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  • Acetate: A transparent sheet.
  • Aqueous Coating: Coating in a water base and applied like ink by a printing press to protect and enhance the printing underneath.
  • Author’s Alterations: (AA) At the proofing stage, changes that you the client requests to be made concerning the original art provided, AA are considered an additional costs to you the client.
  • Bleed: An extra amount of the printed image that extends beyond the trim edge of the sheet or the page.
  • Coated paper: Paper having a surface coating that produces a smooth finish, from matt to glossy.
  • C M Y K: Abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black) the 4 base process colors.
  • Crop Marks: Lines near the edges of an image indicating portions to be reproduced. Also called cut marks and tic marks.
  • Cure: To dry inks, varnishes or other coatings after printing to ensure good adhesion and prevent setoff and smudging.
  • Die cutting: The process of using sharp steel blades formed in a special size/shape to cut paper.
  • DPI: Considered as "dots per square inch," a measure of output resolution in relationship to printers, image-setters and monitors.
  • DTP: Technique of using a computer to design images and pages, and assemble type and graphics, then using a laser printer or image-setter to output the assembled pages onto paper, film or printing plate. Desk Top Publishing.
  • Embossing: Impressing an image under pressure to achieve a raised surface, ether overprinting or on blank paper called blind embossing.
  • Finished Size: Size of product after production is completed, as compared to flat size. Also called trimmed size.
  • Flat Size: Size of product after printing and trimming, but before folding, as compared to finished size.
  • Grammage: Basis weight of paper in grams per square meter (gsm).
  • Graphic Design: Arrangement of type and visual elements along with specifications for paper, ink colours and printing processes that, when combined, convey a visual message.
  • Imposition: Arrangement of pages on mechanicals or flats so they will appear in proper sequence after press sheets are folded and bound.
  • Kiss Die Cut: To die cut the top layer, but not the backing layer, of self-adhesive paper making it easier to peel.
  • Laminate: A thin transparent plastic sheet (coating) applied to usually a thick stock (covers, post cards, menus, business cards etc.) providing protection against liquid and heavy use, and usually accents existing colour, providing a glossy or matt effect.
  • Lithography (Litho): Method of printing using plates whose image areas attract ink and whose non-image areas repel ink. Non-image areas may be coated with water to repel the oily ink or may have a surface, such as silicon, that repels ink.
  • Make-ready: All preparation work is done to set up a press for printing.
  • Offset Printing: Printing technique that transfers ink from a plate to a blanket to paper instead of directly from plate to paper.
  • Pagination: In the book arena, the numbering of pages.
  • Pixel: Short for picture element, a dot made by a computer, scanner or other digital device.
  • Pixilation: An informal term to describe an image which is not smooth and natural looking. It is usually caused by a low resolution and low DPI
  • Plate: Piece of paper, metal, plastic or rubber carrying an image to be reproduced using a printing press.
  • P M S (Pantone matching system): Also referred to as “spot colour” is a method of applying a pre-mixed colour of ink directly to the paper and is useful to when you require a few colours. (business cards, stationery & flyers). The correct trade name of the colours in the Pantone Matching System is Pantone colours, not PMS Colours.
  • Proof: Test sheet made to reveal errors or flaws, predict results on press and record how a printing job is intended to appear when finished. Supplied by either the designer, client or printer on request.
  • Process Colour: The colours used for four-color process printing: yellow, magenta, cyan and black.
  • Register: Fitting two or more printing images in exact alignment with each other.
  • Resolution: Sharpness of an image on film, paper, computer screen, disc, tape or other medium.
  • RGB: Abbreviation for Red Green Blue most commonly used by computer monitors and televisions.
  • Screen Printing: Method of printing by using a squeegee to force ink through an assembly of mesh fabric and a stencil. Usually used in printing of non-paper products – fabric, plastics
  • Trim or crop marks: In printing, marks placed on the copy to indicate the edge of the paper.
  • UV Coating: Liquid applied to a printed sheet, then bonded and cured with ultraviolet light.
  • Varnish: Liquid applied as a coating for protection and appearance.
  • Work-and-tumble: To print one side of a sheet of paper, then turn it over from the gripper edge to the back for the printing of the second side with guides remaining the same.
  • Work-and-turn: To print one side of a sheet of paper, then turn it over from left to right for the printing of the second side, the side guide changes but the gripper edge remains the same.