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Glossary

We have compiled a list of commonly used terms into an indexed glossary for your reference. If the terminology you're searching for is not listed, call us and we will endeavour to help.

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

AM: Screening An acronym for Amplitude Modulated screening.
ASCII: An acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. 8-bit digital information is often transferred in this way.
Author's Corrections: Corrections marked on a proof indicating desired changes before outputting.

Back up: A term used for when one printed sheet prints on the reverse side of another, or to make a copy of a digital file to another disk.
Bit: The smallest (in size) unit of information a computer can recognize.
Bitmap: If an image is a bitmap image, it is made up of rectangles on a grid, either black or white to form the shape of the image.
Black: One of the 4 subtractive primary colours used in 4 colour process printing. Black is mainly used for the generation of contrast on images.
Bleed: This is the area of a page which extends beyond its' crop marks allowing for movement on the guillotine when trimming.
Byte: This unit of measure has become the standard where 8 bits equal 1 byte.

Calibration: A process undertaken regularly to ensure all equipment operates within a given tolerance to maintain accuracy.
CD-ROM: Acronym for Compact Disc Read Only Memory.
Chemical Proof: A proof made from the film output separations. This is the closest reproduction of the print job prior to printing.
Chokes and Spreads: A prepress process which compensates for the mis-register of the printing press. This is performed where 2 or more colours overlap.
Colour Bars: A set of colour blocks outside of the trim area of a print job which are used to ensure correct ink settings/densities are applied on the press.
Colour Correction: Altering the tonal values of an image before outputting.
Colour Profile: The process of calibrating an output device to calculate its dot loss/gain, then applying this curve to compensate on the output device.
Colour Proof: A final representation of a job prior to plate stage. This will show as close as possible, the outcome of all files.
Colour Separation: Where a print job is broken up to have an individual separation for each printing colour. Each of these is on a different angle and then printed in perfect register on top of each other.
Colour Spectrometer: A device used to create ICC profiles. It reads a printed sheet to calculate the dot gain/loss needed for the required colours.
Colour Tranny Slide: is another term for a tranny. You may be familiar with formats such as 35mm or 4" x 5".
Continuous Tone: An image such as a Black & White print. It contains gradations from white to black without being broken up into separate colours.
Contour: To clip the item out of the picture and remove it from its' background of the original. Also referred to as "deep etching".
Contrast Colour: relationships within an image from the lightest to the darkest regions.
Crop Marks: outside the bounding area of the page indicating the final trim size.
Cropping: clip the item out of the picture and remove unwanted areas from the background of the original.
CTP: Acronym for Computer To Plate.
Cyan: One of the 4 subtractive primary colours used in 4 colour process printing.
CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. These are the 4 subtractive primaries used in 4 colour printing.

DCS: A term referring to Desktop Colour Separation. This format creates a single file for each colour separation required,plus one composite low-res for file placement.
Deep etch: To clip the item out of the picture and remove it from its' background of the original. Also referred to as "contouring".
Delta: A: postscript based workflow developed by Heidelberg. It can also incorporate their own trapping program.
Density: The amount of light which can be measured passing through film or paper.
Die cut: To cut or trim special shapes out of the printed sheet.
Digital Proof: A high resolution proof of a RIPped file prior to film or plate outputs, as opposed to a conventional proof made from the final separated films.
DPI Dots Per Inch: - used in measuring files for output, setting files up to print as postscript formats requires this setting to be set.
Drop Shadow: An object giving a 3 dimensional appearance on a page as if the image on top of the drop shadow is raised off the page.
Dummy: A sample mockup supplied by the client showing how the printed job should look.
Duotone: images printed in 2 or more colours on separate angles.
Dust Jacket: A printed sheet which wraps around a book cover
Dyeline: A proof made on UV sensitive paper to show final corrections. It can also be called a Blueproof.

Elliptical Dot: This dot pattern gives improved gradations to vignettes and mid-tones.
Emboss: A process which gives a raised printed surface.
Emulsion: A light sensitive coating on one side of film or a printing plate. When exposed correctly it forms the printing image.
EPS: An acronym for Encapsulated Postscript File. Many programs use this format to interpret files from other applications.

Film: This is coated with an emulsion on one side, and is used in the process of creating you print job.
Flat: This can either be an image looking dull i.e. lacking contrast, or an imposition of pages which collectively create a flat.
FM: Screening Acronym for Frequency Modulated Screening. This is a form of imaging dots to film outputs.
Fonts: Files on your computer used for displaying text on your screen, and allows them to print as you view them on the screen.
Four colour process: This is the most commonly used printing process for creating colourful print jobs. It uses the 4 subtractive primary inks: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.

GCR: An acronym for Gray Component Replacement where the correct neutral tones in an image are stripped back and replaced with a measurement of black ink.
Ghosted: Areas used for washing back and area of an image so other areas may be more dominant, or text may appear to be more legible on top of these areas
Gigabyte: A Gigabyte (GB) is a measurement of one billion bytes.
Gray Balance: A neutral Gray colour is best reproduced with a balance of yellow, cyan and magenta.
Grayscale: When referring to an image, it would be a one colour (mono) halftone image, printing with dots ranging from 0% - 100%.
Grip: The edge of a printing plate inserted into the cylinder of a press before wrapping it around the cylinder. This is the edge where all measurements are taken from for the press, bindery and guillotine.

Halftone: A screened image which gives the illusion of being a continuous tone image.
Hardware: The physical components making up a computer system.
Highlight: The lightest part of an image printing as a halftone.
Hue: How colours are defined.

ICC Profile: The process of calibrating an output device to calculate its dot loss/gain, then applying this curve to compensate on the output device.
Imagesetter: A postscript printer used for outputting film or bromide images at high resolutions
Imposition: The placing in order of printed pages so they fall in correct placement (position) on a printed sheet for folding.
Imprint: Usually on the inside front cover, and contains the publishers details and copyright information.
Interface: The vital link between computers and their peripheral devices.
ISBN: A barcode acronym for International Standard Book Numbering system.
ISO: An acronym for International Standards Organization.
ISSN: An acronym for International Standard Serial Number.

JPEG: Acronym for Joint Photographers Expert Group. This format is commonly used for file formats on the Internet.
Justify: To align columns of words to either centre, left or right on any given paragraph.

Keyline: The outline of an item placed on a page.
Kilobyte: This can be abbreviated to either K or KB, and is a unit measuring 1,024 bytes of digital data.
Knockout: Where 2 colours meet but do not overprint each other.

LAN: An acronym for Local Area Network. This is the linking of internal computers or printers to each other via a network.
Laser: Acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emissions of Radiation.
Layout: Can either be an imposition showing placement and margins for a printed sheet, or a rough of artwork, etc.
Lithography: Another term for offset printing.
LPI: Acronym for Lines Per Inch referring to the screen halftone (or dot) frequency when measured.
Luminosity: This refers to the brightness of colour within a given image.

Magenta: One of the four subtractive primary inks in the four colour printing process. This gives the reddish hue of the spectrum.
Margins: Designated areas of a page which can either contain copy or areas of unused space.
Megabyte: Commonly referred to as MB, this measure of digital information is equal to 1,024 kilobytes of data or 1,048,576 bytes of data.
Middletones: This refers to the areas of a halftone between the highlights and the shadows.
Mockup: A dummy with colour and type showed in detail.
Modem: Used for transferring digital information over telephone cabling by converting data into high-frequency signals.
Moiré: An undesirable pattern caused by conflicting screen angles overprinting.

Neg Right Down: A common way to order film, and means negative film which is wrong reading on the emulsion side.
Neg Right Up: A common way to order film, and means negative film which is right reading on the emulsion side.
Negative: A film is said to be a negative when the areas required to be printed onto the paper are transparent, and areas required to remain the paper colour are black. Halftones: Also have the opposite dot values to the values when on the printed sheet.

OCR: An acronym of Optical Character Recognition. A software process available on many flatbed scanners to recognize text characters when scanned.
Offset Printing: A printing process where the image is transferred from the printing plate, on to a blanket and then to the paper (stock).
Opacity Refers: to the amount of transparency of an object on a page.
OPI: Acronym meaning Open Prepress Interface.
Overlay: A sheet of paper stuck onto artwork or copy, on which instructions for the prepress house are marked.
Overprint: When an object on a page prints overlapping any other object without knocking out the ink underneath it.

Page proof: A final proof of a single page.
Pagination: Placing the pages in order of printing, see also imposition.
Platesetter: A high end output device which images printing plates via a RIP.
PMS: Acronym for Pantone Matching System. This has become a standard way to specify a specific spot colour in the printing industry.
Point: A unit of measure for referring to text.
Portrait: Refers to an object which is narrower in the x direction than it is depth in the y direction.
Positive: A piece of film or plate which has an image which prints. The reverse of a negative.
Pos Right Down: Positive film when the emulsion side is facing down.
Pos Right Up: Positive film when the emulsion side is facing up.
Postscript: A computer format which allows digital files to be transferred between output RIPs and output devices.
PPI: An acronym for Pixels Per Inch referring to the amount of data within a digital image. See also DPI.
Pre-press: This is part of the printing trade which refers to anything from design right through to the making of the actual printing plate.
Prinergy: A pdf based workflow developed as a joint venture between Heidelberg and Creo.
Process colours: In printing, there are four process colours referred to which are:
Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black.
Profiling: The process of calibrating an output device to calculate its dot loss/gain, then applying this curve to compensate on the output device.
Proof: When a final sample has been produced to show how the final result will look. This is the last chance to make any changes.

Question: Something I asked myself when inserting this term.
Okay! - Well, if I didn't put it in this letter would have been blank.

RAM: Acronym referring to Random Access Memory, and this is a computers short term memory.
Registration marks: Either cross hairs or circle targets with specific lines, which are used to align each colour in registration with the previous colour.
Register Marks: Either cross hairs or circle targets with specific lines, which are used to align each colour in registration with the previous colour.
Re-screen: A scanning process where an image which has been reproduced previously is scanned back into digital information.
Resolution: A term used for measuring files for output, setting files up to print as postscript formats requires this setting to be set.
RGB: Computers use these 3 additive primary colours for monitor displays. RGB refers to Red, Green and Blue.
Right Reading: When something appears the correct way as opposed to being mirror imaged.
RIP: Acronym for Raster Image Processor. This is part of high-end output device such as an imagesetter or platesetter, and this is where the image is processed prior to imaging.
ROOM: Acronym for Rip Once Output Many times.

Scaling: To enlarge or reduce an item to the required size for reproduction.
Scan: To reproduce an original into colour separations suitable for film or plate output.
Scanner: A machine used to interpret pictures/photos and make colour separations as digital files for the prepress industry.
Screen Angles: Each colour separation must be set at different angles to eliminate the possibility of moiré patterns appearing.
Screen Frequency: Refers to the number of lines of dots per inch on a screen or halftone.
SCSI: Acronym for Small Computer Systems Interface, and is means for computers to talk to any peripheral devices connected.
Service Bureau: A company serving the printing industry for the outputting of film or plates with proofs from digital files supplied from clients
Shadow: The darkest areas of a halftone screen.
Signature: Also called a Flat, this is a single side of a printed sheet.
Soft Proof: A digital proof of final page(s), which can be e-mailed and viewed on a computer anywhere.
Software: Computer programs allowing user input.
Spot Colour: The use of any colour outside of the 4 subtractive primary colours used in 4 colour process printing. Eg: Pantone ??? CVC
Spread: A prepress process which compensates for the mis-register of the printing press. This is performed where 2 or more colours overlap.
Step-up: To step and repeat an item or page to an imposition suiting the printers specifications.
Step and Repeat: The placing in order of printed pages so they fall in correct placement (position) on a printed sheet for folding, or repeating objects in order.
Stet: A proofing mark meaning leave unchanged.
Stipple: Also referred to as a "screen".
Stochastic Screening: An alternative way of reproducing halftones. This process breaks the image up into very fine randomly placed microdots and does not use the conventional grid system.
Style Sheets: Can be useful in software programs in the setting up of master elements.
Subtractive Primaries: These are the 4 colour process printing inks, yellow, magenta, cyan and black.

Tab: To align text matter into columns for table work.
Text: The "copy" placed onto a page is referred to as the text.
TIFF: Acronym for Tagged Image File Format, and is a commonly used file format for images.
Transparency: A film positive, colour or black and white, commonly known as a slide. Viewed by the passing of light through the tranny as in a projector.
Transparent: The amount of opacity measured, or an image which can be seen through.
Trapping: A prepress process which compensates for the mis-register of the printing press. This is performed where 2 or more colours overlap.
Trim Marks: Lines placed outside the print area of a page indicating where the page is to be cut on the guillotine.

UCR: Acronym for Under Colour Removal. This is a prepress process which recalculates the amount of black ink required when the yellow, magenta and cyan inks are stripped back under gray elements of darker colours.
UV: Means Ultraviolet light.

Varnish: A thin coating printed onto areas of a page if required, and this protects the page from unwanted marking.
Vignette: An object on a page which blends from one tonal value of a colour(s) to the tonal value of another specific colour(s). This is similar to a screen of a colour, except that a screen stipple has a flat tonal range, whereas a vignette has a graduated shift in the tonal range(s).
Virtual Memory: Portions of your hard disk can be allocated to be used as RAM in this process. Only suitable for large file manipulating.
Visuals: A dummy with colour and type showed in detail. Also referred to as a mockup.

Work and Tumble: When an imposition allows for the printed sheet to be tumbled over (GRIP edge to back edge) after the printing of one side to allow the other side to be printed "backing it up".
Work and Turn: When an imposition allows for the printed sheet to be turned over from left to right after the printing of one side to allow the other side to be printed "backing it up".
Web: A printing process similar to sheetfed printing, however the paper is fed from a roll into the printing press.
WYSIWYG: Acronym for What You See Is What You Get.

X Y Z

X-height: This is measured from the top to the bottom of a lowercase "x". From this measurement, the point size is calculated for any given font.
Yellow: One of the subtractive primary inks in the four colour printing process.
ZIP: A form of data compression used in the transferring or storage of data.