: Dot Gain Coverage Press Check Color correction

DescenderTypography

A descender is the portion of a lowercase letter that extends below the main body of the letter, as in p.

Desktop PublishingArtwork

Desktop publishing is creating materials to be printed using a personal computer, instead of taking non-electronic documents to a commercial printing company to be prepared for printing.

Die CutFinishing

Die cutting is cutting paper into a shape or design using a wooden die or block holding steel rules in the shape of the desired pattern.

Also called: Custom shape

Related: Trim Size

Digital PrintingProduction

Digital printing applies toner or ink directly from a digital file with no printing plates.

Shop: Digital Printing

Digital ProofProduction

A digital proof is made by storing color separation data digitally and exposing it onto color photographic paper, creating a picture of the final product before it is printed with ink.

Related: Proof Press Proof Press Check Color Separation

DitheringArtwork

Dithering is the process of averaging between pixels of different colors for a smoother, blended transition at the edge of two areas instead of a jagged, stair-step look. It is also a method used on inkjet printers, where colors are produced by mixing colored dots in a randomized pattern.

Door HangerProduction

A door hanger is a die cut piece of card with a slot or hole that hangs on a doorknob.

Related: Die Cut Hang Tag

DotColor

A dot is the smallest individual element of a halftone.

Dot GainColor

Dot gain is when halftone dots print larger than they should.

Related: Halftone CMYK

Double bumpColor

A double bump prints a single area of the sheet twice so it has two layers of ink, usually on solid ink areas to increase smoothness or density.

DPIArtwork

DPI (dots per inch) measures how many printed dots fit in one inch.

Also called: PPI, Resolution

Related: Raster Image Vector Graphic

DrillBinding

Drilling is making holes in paper for ring or comb binding.

Drop DateEDDM®

The drop date is the date a mailing is handed to USPS for delivery.

Also called: Mailing date

Drop shadowArtwork

A drop shadow is a shadow image placed offset behind an image to create the effect of the image lifting off the page.

Dull finishPaper

A dull finish is a semi-gloss paper finish that is less glossy than gloss and glossier than matte.

DummyArtwork

A dummy is a preliminary assemblage of copy and art elements for the desired finished product, also called a comp.

DuotoneColor

A duotone is a two-color halftone reproduction made from a one-color photo.

Dye sublimationProduction

Dye sublimation is a method that creates a photographic-looking color print by heating dyes on a substrate instead of using inks. It is often used for proofing.

E

ECRWSSEDDM®

ECRWSS stands for Extended Carrier Route Walk Sequence Saturation, a USPS endorsement that appears on saturation mail in place of individual addresses.

Also called: Extended Carrier Route Walk Sequence Saturation

EDDM® BMEUEDDM®

EDDM® BMEU, also called EDDM®-Business, is the USPS option for entering EDDM® mail through a Business Mail Entry Unit, which uses a mailing permit and a postage statement.

Also called: EDDM®-Business, Business Mail Entry Unit

EDDM® PostageEDDM®

EDDM® postage is the USPS cost of delivering an EDDM® mailing, and Printing for Less says total cost depends on piece size, quantity, printing specifications and current USPS postage rates.

Also called: EDDM® cost

EDDM® PostcardEDDM®

An EDDM® postcard is a postcard printed at an EDDM®-eligible size and mailed to every address on selected carrier routes.

Also called: EDDM® postcards

Shop: Every Door Direct Mail® Postcards

EDDM® RetailEDDM®

EDDM® Retail is the USPS option for taking an EDDM® mailing to a Post Office retail counter, using an online order form and no mailing permit.

Also called: EDDM® retail

EDDM® Size RequirementsEDDM®

Printing for Less lists EDDM® size limits as a minimum of 10.5 in long or 6.125 in high and a maximum of 15 in long or 12 in high.

Also called: EDDM® sizes, EDDM® dimensions

Shop: USPS Mail Layout Templates

EDDM® TemplateEDDM®

An EDDM® template is a USPS-compliant layout file that shows where design elements and clear space belong on an EDDM® mailpiece.

Also called: USPS mail layout template

Shop: USPS Mail Layout Templates

Electronic ProofProduction

An electronic proof is a prepress proof made by electronically exposing paper to the color separation negatives and passing it through electrically charged pigmented toners, which adhere electrostatically to form the finished proof.

EmbossingFinishing

Embossing is molding and reshaping paper with special metal dies and heat, counter dies and pressure, to produce a raised image on the paper surface.

Also called: Raised print

Related: Foil Stamping

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EnamelPaper

Enamel is another term for gloss coated paper.

EPSArtwork

EPS stands for Encapsulated PostScript, a standard file format used to transfer PostScript formatting information between applications.

Also called: Encapsulated PostScript

Related: Vector Graphic PDF/X

Shop: Every Door Direct Mail® Service Every Door Direct Mail® Postcards How Every Door Direct Mail® Works

Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM®)EDDM®

Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM®) is a USPS program that lets businesses send direct mail to every address on selected carrier routes without needing a mailing list.

Also called: EDDM®, EDDM® mailing, EDDM® marketing

F

Felt sidePaper

The felt side is the smoother side of a sheet of paper; the wire side is the rougher side. The difference comes from the papermaking process and disappears when paper is gloss or matte coated.

Fifth ColorColor

A fifth color is an ink added to a printed piece in addition to the standard cyan, magenta, yellow and black of four-color process, usually a Pantone spot color or custom ink. It requires an extra run through a four-color press, which adds cost. Some presses have five units to handle fifth colors or clear coatings.

Related: Spot Color Pantone CMYK

FinishPaper

Finish is the surface quality of a paper.

FitColor

Fit is the registration of the different colors on a printed sheet.

FlexographyProduction

Flexography is a printing method using flexible plates where the image to print is raised above the non-printing areas. The inked raised areas contact the material and transfer the ink, usually with fast-drying inks. It is commonly used to print cans, bottles and other non-flat items.

Also called: Flexo

FoilFinishing

Foil is the thin metal sheet applied to paper in the foil stamping process. It is frequently gold but is available in many colors.

Shop: All Products

Foil EmbossingFinishing

Foil embossing is stamping a thin sheet of metallic foil onto paper and then embossing a pattern under it, creating a raised three-dimensional area, usually text or an image.

Shop: All Products

Foil StampingFinishing

Foil stamping is impressing metallic foil onto paper with a heated die.

Also called: Hot foil

Related: Embossing

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FontTypography

A font is the set of characters that make up a complete typeface at one size.

Related: Point Leading Kerning PDF/X

FPO – For Position OnlyArtwork

FPO, or For Position Only, refers to low-resolution or mockup images used to show placement and size in a design that are not intended for final production.

Related: Layout DPI Raster Image Proof

Free sheetPaper

Free sheet is any paper that is free from wood pulp impurities.

G

GangingProduction

Ganging is combining two or more different printing projects on the same sheet of paper.

Also called: Gang run

Related: Imposition Make-Ready

Gate FoldFinishing

A gate fold is a three- or four-panel fold where the two outside panels fold inward to meet in the center. An open gate fold has three panels, the bottom one twice the size of the folded panels; a closed gate fold has four panels of roughly equal size, with the outer panels folded inward together.

Also called: Gatefold

Related: Accordion Fold Tri-Fold

Shop: Brochures

GatheringProduction

Gathering is assembling sheets of paper and signatures into their proper sequence. See also collate.

GhostingProduction

Ghosting, also called gloss ghosting, is a condition during printing where vapors from drying ink on one side of a press sheet react chemically with dry ink or blank paper on sheets in contact with it, or on the reverse side of the same sheet, creating unintended faint images.

Related: Offset Make-Ready Coated Stock Press Check

Gloss CoatingFinishing

Gloss coating is a shiny finish that makes colors look vivid and resists fingerprints less than matte.

Also called: Gloss finish

Related: Matte Coating Spot UV

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GrainPaper

Grain is the direction in which paper fibers lie in a sheet. Printing is usually done so that any fold runs parallel to the grain.

GravureProduction

Gravure is a printing process that uses recessed areas on a metal cylinder to hold the ink.

GripperProduction

A gripper is one of a series of metal fingers that hold each sheet of paper as it passes through a printing press.

Gripper edgeProduction

The gripper edge is the side of a sheet held by the gripper fingers as it passes through a press. Nothing can be printed in this area.

GSMPaper

GSM means grams per square meter and measures paper weight.

Also called: Paper weight

Related: Cardstock Text Weight

GutterArtwork

A gutter is a blank space or margin between components on a printed piece or press sheet.

Also called: Inner margin

Related: Safe Zone Bleed

H

HalftoneColor

A halftone uses small dots to produce the impression of a continuous-tone image, by varying the dot size and the number of dots per square inch.

Also called: Screening

Halftone screenColor

A halftone screen is a sheet of film or glass with ruled right-angled lines, used to translate the full tone of a photo into the halftone dot image needed for printing.

Hang TagProduction

A hang tag is a printed tag attached to a product with a string, loop or elastic.

Also called: Swing tag

Related: Door Hanger Die Cut

HickeyProduction

A hickey is a spot or imperfection in printing caused by a speck of dust or debris, frequently dried ink, sticking to the printing plate.

HighlightsColor

Highlights are the lightest tones of a photo, printed halftone or illustration. In a finished halftone they are represented by the finest dots.

Hot meltBinding

Hot melt is an adhesive used in some binding processes that requires heat for application.

House sheetPaper

A house sheet is a paper that a printer keeps on hand in their shop.

I

Image areaProduction

The image area is the portion of a printing plate that carries ink and prints on paper.

ImpositionProduction

Imposition is the correct sequential arrangement of pages to be printed, with all margins in proper alignment, before the plates for printing are made.

Related: Signature Ganging Prepress

IndiciaMailing

An indicia is an image or text preprinted on mailing envelopes in place of a stamp.

Also called: Permit imprint

Shop: Mailing Services

Ink Dry BackColor

Ink dry back is when printed ink colors become lighter or less dense after they dry on the paper.

InsertProduction

An insert is a piece of printed material placed inside another printed piece, such as a magazine or catalog.

Shop: Every Door Direct Mail® Service How Every Door Direct Mail® Works

Instant Route SelectEDDM®

Instant Route Select is the Printing for Less tool for choosing EDDM® carrier routes and seeing household counts, business counts and demographics for each route.

Also called: Route select tool

ItalicTypography

Italic is type slanted forward to denote emphasis.

J

JacketBinding

A jacket, or dust jacket, is the paper cover, sometimes called the dust cover, of a hardbound book.

JogProduction

To jog is to vibrate a stack of finished pages so they are tightly aligned for final trimming or binding.

JPEGArtwork

JPEG is a common image format that shrinks file size by discarding some image detail.

Also called: JPG

Related: Raster Image DPI PDF/X

JustificationTypography

Justification is adjusting the spacing or hyphenation of words and characters to fill a line of text from end to end. It is sometimes called word spacing.

K

KerningTypography

Kerning is narrowing the space between two letters so they sit closer together and take up less space on the page.

Related: Leading

KeylineArtwork

A keyline is a line drawn on artwork to show the exact placement, shape and size of elements such as halftones and illustrations.

Kraft PaperPaper

Kraft is a coarse, unbleached paper used for printing and industrial products.

Also called: Brown paper

Related: Uncoated Stock Cardstock

L

Laid finishPaper

Laid finish is a paper with parallel lines that gives it a handmade look.

LaminationFinishing

Lamination is applying thin transparent plastic sheets to both sides of a sheet of paper for scuff resistance, waterproofing and extended use.

Also called: Laminate

Related: Liquid Laminate Soft Touch Coating Gloss Coating

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LandscapeArtwork

Landscape is a document layout where the width is greater than the height; it is the opposite of portrait.

Also called: Horizontal orientation

Related: Portrait Trim Size

LayoutArtwork

A layout is a rendition showing the placement of all elements, images and thumbnails of a final printed piece.

Shop: Free Print Templates Design Services

LeadingTypography

Leading is the space between lines of type, measured in points from one baseline to the next.

Also called: Line spacing

Related: Kerning

LetterpressProduction

Letterpress is printing that uses inked raised surfaces, usually type, to create the image.

LetterspacingTypography

Letterspacing is adding space between typeset letters.

Line copyArtwork

Line copy is any copy that can be reproduced without a halftone screen.

LinenPaper

Linen is a paper that emulates the look and texture of linen cloth.

Liquid LaminateFinishing

Liquid laminate is a clear coating applied as a liquid and cured to protect a printed piece.

Also called: Liquid lamination

Related: Lamination UV Coating Gloss Coating

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LithographyProduction

Lithography is a printing process that uses flat or curved inked surfaces to create the printed images.

LogotypeTypography

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

LoupeProduction

A loupe is a small magnifier used to observe the details on a printed sheet.

M

MagentaColor

Magenta is one of the four process colors in CMYK, the M, a predominantly red color with some blue. Magenta, cyan and yellow are also the three subtractive primary colors.

Related: CMYK Cyan Yellow Color gamut

Magnetic blackColor

Magnetic black is black ink containing iron oxides, used for magnetic ink character recognition in check printing.

Make-ReadyProduction

Make-ready is paper used in the press set-up process before a printing run starts, or the process of setting up press or bindery equipment for a specific product, including paper size, ink density, image alignment and fold sizes.

Also called: Press setup

Related: Press Check Overrun

Matte CoatingFinishing

Matte coating is a smooth, non-reflective finish with a soft, modern look.

Also called: Matte finish

Related: Gloss Coating

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Matte finishPaper

Matte finish is a coated paper finish that goes through minimal calendaring.

Metallic InkColor

Metallic ink is ink that looks metallic when printed, made with powdered metal or metallic-looking pigments. Gold and silver are the most common colors.

MoiréColor

Moiré is an undesirable halftone pattern produced by incorrect angles of overprinting halftone screens.

Also called: Moire pattern

Related: Halftone

MottleProduction

Mottle is spotty or uneven ink absorption.

M weightPaper

M weight is the actual weight of 1,000 sheets of paper of a given size.

N

NaturalPaper

Natural is a term for papers with a color similar to wood, also called cream, off-white or ivory.

NewsprintPaper

Newsprint is a light, low-cost, unbleached paper made especially for newspaper printing.

Related: Uncoated Stock

No Mailing List RequiredEDDM®

With EDDM® you do not need a mailing list, because the mailpieces do not carry individual names and addresses.

Also called: Unaddressed mail

O

OffsetProduction

Offset is an erroneous variation of the word setoff: ink unintentionally transferred from a printed sheet to the back of the sheet above it when pieces are stacked in a pile.

Offset paperPaper

Offset paper is a term sometimes used for uncoated book paper.

Offset PrintingProduction

Offset printing is the most commonly used printing method. The printed material gets ink not directly from a plate but from an intermediary blanket that receives the ink from the plate and transfers it to the paper.

Also called: Offset lithography

Related: Digital Printing

OnionskinPaper

Onionskin is a light bond paper used for typing and with carbon paper because of its thinness.

OpacityPaper

Opacity is a quality of paper that defines its opaqueness, or its ability to prevent two-sided printing from showing through.

Also called: Show-through resistance

Related: Basis Weight Text Weight

Opaque inkColor

Opaque ink is ink that completely covers any ink under it.

Overlay proofProduction

An overlay proof is made by exposing the color separations individually to light-sensitive film, which is then set in registration over a piece of white paper.

OverprintingColor

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

Also called: Overprint

OverrunProduction

An overrun is the quantity of sheets printed over the requested number of copies.

Also called: Overs

Related: Make-Ready

P

Page CountBinding

Page count is the total number of pages in a book, magazine or publication. It is sometimes called the extent.

PaginationArtwork

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

PantoneColor

Pantone is a standardized color-matching system that assigns numbered codes to specific colors.

Also called: PMS

Related: Spot Color CMYK

ParchmentPaper

Parchment is a hard-finished paper that emulates animal skin, used for documents such as awards that are written on by hand.

Parent sheetPaper

A parent sheet is a sheet larger than the cut stock of the same paper.

PDF/XArtwork

PDF/X is a family of PDF standards designed for reliable exchange of print-ready files.

Also called: Print-ready PDF

Related: EPS CMYK Prepress

Perfect BindingBinding

Perfect binding is a binding process where the signatures of a book are held together by a flexible adhesive.

Also called: Glue binding

Related: Saddle Stitch Wire-O Binding

Perfecting pressProduction

A perfecting press is a printing press that prints on both sides of a sheet in a single pass.

PerforationFinishing

Perforation is a line of small cuts that lets a section be torn off by hand.

Also called: Tear-off

Related: Scoring

PicaTypography

A pica is a typesetting unit of measurement equal to one-sixth of an inch.

Related: Point Leading Font

PickingProduction

Picking is when the tack of ink pulls fibers or coating off the paper surface, leaving spots on the printed surface.

Plastic combBinding

Plastic comb is a method of binding books where holes are drilled along the spine and a plastic gripping device is inserted to hold the pages together.

PMSColor

PMS is the abbreviation for the Pantone Color Matching System.

PointTypography

A point is a measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch; there are 12 points to a pica and 72 points to an inch.

Related: Pica Leading Caliper Font

PortraitArtwork

Portrait is a document layout in which the height is greater than the width; it is the opposite of landscape.

Also called: Vertical orientation

Related: Landscape Trim Size

PostScriptArtwork

PostScript is Adobe Systems' trade name for its page description language, which translates a digital file from an application into a language a compatible printer or other device can use to create output.

PpiArtwork

PPI stands for pages per inch or pixels per inch.

PremiumPaper

Premium is any paper considered better than grade #1 by its manufacturer.

PrepressProduction

Prepress is the set of checks and file preparation steps done before a job goes on press.

Also called: Preflight

Related: Proof Bleed

Press ProofProduction

A press proof is a printed sample made on the press a project will run on, showing exactly how it will print with the paper, ink and plates to be used for the final run.

Related: Digital Proof Press Check Make-Ready Proof

Pressure-sensitivePaper

Pressure-sensitive paper is self-adhesive paper covered by a backing sheet.

Related: Die Cut Synthetic papers Stock

Process PrintingColor

Process printing is a system where a color image is separated into cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) values, using filters and screens or software, then transferred to printing plates and printed on a press to reproduce the original color image.

Also called: Four-color process, 4-color printing

Related: CMYK Halftone Color Separation

Progressive proofsProduction

Progressive proofs are proofs made from the separate colors of a multi-color printing project.

ProofProduction

A proof is a preview of a print job used to approve layout and content before full production.

Related: Prepress

Q

QR CodeMailing

A QR code is a square barcode that a phone camera can scan to open a web page.

Related: Response Tracking Vanity URL

QuarkArtwork

Quark is short for QuarkXPress, one of the primary computer applications used in graphic design.

QuoteProduction

A quote, or quotation, is a price estimate to produce a specific printed piece, frequently with custom attributes that standard online pricing tools cannot price.

Also called: Quotation

Related: Prepress

R

Rack CardProduction

A rack card is a narrow, sturdy card designed to sit in a display rack.

Related: Cardstock Door Hanger

Ragged leftTypography

Ragged left is right-justified type that is uneven on the left.

Ragged rightTypography

Ragged right is left-justified type that is uneven on the right.

Rag paperPaper

Rag paper is paper made with complete or partial cotton fiber content.

Raster ImageArtwork

A raster image is built from a grid of pixels, such as a photo.

Also called: Bitmap

Related: DPI Vector Graphic

ReamPaper

A ream is 500 sheets of paper.

Related: Basis Weight

Register marksProduction

RegistrationColor

Also called: Register, fit

Related: Trapping Overprinting Dot Gain

Response TrackingEDDM®

Response tracking measures how many recipients act on a mailing, using methods such as QR codes, custom or vanity URLs, promo codes and dedicated phone numbers.

Also called: EDDM® tracking, Campaign tracking, ROI tracking

RGBColor

RGB is the color space of red, green and blue, the primary colors of light, which computers use to display images. An RGB file must be translated into CMYK, the primary colors of pigment, to be printed on a press.

Related: CMYK

Rich BlackColor

Rich black is a deep, dark black made by using multiple ink colors in addition to black. Common CMYK values are 30% cyan, 20% magenta, 20% yellow and 100% black.

Related: CMYK

Right angle foldFinishing

Right angle folds are folds that are 90 degrees to each other.

Shop: Brochures

Rip CardProduction

A rip card is a card with a tear-off portion, such as a coupon or business card.

Also called: Tear-off card

Related: Perforation Self-Mailer

Running headTypography

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

S

Saddle StitchBinding

Saddle stitch is binding booklets or other printed materials by stapling the pages along the folded spine.

Related: Perfect Binding Wire-O Binding

Shop: Catalogs & Booklets Newsletters

Safety paperPaper

Safety paper is paper that shows signs of erasure, so it cannot be altered or tampered with easily.

Safe ZoneArtwork

The safe zone is the inner margin where text and logos stay clear of the cut edge.

Also called: Safety margin

Related: Bleed Trim Size

Saturation MailingEDDM®

A saturation mailing reaches every address in a chosen area, such as a ZIP Code, neighborhood or carrier route.

Also called: Saturation, Saturation mail

ScoringFinishing

Scoring is creasing paper with a metal rule to make folding easier.

Also called: Creasing

Related: Cardstock

Screen anglesColor

Screen angles are the placement of halftone screens to avoid unwanted moiré patterns. Frequently used angles are black 45º, magenta 75º, yellow 90º and cyan 105º.

Screen rulingColor

Screen ruling is a measurement of the number of lines or dots per inch on a halftone screen.

Screen tintColor

A screen tint is a printed area of color created by dots of a certain screen percentage instead of a layer of solid ink, frequently used to create a colored area or tint an entire sheet instead of using colored paper.

ScumProduction

Scum is unwanted ink deposits in the non-image area of a printed piece.

Self-MailerMailing

A self-mailer is a mail piece that goes through the mail without an envelope.

Shop: Mailing Services

Self coverBinding

A self cover is a cover made of the same paper stock as the internal sheets.

Sequential NumberingProduction

Sequential numbering prints a unique, rising number on each piece in a run.

Also called: Consecutive numbering

SharpenColor

To sharpen is to decrease the dot size of a halftone, which decreases color strength.

SheetwiseProduction

Sheetwise printing prints two different images on the two sides of a sheet by turning the sheet over after the first side is printed, using the same gripper and side guides.

Show throughPaper

Show through is when printing on one side of a sheet can be seen from the other side, a frequent problem with thin papers.

Side guideProduction

A side guide is one of the guides on the sides of a press that consistently position the sheet sideways as it is fed through.

Side stitchBinding

Side stitch is stapling sheets or signatures on the side closest to the spine.

SignatureProduction

A signature is a printed sheet with multiple pages that is folded so the pages are in proper numbered sequence, as in a book.

SmartFlex Synthetic PaperPaper

SmartFlex is a synthetic paper that is waterproof and tear-resistant but feels like regular paper.

Also called: SmartFlex

Related: Cardstock Lamination

SmoothnessPaper

Smoothness is the levelness of a paper, which allows consistent pressure in printing and uniform print.

Soy InkColor

Soy inks are inks made with soy oils instead of petroleum as the base. They are considered more environmentally friendly and a standard component of green printing.

Related: Process Printing

Spiral bindBinding

Spiral binding is a type of binding where a metal or plastic wire is spiraled through holes drilled along the binding side of a document.

Spot ColorColor

A spot color is a premixed ink matched to a specific color, used instead of or beside CMYK.

Also called: Solid ink

Related: CMYK Pantone

Spot UVFinishing

Spot UV is a clear glossy coating applied to selected areas of a printed piece.

Also called: Spot gloss

Related: Gloss Coating Matte Coating

Shop: All Products

StockPaper

Stock is unprinted paper.

Super calendaringPaper

Super calendaring is a machine procedure that produces a very smooth paper surface that is exceptional for printing.

Synthetic papersPaper

Synthetic papers are any non-wood, non-cloth papers, usually petroleum (plastic) based.

T

Table TentProduction

A table tent is a folded card that stands on a tabletop to display a message.

Related: Scoring Die Cut

Text WeightPaper

Text weight paper is lighter paper used for the inside pages of booklets, flyers and brochures.

Also called: Text stock

Related: Cardstock GSM

ThermographyFinishing

Thermography is a printing process where slow-drying ink is applied to paper and, while still wet, 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.

Also called: Raised ink

Related: Embossing Foil Stamping

TintColor

A tint is a halftone screen containing all the same-sized dots, or a diluted variation of a full-strength color.

Tip-OnFinishing

A tip-on is an item, such as a card or sample, attached to a printed page with adhesive.

Also called: Tipped-on item

Related: Belly Band Box Topper

TrappingColor

Trapping is overlapping one color over a different, adjacent color so no white space shows where the two meet, especially when registration varies slightly during printing. It can also mean printing wet ink over wet or dry previously printed ink.

Related: Registration Overprinting

Tri-FoldFinishing

A tri-fold folds a sheet into three panels, usually with two parallel folds.

Also called: Letter fold

Shop: Brochures

Trim marksArtwork

Trim marks are marks placed on a printed sheet to show where cuts should be made.

Trim SizeArtwork

Trim size is the final size of a printed piece after it is cut from the sheet it was printed on.

Also called: Finished size

Related: Bleed Safe Zone

TypoTypography

A typo is a spelling mistake in printed material caused by an error in typing or setting type.

U

Uncoated StockPaper

Uncoated stock is paper without a surface coating, giving it a natural, slightly textured feel.

Also called: Uncoated paper

Related: Coated Stock Bond Paper

Undercolor removalColor

Undercolor removal is removing cyan, magenta or yellow from a heavily colored image to limit the total ink applied and avoid potential production problems.

UpProduction

Up describes how many similar pieces can be printed on a larger sheet, such as two up or four up.

V

Vanity URLMailing

A vanity URL is a short, memorable web address created for one campaign and printed on the mailpiece.

Also called: Custom URL

Variable Data PrintingProduction

Variable data printing is a form of on-demand printing where elements such as text, graphics and photographs change from one printed piece to the next, without stopping or slowing the press, using information from a database. For example, a set of personalized letters with the same basic layout can each carry a different name and address.

Also called: VDP

Related: Digital Printing

Shop: Digital Printing Mailing Services

VarnishFinishing

Varnish is a clear coating added to printed material as a protective layer, for improved scuff resistance and usually higher gloss.

Also called: Clear coat

Related: UV Coating Gloss Coating Matte Coating

Shop: All Products

Vector GraphicArtwork

A vector graphic is built from mathematical paths and scales to any size without losing quality.

Related: Raster Image DPI

VellumPaper

Vellum is a paper finish that is somewhat bulky and slightly rough.

VignetteArtwork

A vignette is a photo or illustration in which the tones fade gradually away until they blend with the background they are printed on.

Related: Halftone Tint Dot Gain

VOCsColor

VOCs are volatile organic compounds, petroleum-based chemicals used in some printing inks and coatings, whose high vapor pressure lets them evaporate easily into the air.

W

Warm colorColor

A warm color has a reddish tone rather than a blue tone. Browns, oranges, reds and yellows are generally considered warm.

WashupProduction

Washup is the procedure of cleaning a particular ink from a unit of a printing press.

WatermarkPaper

A watermark is a translucent mark or image embossed during papermaking, or printed onto paper, that is visible when the paper is held up to the light.

Web PressProduction

A web press is a printing press that prints on rolls of paper passed through in one continuous piece, instead of individual sheets.

Also called: Roll-fed press

Related: Offset Printing Make-Ready

WidowTypography

A widow is a single word or two left at the end of a paragraph, or part of a sentence ending a paragraph, that carries over to the next page and stands alone. It can also be the last sentence of a paragraph that contains only one or two short words.

Related: Kerning Leading

Wire-O BindingBinding

Wire-O binding threads a double-loop metal wire through punched holes along the edge.

Also called: Double-loop wire

Related: Saddle Stitch Perfect Binding

Work and TurnProduction

Work and turn is a production format with the front and back of a piece on one side of the sheet, which is then printed the same way on the back side, producing two copies of the piece.

WovePaper

Wove is a smooth paper with a gentle patterned finish.

Writing paperPaper

Writing paper is another name for bond paper.

X

Xerographic PaperPaper

Xerographic paper is paper made to reproduce well in copy machines.

Also called: Copy paper

Related: Bond Paper Uncoated Stock

Y

YellowColor

Yellow is one of the four process ink colors in CMYK, the Y.

Also called: Process yellow

Related: CMYK Process Printing

Z

Zip FileArtwork

A zip file compresses one or more files into a smaller archive, using less hard drive space and less transfer time across a network or the internet.

Also called: Compressed archive

Related: PDF/X EPS