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Printing Terms from A to Z
Filed Under: resources On: December 8, 2010
The printing industry has its fair share of jargon, which can be tough to navigate whether you're new to making or a veteran. Here's a list of the terms from A to Z that we've come across most frequently to help you understand all this tricky industry-speak.
A
Acetate: A transparent sheet that is placed on top of original pieces of artwork so that the designer can write special instructions.
Acid-free / Archival Paper: Paper that has little or no acid, making it more resistant to deterioration over time. Also called alkaline paper, archival paper, neutral pH paper, permanent paper, and thesis paper.
Alteration: Changes made by the artist after the piece has been given to the printer. This is referred to as AA, or author alteration.
Antique Paper: The roughest finish available for offset paper.
Aqueous Coating: A fast drying, water based protective coating that protects the print surface from smudges or dirt.
B
Basic Size: The standard size of sheets of paper used to calculate basic weight.
Basic Weight: The weight, in pounds of a ream (500 sheets) of paper cut to basic size. In the United States and Canada this is also called ream weight or substance weight.
Blank: A category of paperboard that ranges from 15 to 48 points in thickness.
Bromite: A photographic print on bromide paper.
C
Calendar: To make the surface of paper smooth by pressing it between two rollers during the manufacturing process.
Carbonless Paper: Paper coated with chemicals that enable the transfer of images from one sheet of paper to another with pressure
Color Correct: To adjust the relationship among the process colors to achieved the desired color results.
Color Sequence: The order in which inks are printed. Also called the laydown sequence and rotation.
Cure: To properly dry inks, varnishes or other coating to ensure a quality finish.
D
Deckle Edge: The edge of a paper that is left ragged as it comes out of the papermaking machine (instead of being cleanly cut). Also called a feather edge.
Die: The device used for cutting, scoring, stamping, embossing and debossing.
Digital Proofing: Page proofs produced digitally and transferred onto paper via ink-jet or laser.
Double Burn: To expose film or a plate two times so that it has two layers of ink.
Dull Finish: A flat finish on coated paper that is smoother than matte. Also called velour or velvet finish.
Duotone: Black-and-white photograph reproduced using two halftone negatives, each shot to emphasize different tonal values in the other one.
E
Emboss: To press an image into paper so that it lies above the surface. Also called tool or cameo.
F
Fast Color Inks: Inks with colors that retain their density and resist fading when a product is used and washed.
Flood: To print an entire sheet with ink or varnish. This is also called painting the sheet.
Four-Color Process Printing: A technique for printing that uses black, magenta, cyan and yellow to simulate full-color images. Also referred to as full color printing, process printing, and color process printing.
G
Gang: To run two or more printed products at the same time on one sheet of paper. Also called a combination run.
Giclee: A specific type of inkjet printing invented in the 1980s that is commonly used for large canvasses of fine art. It is typically more expensive than offset lithography, but the process allows artists to better control their inventory by printing specific pieces individually.
Gloss Ink: Ink used and printed on coated stock so that the ink will dry without penetrating into the paper.
GSM: The abbreviation for grams per square meter, a unit of measurement for paper weight.
H
Halo Effect: Faint shadow sometimes surrounding halftone dots printed. The halo itself is also called a fringe and the halo effect is also sometimes referred to as halation.
High-Fidelity Color: Color reproduced using six, eight, or 12 separations as opposed to the regular four-color process.
HLS: An abbreviation for hue, lightness and saturation. Also called HVS.
