D

Die
Design or shapes cut into metal used for stamping or embossing an image or design

Die Cutting
A method of cutting shapes and designs into paper with the use of a metal dies

Digital Proof
A digital picture of the final print product created before actual printing submitted to the client for approval

Direct-to-Plate  
The printing process of transferring information from a digital file directly to the press plate, eliminating the use of film

Dot
The smallest individual element of a halftone

Dot Gain
The occurrence when dots are printing larger than they should

Dots per Inch (DPI)  
The number of dots or pixels that fit in an inch used to measure the resolution of a printed image

Dummy
A mock layout of copy and art elements that simulates the desired finished product

E

Emboss  
The use of dies or blocks to raise a design or image on a printed sheet without ink

Emulsion
Photosensitive substance used as coating for printing plates and film

Encapsulated Postscript File (.EPS)  
A graphic file format developed by Adobe that stores both vector and bitmap images


F

Finish
Refers to the quality of a paper's surface

Flood
To completely cover or print a page with ink or varnish

Flop
The reverse side of an image

Four color process printing
Method of printing based on the separation of images into the  4 primary colors of cyan, magenta, yellow and black which when combined reproduce a full color spectrum; also known as full color process

Four over Four (4/4)  
Print with full color on both sides of the paper

Four over One (4/1)  
Print with full color on the front side and one color (usually black) on the back side

Four over Zero (4/0)  
Print with full color on the front side and no printing on the back side

G

Ganging
Combining multiple and different printing projects on the same sheet of paper on a single run

Ghosting
A faint image or a lighter area on print

Gloss
Shiny coating applied on paper stock

Graphic Design  
The act of putting together visual elements to communicate a message

Grayscale  
An image made up of gray values ranging from white to black
 
Gripper
A series of metal fingers on an offset press that hold each sheet of paper as it passes through

H

Halftone
An image with a gradation of tones composed of dots in varying sizes equidistant to each other

Hard copy
A printout of a document, image or any data

Hickies
Imperfections on a pinted sheet created during presswork caused by dirt on press, etc.

Highlights
The lightest tones of a photo or an image

House Sheet
Paper that a printer keeps on hand or in stock in the shop

I

Image Area
The area of the printing plate that carries the ink and prints on paper

Imposition
Arrangement of pages so that they will be printed and folded in the correct order

Impression
The pressure of the plate when it contacts the paper

Indicia
Pre-printed marks on mailing envelopes used instead of stamp to indicate postage information

Ink Fountain
The device which stores and supplies ink to the press rollers

Ink Holdout
Ability of paper to resist ink absorption

K

Key line
Lines drawn on artwork to show the exact placement, shape and size of elements

L

Laid Finish
A paper with patterns of parallel lined creating a handmade effect

Layout
A representation of the final printed piece showing the placement of all the elements

Line Copy
Any copy that does not require halftone screens to be reproduced

Lithography
The process of printing that utilizes flat inked surfaces that are chemically treated to print images

M

Magenta
A shade of bluish-red also known as process red that reflects blue and red and absorbs green; One of the four primary colors used in the four-color printing process (CMYK)

Make Ready
Setting up of a press for printing

Matte Finish
A coated paper finish that gives paper a flat non glossy look

Midtones
The area between highlight and shadow of a halftone image.

Moire
An undesirable pattern in a printed image caused by incorrect angles of halftone screens

Mottle
Spotty and uneven ink absorption

N

Negative
Film containing an image with all colors the reverse of the original

Glossary (O-W) >