GLOSSARY
A
A Series
There are 11 sizes in the A series, designated A0–A10, all of which have an aspect ratio of 
where a is the long side and b is the short side. Since A series sizes share the same aspect ratio (√2), they can be scaled to other A series sizes without being distorted, and two sheets can be reduced to fit on exactly one sheet without any cutoff or margins. The A0 base size is defined as having an area of 1m2; given an aspect ratio of √2, the dimensions of A0 rounded to the nearest millimetre are 841 mm × 1,189 mm (33.1 in × 46.8 in).
ACM
Aluminium composite panels (ACP) are made of aluminium composite material (ACM). These flat panels consist of two thin coil-coated aluminium sheets bonded to a non-aluminium core. This substrate is specifically developed for UV digital printing, and especially developed for 2D applications.
Against the Grain
Running a sheet of paper through a printing press at right angles to the grain direction of the paper, as opposed to with the grain. This is usually suboptimal for both press operation and registration of the 4 colour process inks. Sometimes called cross grain.
One of the Imagesource removable floor graphics stocks, it as a unique print media made of pliable aluminium foil with a white, high friction coating. Print direct to the slip resistant surface, no over laminate required. Easily applies directly to an infinite variety of surfaces.
Anti-aliasing
The process of averaging between pixels of different colours. This results is a smoother, more blended transition between the edge of two areas rather than a distinctly jagged appearance.
Anti Graffiti Laminate
This overlaminate is a durable high gloss extruded polyester, surface protection film designed to protect graphics and surfaces from graffiti. This film prevents scratches from damaging the surface by providing a protective barrier. It can withstand harsh solvents that are needed to remove the graffiti.
Anti Skid
One of the Imagesource permanent floor graphics stocks. It is made of polyester fabric, and is equipped with an adhesive that allows for use on rough surfaces in the open environment. Skid resistant, even in wet conditions.
Ascender
Any part of a lower case letter which rises above the main body of the letter such as in “d”, “b” and “h”.
B
B Series
The B series paper sizes are less common than the A series. They have the same aspect ratio of A series, however, they have a different area. The area of B series sheets is in fact the geometric mean of successive A series sheets. B1 is between A0 and A1 in size, with an area of 0.707 m2 ( 1⁄√2 m2). As a result, B0 is 1m wide, and other sizes of the series are a half, a quarter or further fractions of a metre wide: in general, every B size has one of its sides 1⁄power of two metres long. That side is the short side for B0, B2, B4, etc. and the long side for B1, B3, B5, etc. While less common in office use, the B series is used for a variety of special applications.
Backslant
Any type that tilts to the left or backward direction; opposite of italic type.
Back Up
How an image on one side of a printed sheet aligns with the image on the other side.
Base Line
The imaginary horizontal line upon which stand capitals, lower case letters, punctuation points, etc.
A method of folding where the paper is folded in half down the centre of the page.
Any element that extends up to or past the edge of a printed page. There are two types of bleed, external bleed and internal Bleed.
External bleed is when an illustration, background or image is extended beyond the trim edge of the page. This allows for a small amount of movement that may occur when printing is being cut to size.
Internal bleed is when all text/important graphics are kept a certain distance in from the trim edge. This is also sometimes referred to as a ‘safe text’ area. This also allows for a small amount of movement that may occur when your order is being cut to size.
Blocking
When ink or coating causes printed sheets of paper in a pile to stick together, causing damage when they are separated. This is normally caused by not enough anti-offset powder or too much ink, and usually ruins the printed job.
Body
In typography, the main shank or portion of a letter character other than the ascenders and descenders.
A grade of durable writing, printing and typing paper that is erasable and somewhat rigid.
A margin or strip around the outer edge of the artwork. We recommend that all borders are a minimum of 5mm wide on all trim edges.
Bounce
Inconsistent positioning of the printed image on the sheets of paper as they travel through a printing press.
Bulk
A term given to paper to describe its thickness relative to its weight.
C
C Series
The C series is defined in ISO 269, which was withdrawn in 2009 without a replacement, but is still specified in several national standards. It is primarily used for envelopes. The area of C series sheets is the geometric mean of the areas of the A and B series sheets of the same number; for instance, the area of a C4 sheet is the geometric mean of the areas of an A4 sheet and a B4 sheet. This means that C4 is slightly larger than A4, and slightly smaller than B4. The practical usage of this is that a letter written on A4 paper fits inside a C4 envelope, and both A4 and C4 paper fits inside a B4 envelope.
Caliper
The measurement of the thickness of paper measured in thousandths of an inch or millimetres.
Canvas is a plain woven fabric typically made out of cotton and, to a lesser extent, linen. Canvas fabric is known for being durable, sturdy, and heavy duty.
Carbonless Paper
Paper that is chemically treated to transfer the impression from the first page to the subsequent pages. Imagesource can produce Carbonless NCR Form products.
One of the Imagesource removable floor graphics stocks. Suitable for many floor/wall surfaces indoors and outdoors including carpet. Ideal for exhibition and retail. It comes with a built in textured non slip surface so it does not require an overlaminate.
Cast Coated
A paper that is coated and then pressure dried using a polished roller that imparts an enamel like hard gloss finish.
Centre Spread
The two pages that face each other in the centre of a book or publication.
A three panel fold where the two outside panels fold inward to meet in the centre.
Chain Lines
Lines that appear on laid paper as a result of the wires on the paper making machine.
CMYK
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. These are the colours of commercial printing, also called four colour process. Cyan, magenta and yellow are subtractive colours. If you combine these colours together, you will get what is perceived to be black. However, as printing inks and toners contain impurities, in order to get strong rich and dark colours, black (K) ink is added.
Coated Stock
Any paper that has a mineral coating applied after the paper is made, giving the paper a smoother finish.
Cold Laminating is where a plastic film that has an adhesive backing is applied to the print/substrates using a large rolling machine. Great for laminating inkjet prints and materials that may be sensitive or damaged by hot roll laminating.
Collate
To gather printed sheets together in their correct order.
Colophon
A printers’ or publishers’ identifying symbol or emblem.
Colour Balance
The relative amounts of process colours used to reproduce an image, either digitally or when printed on a press.
Colour Bars
A colour test strip that is printed on the waste portion of a press sheet. It helps a press operator to monitor and control the quality of the printed material relative to ink density, registration and dot gain.
Colour Correction
Using a computer to adjust, change or manipulate a colour image, such as retouching, adjusting colour balance, colour saturation, contrast, etc.
Colour Gamut
The entire range of hues possible to reproduce on a specific system, such as a RGB (screen), CMYK and the Pantone Matching System.
This is the colour setting used to create your artwork. Depending on the software you are using the default colour mode may be either RGB or CMYK. For full colour printing, artwork should be created be in CMYK colour mode.
Colour Separating
The processes of separating the primary colour components (CMYK) for printing.
Condensed Type
A narrow, elongated typeface.
Contrast
The degree of tonal separation or gradation in the range from black to white.
Cool Colours
Any colour that is toward the blue side of the colour spectrum.
Cover
A term describing a general type of paper used for the covers of books, pamphlets, etc.
Coverage
The extent to which printing ink covers the surface of a printed sheet. Ink coverage is frequently expressed as light, medium or heavy.
Crop
To reduce the size of an image.
Crossover
An image, rule or line art on one printed page that carries over to an adjacent page of a bound or folded work.
D
Deboss
To press an image into paper with a die so it extends below the surface. The opposite of emboss where the image is raised above the paper surface.
Deckle Edge
The rough or feathered edge of paper when left untrimmed.
Densitometer
An optical device used by printers and photographers to measure and control the density of ink or colour.
Density
The degree of tone, weight of darkness or colour within a photo or reproduction measured by a densitometer.
Descender
A term that describes that portion of lower case letters that extends below the main body of the letter, as in “p”.
Dibond
Dibond is the brand name of brushed Aluminium composite sheeting. Other common names include Dilite, Dibond Digital and Raybond. Lightweight and rigid, this cut plastic material consists of a flexible polyethylene core covered with a thin aluminium sheet on each side, and is finished with a high quality lacquer that guarantees perfect printing. Mainly used for making signs and displays, Dibond weathers extremely well, with high UV resistance and excellent stability within a range of temperatures.
The process of cutting stock in a shape or design by the use of a digital cutter, wooden die or block in which are positioned steel rules in the shape of the desired pattern.
Digital Printing
Digital printing is a method of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small-run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers.
Dithering
The process of averaging between pixels of different colours. This results in a smoother, blended transition between the edge of two areas rather than a jagged appearance. Also a method used on ink jet printers where colours are produced by mixing coloured dots in a randomised pattern.
Dot
The smallest individual element of a halftone.
Dot Gain
A term used to describe when dots are printing larger than they should.
Double Bump
To print a single area on the sheet twice so it has two layers of ink. Usually done on solid ink areas to increase the smoothness and/or density.
Drill
The drilling of holes into paper or other stock for eyelets or binding.
Drop Shadow
A shadow image placed offset behind an image to create the affect of the image lifting off the page.
Dummy
The preliminary assemblage of copy and art elements to be reproduced in the desired finished product.
Duotone
A two-colour halftone reproduction generated from a one colour photo.
Dye Sublimation
A photographic looking colour print created by heating dyes on a substrate instead of using inks. Often used for proofing.
E
EcoStar
EcoStar is a 100% recycled paper. It’s a bright white uncoated paper with outstanding environmental credentials. Made with 100% recycled post-consumer waste, EcoStar is paper made carbon neutral and is designed to offer the printability, brightness and durability of white virgin fibre papers.
Emboss
The moulding and reshaping of paper by the use of special metal dies and heat, counter dies and pressure, to produce a raised image on the paper surface.
EPS
Encapsulated Post Script. A standard file format used to transfer postscript formatting information between applications.
One of the Imagesource fabrics used for the SEG units and frontlet applications. The main thing to know about knit fabrics, is that they are made from one continuous thread, and therefore have the ability to stretch significantly across its width and slightly along its length.
An eyelet is a hole that’s meant for threading a cord or lace through. Many eyelets have plastic or metal rings that make it easy to put strings or cords through them, while others are simply holes punched in cloth or leather. PVC banners and coreflute signs often have eyelets.
F
Felt Side
The smoother side of a sheet in the paper. The wire side is the rougher side of the paper. The difference happens in the paper making process. The differences are eliminated when papers are gloss or matte coated.
Welded wire mesh fence is a steel fence consisting of wire strands electrically welded together to form a high strength mesh. Welded wire mesh fences are used predominantly as security barriers where visibility through the fence is necessary or desirable.
Finish
The surface quality of a paper.
Finish Size
This is the final size that your artwork will be trimmed to. E.g. the finish size of a A4 poster is 210 x 297mm.
Finishing
Any process that occurs after printing. This includes but is not limited to: trimming, folding, stitching, binding and laminating.
Fifth Colour
An ink colour added to a printed piece in addition to the standard cyan, magenta, yellow and black used in four colour process printing. Usually a Pantone spot colour or custom formulated ink. Requires an extra run through the press on a four colour press adding to the cost. Some presses have five units to accommodate fifth colours or clear coatings.
Flexography
A printing method using flexible plates where the image to be printed is higher than the non-printing areas. The inked areas are then contact the material to be printed, transferring the ink from the raised areas to the material. Fast drying inks are usually used in this process. Common uses are the printing of cans and bottles and other non-flat items.
Foil
Thin metal sheet that is applied to paper using the foil stamping process. Frequently gold coloured, but available in many colours.
Foil Embossing
Stamping a thin sheet of metallic foil onto a sheet of paper and then embossing a pattern under it, creating a three dimensional raised area, usually text or an image.
Foil Stamping
Impressing metallic foil onto paper with a heated die.
To bend paper over itself so that one part of the sheet lies on or over another part.
Font
The characters which make up a complete typeface and size.
G
Ganging
The combining of two or more different printing projects on the same sheet of paper.
Gate Fold
A three or four panel fold where the two outside panels fold inward to meet in the centre. In an open gate fold, there are three panels, the bottom of which is twice the size of the folded panels. In a closed gatefold, there are four panels of roughly equal size where the outer panels are folded inward together.
Ghosting
Also known as gloss ghosting. A condition occurring during the printing process when vapours from drying ink on one side of a press sheet interact chemically with dry ink or blank paper on sheets in contact with or on the reverse side of the same sheet creating unintended faint images.
Grain
Paper fibres lie in a similar direction in a sheet of paper. This direction is called the grain. Printing is usually done so that if folding is required, the fold is done parallel to the grain.
Gravure
A printing process using recessed areas on a metal cylinder that hold the ink.
Gutter
A blank space or margin between components on a printed sheet.
H
Halftone
Using small dots to produce the impression of a continuous-tone image. The effect is achieved by varying the dot size and the number of dots per square inch.
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.
Hickey
The effect that occurs when a spec of dust or debris (frequently dried ink) adheres to the printing plate and creates a spot or imperfection in the printing.
Highlights
The lightest tones of a photo, printed halftone or illustration. In the finished halftone, these highlights are represented by the finest dots.
Hot Laminating is the process where a unique plastic film with an adhesive resin backing is applied to the print/substrate surface using hot rollers. This melts the adhesive resin backing and applies it smoothly and evenly to the surface, hardening slightly as it cools.
I
Image Area
That portion of a printing plate that carries ink and prints on paper.
Imposition
The correct sequential arrangement of pages that are to be printed, along with all the margins in proper alignment, before producing the plates for printing.
Ink Dry Back
When printed ink colours become lighter or less dense after they have dried on the paper.
Insert
A piece of printed material that is inserted into another piece of printed material, such as a flyer inserted magazine or newspaper.
Italic
Text that is used to denote emphasis by slanting the type body forward.
J
Jog
To vibrate a stack of finished pages so that they are tightly aligned for final trimming or binding.
Justification
Adjusting the spacing or hyphenation of words and characters to fill a given line of text from end to end. Sometimes referred to as word spacing.
K
Kerning
The narrowing of space between two letters so that they become closer and take up less space on the page.
Keyline
Lines that are drawn on artwork that indicate the exact placement, shape and size of elements including halftones, illustrations, etc.
In commercial printing, when elements are set to knockout, the bottom elements are not printed (knocked out) wherever elements overlap. Therefore, when knocked out elements overlap, only the top element will be visible. Knockout prevents overlapping colours from mixing together, colours appearing muddy or overly saturated.
L
Also sometimes referred to as celloglaze. For small format printing it involves applying thin transparent plastic sheets to one or both sides of a sheet of paper, providing scuff resistance, water resistance and extended use. The plastic film is heat bonded to printed products such as booklet covers, business cards and postcards. Options include matt, gloss and velvet laminate.
In large format printing we apply a thin plastic film to applicable substrates using the hot or cold laminating process. Options include short term, long term, gloss, matt, floor graphics specific, anti grafitti and optically clear for vehicles.
Landscape
A document layout where the width is greater than the height (the opposite is portrait)
Layout
A rendition that shows the placement of all the elements, images, thumbnails etc., of a final printed piece.
Leading
Space between lines of type. The distance in points between one baseline and the next.
Letter Spacing
The addition of space between typeset letters.
Linen
A paper that emulates the look and texture of linen cloth.
Lithography
The process of printing that utilises flat or curved inked surfaces to create the printed images.
Logo / Logotype
A personalised type or design symbol for a company or product.
Loupe
A small magnifier used to observe the details on a printed sheet.
Low Resolution
Images that are less than 250dpi when placed at 100% size. For optimum print quality we recommend that all images are supplied at 300ppi at 100% size.
M
Matt Finish
A coated paper finish that goes through minimal calendaring.
Metallic Ink
Ink that looks metallic when printed. Made with powdered metal or pigments that look metallic. The most common colours used are gold and silver.
Moiré
An undesirable halftone pattern produced by the incorrect angles of overprinting halftone screens.
Mottle
A term used to describe spotty or uneven ink absorption.
N
NeverTear is a highly developed, printable media made of bright white polyester. The smooth, matt surface enables vibrant images to be printed. NeverTear is tear resistant, and can be die cut and finished for many applications. NeverTear is water, oil and grease resistant. The thinner versions have a soft, smooth feel whilst the thicker versions have an impressive rigidity. All thicknesses are suitable for offset and digital printing.
O
Offset Printing
The most commonly used printing method, where the printed material does not receive ink directly from a printing plate but from an intermediary blanket that receives the ink from the plate and then transfers it to the paper.
Opacity
Quality of papers that defines its opaqueness or ability to prevent two-sided printing from showing through.
One way vision is a perforated window film applied to the outside of window glazing. It comes in a white stock and can be printed with your design. It is applied to the outside of the glazing to allow the person on the inside to see out. The person on the outside can see the graphics printed onto the one way vision. One way vision film has a black self adhesive back, and consists of 2mm holes that allow light through. The holes allow for about 35% light transmission, so can work to increase privacy, and block some light.
Opaque Ink
Ink that completely covers any ink under itself.
Any printing that is done on an area that has already been printed. In commercial printing, overprinting is the opposite of knockout. When elements are set to overprint, they will be printed on top of each other. Where overprinted elements overlap, the colours of the elements underneath will affect, blend with and change the colours of the elements above them. Overprinting can be used to create new colours and interesting effects, but can also make colours look muddy, oversaturated and or create unexpected results.
Overprint is commonly used when setting up special effects such as embossing, spot UV and for small or fine 100% black text.
P
Page Count
The total number of pages in a book, magazine or publication.
Pagination
The numbering of individual pages in a multi-page document
A binding process where the signatures of a book are held together by a flexible adhesive.
Perfecting Press
A printing press that prints on both sides of a sheet in a single pass through the press.
Pica
A typesetting unit of measurement equaling 1/6th of an inch.
Picking
An occurrence in printing whereby the tack of ink pulls fibres or coating off the paper surface, leaving spots on the printed surface.
Pixel
The coloured dots that make up the images on a computer or television screen.
Binding a stack of paper together by inserting the teeth of a flexible plastic comb into holes punched along one of the edges. Commonly used for catalogs, reports and manuals.
The abbreviation of the Pantone Color Matching System. PMS colours are standardised colours listed in the Pantone Colour Matching System. Each PMS colour has a specific code which printers and manufacturers can refer to in order to ensure colour consistency.
Point
A measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch. 12 points to a pica, 72 points to an inch.
Portrait
A document layout in which the height is greater than the width (the opposite of landscape)
PostScript
A trade name of Adobe Systems, Inc. for its page description language. This language translates a digital file from an application into a language a compatible printer or other device can use to create its output.
PP (Printed Pages)
This refers to the number of printed pages in a document, magazine or booklet. It does not refer to the number of sheets of paper.
E.g. An 8pp A4 saddle stitched magazine is 2 x A3 sheets, double sided, folded and saddle stitched to A4.
PPI
Pages per inch or pixels per inch.
Pre-flight
In digital prepress this is the procedure used to analyse or evaluate every component needed to produce a high quality print job.
Process Printing
A system where a colour image is separated into different colour values (cyan, magenta, yellow and black or CMYK) by the use of filters and screens or digitally with a software program and then transferred to printing plates and printed on a printing press, reproducing the original colour image.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) or vinyl banners are lightweight, weather resistant and very durable which makes them the ideal advertising solution for both indoor and outdoor areas. These banners are very flexible and portable, so they can be used on fences, walls and hung anywhere outdoors to promote products, organisations or special events.
R
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.
Raised Metal
Raised Metal is a process that produces a gold or silver raised 3D spot finish. This effect is a fantastic way to highlight elements in a design.
Rasterised Fonts
This is text which has been converted to pixels rather than vectors. When creating text in design or desktop publishing software (e.g. Adobe Illustrator / Adobe InDesign), text is made up of vector shapes which can be scaled indefinitely without losing quality. If a design is saved as an image format (e.g. JPEG / TIFF), the text automatically becomes converted to pixels (rasterised) and cannot be enlarged without losing quality. High resolution rasterised text may look the same as vector text when printed. However, if rasterised text is low-resolution it may appear blurry, jagged or pixelated when printed.
Ream
500 sheets of paper.
Suitable for short-term and long-term reflective signage and vehicle markings on flat or mild-curved surfaces. Available in various grades such as Engineer Grade, Class 1 and Class 2.
Register
The arrangement of two or more printed images in exact alignment with each other.
Register Marks
Any cross marks or other symbols used on a press sheet to assure proper registration.
Print resolution is measured in dots per inch (or “DPI”) which means the number of dots of ink per inch that a printer deposits on a piece of paper. So, 300 DPI means that a printer will output 300 tiny dots of ink to fill every inch of the print. 300 DPI is the standard print resolution for high resolution output.
The colour space of Red, Green and Blue. These are the primary colours of light, which computers use to display images on your screen. An RGB computer file must be translated into the CMYK (the primary colours of pigment) colour space in order to be printed on a printing press.
Using multiple ink colours in addition to black to produce a deep, dark black colour. Common CMYK values used are 30% Cyan, 20% Magenta, 20% Yellow and 100% Black.
A term that denotes folds that are 90 degrees to each other.
A method of folding in which the two panels on the edges of the page fold in over the centre panel.
Running Head
A title at the top of a page that appears on all pages of a book or chapter of a book.
S
The binding of booklets or other printed materials by stapling the pages on the folded spine.
Scodix is a print finish that adds a luxury look and feel to ordinary print runs by producing a raised ink experience. It is a digital enhancement printed on top of an image after the printing and laminating process. Scodix can be added to one or two sides of any printed material and is specially suited to business cards, presentation folders, and posters. This digital application provides a much faster turn around over standard SPOT UV applications. Scodix delivers a beautiful finish and can create any texture.
Scoring
To crease paper with a metal rule for the purpose of making folding easier.
Screen Angles
The placement of halftone screens to avoid unwanted moiré patterns. Frequently used angles are black 45º, magenta 75º, yellow 90º, and cyan 105º.
Screen Ruling
A measurement equaling the number of lines or dots per inch on a halftone screen.
Screen Tint
A printed area of colour created by dots of a certain screen percentage instead of using a layer of solid ink. Frequently used to create a coloured area on the sheet, or tint the entire sheet instead of using coloured paper.
Scum
Unwanted deposits of ink in the non-image area of a printed piece.
Self-adhesive vinyl is a pressure-sensitive adhesive made with vinyl polymer and a meth acrylic polymer. The material can be used in a digital printing to create vibrant designs and images, and readily absorbs certain types of ink. Self-adhesive vinyl sheets can be cut into almost any shape and size.
Self Cover
A cover that is the same paper stock as the internal sheets.
Sharpen
To decrease the dot size of a halftone, which in turn decreases the colour strength.
One of the Imagesource fabric stocks. Ideal for backlit applications as there is no light-leakage visible. It has a super soft hand feel and crease recovery. It is flame retardant.
Show Through
When the printing on one side of a sheet is seen from the other side, a frequent problem with thin papers.
The stapling of sheets or signatures on the side closest to the spine.
One of the Imagesource fabric stocks used for flags. This fabric is blockout and therefore frontlit.
Smoothness
That quality of paper defined by its levelness that allows for pressure consistency in printing, assuring uniformity of print.
Soy Inks
Inks made with soy oils instead of petroleum as the base. They are considered to be more environmentally friendly, a standard component of green printing.
Where a metal or plastic wire is spiralled through holes punched along the side of a stack of paper. Commonly used for reports, proposals and manuals. Documents bound with coil have the ability to lay flat and can rotate 360 degrees.
SRA Size
SRA stands for ‘supplementary raw format A’ and is slightly larger than its corresponding A series paper size. For example, a finished sheet of A3 paper is 420mm x 297mm, but SRA3 is 450mm x 320mm. Just like most desktop printers, commercial print machines can’t print edge to edge, so the extra size of SRA3 paper allows room to get around that. The area that is not printed on is trimmed down afterwards, leaving a finished, edge-to-edge A3 print as required. SRA3 is the common size that most commercial digital print machines take.
Stock
A term for unprinted paper.
T
Text Pages
The internal pages of a book, booklet or magazine. These pages are separate to the cover of the book, booklet or magazine.
Thermography
A printing process whereby slow drying ink is applied to paper and, while the ink is still wet, 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.
Tint
A halftone screen that contains all the same sized dots, or a diluted variation of a full strength colour.
Trapping
The overlapping of one colour over a different, adjacent colour to ensure that no white space is visible where the two colours meet, especially when there are slight variations in the registration of the two colours during the printing process. Or the process of printing wet ink over wet or dry previously printed ink.
One of the Imagesource transparent fabric stocks used for flags. Trilobal refers to a triangle type shaped fibre that does not deflect the light away from your eyes. Instead, it directs that light back to your eyes so the fabric has more of a sheen to it than other fibre. When twisted together it provides a smooth look and feel.
Trim Edge
The edge along which the job will be cut to size.
These are black marks in the corners of your PDF proof indicating where the job will be trimmed to size. Anything outside of the trim marks will be trimmed off.
Trimming Variance
Due to automated systems, there may be a small amount of movement during the printing and trimming of printed jobs.
Trim Size
The final size of a printed piece after being cut from the sheet of paper that it was printed on.
Typo
A spelling mistake in printed material resulting from a mistake in typing or setting type.
U
Uncoated Paper
Papers that do not contain clay in their surface coating. Also referred to as bond or laser bond. An example is the standard paper used for a letterhead.
Undercolour Removal
The removing of cyan, magenta, or yellow from a heavily coloured image to limit the total amount of ink being applied to that image to avoid potential production problems.
Up
A term used to describe how many similar pieces can be printed on a larger sheet; two up, four up, etc.
UV Coating
A very shiny and durable high gloss coating applied to printed material. It is applied as a liquid then cured with ultraviolet light.
V
Variable Data Printing
Is a form of on-demand printing in which elements (such as text, graphics, photographs, etc) can be changed from one printed piece to the next, without stopping or slowing down the press, using information from a database. For example, a set of personalised envelopes, each with the same basic layout, can be printed with a different name and address on each letter.
Varnish
A clear coating added to printed material as a protective layer for improved scuff resistance and usually higher gloss.
Vector Text and Graphics
Text and graphics created using mathematical equations that define geometric shapes. Vector text and graphics can be enlarged indefinitely without losing quality.
Vignette
A photo or illustration, in which the tones fade gradually away until they blend with the background they are printed on.
W
Wallpaper film is a tough, scuff-resistant, flexible, calendered vinyl designed specifically for wall graphic applications. Choices of permanent and removable adhesives support the creation of unique short and longer term designs.
Warm Colour
A colour with a reddish tone rather than a blue tone. Browns, oranges, reds, and yellows are generally considered to be “warm” colours.
Watermark
A translucent mark or image that is embossed during the paper making process, or printed onto paper, which is visible when the paper is held up to the light.
Web Press
A printing press that prints on rolls of paper passed through the press in one continuous piece, as opposed to individual sheets of paper.
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
Frosted glass film is a window film that provides privacy by giving glass the appearance of acid-etched or sand blasted glazing – preventing vision from both sides of the window.
Y
Yupo Paper
Is a tree-free synthetic paper that’s 100% recyclable and waterproof.
Z
Folding paper by bending each fold in the opposite direction of the previous fold creating a pleated or accordion effect.
Zip File
Zipping a file compresses one or more files into a smaller archive. It takes up less hard drive space and less time to transfer across a network or the internet.
0-9
1-up
A way of supplying artwork where each printed page is a separate page within the file. If two printed-pages are supplied on the same page, this is considered as being imposed 2-up.
