As you are probably aware, buying print can be a complicated business.
There are many aspects to consider and a lot of obscure sounding jargon. In this section of the website, we have listed a few topics which will help make your print buying easier:
This section details the A to Z of print jargon.
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
Please note that paper types and proofs are not detailed here.
A sizes:
Most common paper size used for general printing, stationery and publications.
artwork:
Finished layout of typesetting, drawings and photographs, made up in a form which is ready for the printer to print from.
a/w:
Abbreviation for artwork
author’s corrections:
Customers corrections/changes made at the proofing stage.
B sizes:
Less common paper sizes which are used mainly for bigger jobs. eg Posters, wall charts etc
back up
To print on the reverse side of a printed sheet.
bitmap
A grid of pixels or printed dots generated by computer to represent type and images. ‘Bitmapping’ is a term often used to describe the effect where edges of a picture take on a blocky/jagged shape due to errors in image processing
bleed
Printing where the colour continues right up to the edge of the paper.
What happens when you have a cut!
blanket
In offset litho printing, a rubber surfaced fabric that is clamped around a cylinder on a litho press, to which the image is transferred from the plate and from which it is transferred to the paper.
Something to keep you nice and warm at night!
blind emboss
Process of raising letters or designs on card or tough paper onto which no printed image has been added.
blocking
To impress or stamp a design upon a cover. The design can be blocked in colour inks, gold leaf or metal foil.
board
While there is no internationally agreed rule, paper exceeding 170gsm is usually referred to as board.
bulk
Thickness of paper
C sizes
paper sizes used for envelopes, designed to take A size paper.
case bound
A hardback book made with a stiff outer covers. Case bound books are usually covered with cloth, vinyl or leather.
camera ready artwork
Finished artwork that is ready, without further preparation, to be artwork photographed.
CMYK
Letters which stand for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (K).
K is used for black to eliminate confusion with blue. Full colour printed images are made up of these component colours.
coater
Part of a litho printing press which applies coatings to printed literature.
coating
A special water based coating which is applied to printed matter to protect literature from ink smudging or finger marking or to enhance appearance. The main types are sealer, gloss, matt and silk. Coatings are commonly used on matt or silk coated paper as these types are more prone to smudging than gloss coated paper. The main difference between a varnish and a coating is that coatings are faster drying and therefore jobs can be turned around quicker. They tend to be more scuff resistant than varnishes and there is also less risk of yellowing paper. However, oil based varnishes are better if specific areas of a document need to be coated. (spot varnish)
collating
Arranging of printed sheets into the desired sequence.
colour mark up
Specifications on a piece of artwork to a printer, showing the required up colours for the item to be printed.
colour separation
Process by which an image is separated into the four colours for print production.
computer to plate
The process of producing printer’s plates directly from the computer (CTP) with no films involved
creep
When the middle pages of a folded section extend slightly beyond the outside pages.
A bloke who gets on your nerves!
crop marks
Printed lines on the edge of paper indicating where the paper should be cut to produce the correct page size.
deboss
Image pressed into paper so it lies below the surface.
die – cut
A shaped cut out leaflet or brochure.
digital printing
Printing straight from electronic artwork (no plates used as with litho print). Typically printed out of four colour process. It's ideal for short runs up to about the 1,000 mark
digital proofing
Proofing direct from digital files instead of using film.
desktop publishing
The creation of artwork and print from your computer using a PC or publishing MAC.
DL envelope
A standard envelope size measuring 110mm x 220mm. They take A4 sheets, folded into three.
DPI
Dots per inch which indicate the resolution of images. The more dots per inch, the higher the resolution and the better quality the image.
duplex
Printing on both sides of a sheet of paper. Term applies to digital printing presses.
duotone
An image printed in two colours rather than one.
drilling
Drilling of holes in literature which will allow insertion over rings in a binder
dummy
A sample of a proposed job made up with the actual materials and cut to size to show bulk etc
Also found in shop windows and an idiotic person!
encapsulation
Where the printed matter is sealed in a plastic coating providing a rigid, watertight covering.
environmentally friendly
We minimise harm to the environment by recycling plates, chemicals and paper. Inks are vegetable/mineral based and paper used in our processes is from sustained forests and chlorine free. We are working toward Green Dragon, FSC and ISO 14001 Accreditation
embossing
The process of raising letters or designs on card or tough paper already printed.
endorse
Final fold after a job has been stitched.
EPS
Encapsulated Postscript File. This is a file format which can be read across different programs on MAC or PC computers.
finishing
All operations after printing.
flightchecking
This is specific software (Marksware Flightcheck) which test files to make sure fonts, images, colours and page size are correct.
It is nothing to do with holiday arrangements!
flush
Even with (often used in reference to margins).
Someone with a lot of money!
folio
Page numbers.
font
A set of letters, numbers and symbols that share a unified design.
The design is called a typeface.
four colour process
Full colour printing using four constituent colours:
Cyan, Yellow, Magenta and Black.
four-up, three - up, two - up
No of similar items printed on one sheet of paper.
four back nothing
Printed four colours on one side only
(4/0)
four back one
Printed four colours on one side and one colour on the reverse.
(4/1)
four back two
Printed four colours on one side and two colours on the reverse.
(4/2)
four back four
Printed 4 colours on both sides
(4/4)
free expert advice
Having information overload? Members of the Harcourt sales team are happy to provide support and advice on any technical issues. Give us a ring on 01792 588 292
gsm
Grammes per square metre. Standard measure of paper weight.
gloss coating
A coating applied to printed matter which is quick drying and protects literature from ink smudging and finger marking and gives a gloss finish. Please refer to coating to see the difference between varnishes and coatings.
grain of the paper
Machine made paper is made up of many fibres, which in general, tend to line up in one direction due to the nature of the process. This produces a preferred direction or grain along which it is easier to fold, bend or tear paper.
gloss varnish
A varnish applied to printed matter to protect against smudging and finger marking and gives a gloss finish. Please refer to coating to see the difference between varnishes and coatings.
gripper
A device on a printing machine for holding the sheet during the printing or finishing process.
gripper allowance
The margin of paper along the gripper edge of the sheet which is held by the gripper and cannot be printed on.
gutter
The inside margins or blank space between 2 facing pages is the gutter. The gutter space is that extra space allowance use to accommodate the binding in books and magazines.
A place to avoid on a drunken night out!
harcourt litho
As Tina Turner sang "Simply the Best"
hickey
Spots or imperfections in printed items due to dirt on press, dried ink, paper particles etc
house sheet
Paper bought in bulk by a printer for general use.
heidelberg
These are the guys when it comes to manufacturing printing presses. Known in the industry to be the best - Harcourt Litho only use Heidelberg kit - click here to see what we've got.
image
The inked areas on a printing plate.
Something celebrities are obsessed with.
imposition
Plans for the arrangement of the pages of a job so that they will follow in the correct sequence when folded.
insert
Leaflet or other printed material inserted loose in a publication or mailing package.
international paper sizes
The standard range of metric paper sizes as per the definition of the paper International Standards Organisation (ISO) and British Standards Institute.
I-R Drying
The use of infra-red radiation to quickly dry a water based emulsion coating on a sheet of paper.
ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Networking. A method of sending artwork. It is a telephone network service which carries data and voice transmissions by digital means. Harcourt Litho no longer uses this facility but Artwork can be uploaded on www.mailbigfile.co.uk/harcourt
JDF
Job Definition Format. This is a type of computer language which automates workflows from desk top to final print production. It is the latest buzz word in printing.
JPEG
Joint Photographic Experts Group. A type of file format for image files.
kiss - cut
A shaped cut out from two layered stock - mostly used for peel off stickers.
What your mother does when you graze your knee!
laminating
A thin plastic film used on the covers of printed literature to give protection. This can be gloss or matt.
lithographic (litho) printing
See offset litho.
make-ready
The work associated with the set-up of printing equipment before running a job.
matt coating
A coating applied to printed matter which is quick drying and protects literature from ink smudging and finger marking and gives a matt finish. Please refer to coating to see the key differences between varnishes and coatings.
matt varnish
A varnish applied to printed literature to protect against smudging and finger marking and gives a matt finish. Please refer to coating to see the key differences between varnishes and coatings.
machine fold
The process of mechanically folding printed paper.
machine varnish
A general varnish applied to printed literature to protect or seal against smudging or finger marking.
micrometer
Instrument for measuring thickness of paper.
Back to the top
origination
All the items needed to put together and print the job.eg Artwork, photography, typesetting etc
offset litho(graphy)
A printing process by which the inked image to be printed is transferred (offset) first to a rubber layer before coming into contact with the paper which takes up the inked areas. Harcourt Litho specialises in this type of printing - give us a call and find out how we can help you on 01792 588 292
on demand
Printing literature when it is needed instead of having it stored on the shelf. Digital printing facilitates the ‘on demand’ concept.
overs
The extra printed products delivered to a customer over and above the net amount ordered.
Nothing to do with cricket on this occasion.
pantone reference
International system of designating colours for printing reference
PMS
Pantone Matching System. See Pantone Reference definition.
PDF
Portable Document Format. A PDF is a special file type that combines, images, drawings, layouts and text into one file for easy delivery to or from the printer. This file is created in software called Adobe Distiller and opened in Acrobat Reader. PDF’s provide a very useful tool for proofing purposes as what you see is what you get.
perfect binding
Pages of a book which are glued together to give a square spine.
perfecting
A printing press which prints on both sides of a sheet of paper in one operation.
perforation
Running a dotted score into paper to allow the paper to be pulled apart.
pre-flight
A general term for software which tests files to make sure that fonts, image, colours and page size are correct.
personalisation
Where data elements are unique to an individual print piece. Concept facilitated by digital printing.
printing plate
A metal plate which has the inked images involved in the offset plate lithography printing process. It is important to realise that each colour in a printing job requires a separate plate. In order to keep costs down, it is advisable not to have too many special colours.
process colours
The colours which make up full colour printing. Cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
proof
A printed sample of work to be checked for errors in text, positioning or quality of colour reproduction.
PUR Binding
Polyurethane reactive extremely strong method of spine glue binding.
ream
500 sheets of paper
register
Accurate positioning of images on a sheet relative to one another.
resolution
Refers to the degree of detail of an image. It is usually measured in dots per inch (dpi) or lines per inch (lpi). A high resolution gives a high quality image and vice versa.
Also made at New Year and broken about half way through January!
reversed out
Type appearing white on a black or colour background which is either a solid or a tint.
RGB
3 colour split (Red, Green, Blue)
RIP
Raster Image Processor. A processor which converts files into a format ready for printing.
Kindly term to someone who has popped their clogs!
saddle-stitch
When the pages of a printed document eg leaflet, are bound together using metal staples.
scanner
The equipment which converts colour transparencies or hard copy colour artwork into images on a Mac or PC.
scans
The name given to colour transparencies or colour artwork which have been converted to images on an MAC or PC.
sealer
This is an alternative name for a coater.
sealer coating
A coating applied to printed matter which is quick drying and protects literature from ink smudging and finger marking and gives a neutral finish. Please refer to coating to see the difference between varnishes and coatings.
sealer varnish
A varnish applied to printed matter to protect against finger marking and gives a neutral finish. Please refer to coating to see the difference between varnishes and coatings.
self- cover
The paper used inside a booklet is the same as that used for the cover.
set off
During the printing process, this is the unintentional transfer of wet ink to another sheet.
What you do at the start of a journey!
sheet fed press
Printing presses which are fed by separate sheets of paper. As opposed to paper on a roll. They are suitable for all types of commercial printing, particularly high quality work.
show through
The degree to which printing is visible through paper.
shrink wrapping
Method of packing printed products etc, by surrounding them by plastic, then shrinking by heat.
silk coating
A coating applied to printed matter which is quick drying and protects literature from ink smudging and finger marking and gives a silk finish. Please refer to coating to see the difference between varnishes and coatings.
silk varnish
A varnish applied to printed literature to protect against finger marking and smudging and gives a silk finish. Please refer to coating to see the difference between varnishes and coatings.
simplex
Printing on one side of a sheet of paper. Term usually applied to digital printing presses.
solid colour
An even colour which is not shaded. Areas on a page with solid colours are known as solids.
special colour
A colour which cannot be made up of the four component colours – CMYK. They are listed in a pantone colour swatch book. For example, if a corporate logo contains a special blue & is included in a brochure with photographs and text; this is termed a five colour job. (CMYK (pictures+text) + special blue = 5 colours)
spread
Two or more adjoining pages that would appear in view on a sheet.
What you do with jam and butter!
spot colour
Same as special colour.
stock
Paper or card to be printed on
tint
Percentage shade of a colour
TIFF
Tagged Image File Format. A type of file which stores an image.
Small arguments couples have!
text
Pages in a book excluding covers.
trapping
When preparing digital artwork – it is the process of overlapping adjacent colours to eliminate the white lines that could appear between them during the print process.
tudor
One of our infamous van drivers, known throughout the print industry. (not always for the right reasons)
typesetting
The assembly of text and pictures on a MAC or PC by keyboard or other digital means.
typo
Short for ‘typographical error’ – a mistake in the copy.
UV
A special varnish which has undergone an accelerated varnish drying process using ultra violet is applied to printed matter to enhance its appearance. A gloss UV Varnish is commonly used and this gives a very shiny effect.
varnishes
Special varnishes applied to printed matter to protect literature from ink smudging or finger marking or to enhance appearance. There are five main types – machine, gloss, matt and silk and UV. Varnishes are commonly used on matt or silk coated paper as these types are more prone to smudging than gloss coated paper. Varnish applied to a specific area of a document is known as Spot varnish and when it is applied to the whole document it is termed as an Overall varnish (or less commonly as a Flood varnish).
versioning
This is the technique used in digital printing systems to create a number of different versions of a basic document, such as different language versions or tailored information for different readers.
visual
A preliminary layout, indicating the general design, and the position of the various elements.
web fed press
Presses which are fed by paper from a reel as distinct from separate sheets. They are normally used for low quality high run work.
