This glossary provides comprehensive definitions for each print-related term, covering various aspects of the printing process, materials, and techniques.
Bleed: The area of a printed document that extends beyond the edge of the final trimmed size, used to ensure that the printed design extends to the edge of the page after trimming.
Binding: The process of fastening together printed sheets to form a book, brochure, or other document. Common binding methods include stapling, stitching, spiral binding, and perfect binding.
Black and White (B/W): Printing using only black ink, typically used for documents, forms, or simple illustrations without colour.
Blanket: A rubber-coated cylinder used in offset printing to transfer ink from the plate to the paper.
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black): The colour model used in full-colour printing, where colours are created by mixing different percentages of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink.
Collate: Arranging printed sheets in the correct order for binding or finishing.
Crop marks: Lines on a printed sheet indicating where to trim the paper to its final size.
Cyan: One of the four colours in the CMYK colour model, representing a shade of blue.
Die-cut: Cutting paper or other materials into specific shapes using a custom-made cutting die.
DPI (Dots Per Inch): A measurement of print resolution, indicating the number of dots a printer can produce in one inch.
Dot gain: The increase in the size of printed dots compared to the original image, affecting print quality and colour accuracy.
Double-sided printing: Printing on both sides of a sheet of paper or other material.
Emboss: Creating a raised design or pattern on paper or other materials by pressing the substrate between two dies.
Engraving: A printing process where an image is etched or engraved onto a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper to transfer the image.
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript): A file format commonly used for vector graphics and illustrations, compatible with many design software applications.
Finish: The surface texture or coating applied to printed materials, such as matte, gloss, or satin.
Flexography: A printing method using flexible rubber plates and fast-drying inks, commonly used for packaging materials and labels.
Foil stamping: A printing process that uses heat and pressure to apply metallic or coloured foil to paper or other materials.
Font: A set of characters with a specific style and size used in printing or digital text.
Four-colour printing: Printing using the CMYK colour model to reproduce full-colour images and graphics.
Gang run: Printing multiple jobs together on the same press sheet to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
Gloss: A shiny finish applied to printed materials to enhance colour and visual appeal.
Grayscale: An image or document composed of shades of gray, ranging from black to white.
Gutter: The blank space between facing pages in a printed document or book, allowing for binding and preventing text or images from being obscured.
Halftone: A printing technique that simulates continuous tones by using tiny dots of varying sizes spaced closely together.
Imposition: The arrangement of pages on a printing press sheet in the correct order for binding and finishing.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): A common file format for digital images, often used for photographs and web graphics.
Kerning: Adjusting the spacing between individual characters in a font to improve readability and visual appearance.
Lamination: The process of applying a thin layer of plastic film to printed materials for protection and enhancement.
Landscape orientation: Printing or displaying a document or image horizontally, with the width greater than the height.
Layout: The arrangement of text, images, and other elements on a printed page or digital document.
Letterpress: A traditional printing method that uses raised metal or wood type to transfer ink onto paper.
Line art: Images composed of solid lines without gradations or tones, often used for logos, diagrams, or illustrations.
Lithography: A printing process based on the principle that oil and water do not mix, used for high-volume printing of newspapers, magazines, and packaging.
Matte: A non-glossy finish applied to printed materials, resulting in a flat appearance with minimal glare.
Megapixels: A measurement of digital image resolution, indicating the number of pixels in an image sensor or digital photograph.
Offset printing: A common printing method where ink is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket before being pressed onto paper, resulting in high-quality, consistent prints.
Overprint: Printing one color over another to create a combined color or effect.
Pantone Matching System (PMS): A standardised colour matching system used in printing to ensure consistent color reproduction across different materials and printing processes.
PDF (Portable Document Format): A file format developed by Adobe that preserves the layout and formatting of documents across different devices and platforms.
Perfect binding: A binding method where the pages of a book or magazine are glued together along the spine.
Perforation: Creating a line of small holes or cuts in paper or other materials to allow for easy tearing or separation.
Pica: A unit of measurement commonly used in typography, equal to approximately 1/6th of an inch.
Plate: A metal or plastic sheet used in printing to transfer ink onto paper or other materials.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics): A file format commonly used for digital images with support for transparency and lossless compression.
Point: A unit of measurement used in typography, equal to 1/72nd of an inch.
PostScript: A page description language used in printing and desktop publishing to describe the appearance of text, images, and graphics.
Prepress: The process of preparing digital files for printing, including colour correction, proofing, and imposition.
Print resolution: The level of detail and clarity in a printed image, determined by factors such as DPI and file quality.
Printer's marks: Guidelines, registration marks, and other indicators added to a printed sheet to assist with alignment and trimming.
Process colours: The four colours used in CMYK printing to reproduce a wide range of colours and shades.
Proof: A preliminary version of a printed document used for review and approval before final production.
Registration: The alignment of multiple colours or elements in a printed image to ensure accurate colour reproduction and sharpness.
Resolution: The clarity and detail of a digital image, measured in DPI or pixels per inch (PPI).
RGB (Red, Green, Blue): The colour model used for digital displays, where colours are created by combining varying intensities of red, green, and blue light.
Rich black: A deep, dense black colour created by adding additional colours, such as cyan, magenta, and yellow, to standard black ink.
Saddle stitching: A binding method where folded sheets are stapled together along the spine, commonly used for booklets and magazines.
Saturation: The intensity or purity of a colour, ranging from vivid and vibrant to dull and muted.
Score: Creating a crease or indentation in paper or other materials to facilitate folding or bending.
Screen printing: A printing method where ink is forced through a fine mesh screen onto the substrate, commonly used for apparel, signage, and posters.
Serif: A typeface characterised by small decorative lines or strokes at the ends of characters.
Sheet-fed printing: A printing method where individual sheets of paper are fed into the press for printing, as opposed to continuous roll-fed printing.
Spot colour: A specific premixed ink color used in printing, often used for branding or highlighting certain elements.
Substrate: The material onto which printing is applied, such as paper, cardboard, fabric, or plastic.
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format): A high-quality file format commonly used for digital images and graphics, known for its lossless compression.
Trapping: Overlapping adjacent colours in printing to prevent gaps or misalignment in multicolour printing.
TrueType: A digital font format developed by Apple, commonly used in both printing and digital typography.
Typography: The art and technique of arranging typefaces and text in a visually appealing and readable manner.
UV coating: A glossy or matte finish applied to printed materials using ultraviolet light to cure the coating and provide protection and enhancement.
Vector graphics: Digital images composed of mathematical paths and shapes, allowing for scalability without loss of quality.
Vignette: A gradual fade or transition between colours or tones, often used for artistic effect or to highlight specific elements.
Vignetting: A technique in photography or printing where the edges of an image are intentionally darkened or blurred for emphasis.
Vinyl printing: Printing onto vinyl materials, commonly used for signage, banners, vehicle wraps, and decals.
Watermark: A translucent image or pattern added to paper or other materials during manufacturing or printing, indicating authenticity or ownership.
Web press: A printing press designed for high-speed, continuous printing of large volumes, commonly used for newspapers, magazines, and catalogues.
White space: The blank or empty areas in a design or layout, used to enhance readability, balance, and visual appeal.
Wire binding: A binding method where pages are punched and secured together using a wire or coil along the spine.
X-height: The height of lowercase letters in a font, measured from the baseline to the top of the x character.
XML (Extensible Markup Language): A markup language used for structuring and encoding documents, commonly used in digital publishing and data interchange.
Zipper binding: A binding method where pages are held together with a plastic comb or coil that can be opened and closed like a zipper.
