O

Offset
The most commonly used printing method, whereby a cylinder called a blanket receives the ink from the plate and transfers the inked image onto the paper.

Offset Lithography
A printing method in which the inked image on the press-plate is transferred onto a rubber blanket and then in turn pressed on to the sheet of paper.

Opacity
Quality of paper that prevents printing from showing through

Over Run
Surplus of printed pieces

Overlay
A transparent sheet placed over artwork used to make instructions or corrections

P

Pantone Matching System (PMS)
A registered color-matching system used by printers and graphic designers

Perfect Binding
Binding method of cutting off and gluing together the back of a section and then attaching it to a cover with an adhesive

Perfecting Press
A printing press that prints on both sides of the page in a single run

Perforating
Punching small holes in a straight line on a sheet of paper to facilitate tearing

Pica
Standard of measurement of type; 12 points = 1/6 inch= 1 pica

Plastic Comb
A binding method of drilling holes on the side closest the spine, and inserting a plastic comb to grasp the pages together.

Proof
A representation used to check and correct layout and color reproduction of a final printed piece

R

Ream
500 sheets of paper

Resolution
The number of pixels of an image expressed in pixels per inch (ppi) or dots per inch (dpi). The higher the number of resolution, the better the image quality

RGB
Refers to Red Green and Blue - the additive primary colors used for color video display as in computer monitors

Rich Black
A black color produced when black ink is combined with percentages of the color inks Cyan, Magenta and Yellow which is darker and deeper than black ink alone.

Ruleup
A drawing that shows how a printing job must be imposed using a specific press and sheet size; also known as Press Layout

S

Saddle Stitching
Binding method stapling through the spine from the outside through the center

Scaling
The enlargement or reduction of an image

Score
To make cuts or creases in a printed material to facilitate folding or tearing.

Self Cover
Paper used is made out of the same paper stock as the inside pages

Side Stitching
Binding where the wire staples pass through the stock of pages and are clinched on the underside.

Signature
The printed sheet after folding

Specs
The precise description of a print job containing detailed features such as paper type, paper size, etc

Split Run  
Printing of a book or publication that will be bound in two different ways
 
Stock
Unprinted paper or any material to be printed on

T

Tagged Image File Format (.TIFF)  
A graphic file format that can handle up to 24 bits of photographic image used for storing images
 
Tint
A color mixed with white

Tree-free  
Pulp or paper made from renewable resources other than trees or made without having to cut down trees

Trim Size
The final size of a printed piece after trimming

Typesetting  
To arrange or layout words and text for printing

U

Uncoated
Paper with no coating on the surface

Under-run
Printing of fewer copies than the ordered quantity

Up
Printing of multiple copies on a the same sheet

UV Coating
A glossy liquid protective coating applied to a paper's surface and cured with ultraviolet light

V

Varnish
A clear liquid coating applied to a printed sheet to add gloss

Vignette
A design that fades to white

Vector Images
Images made up of lines and curves and can be scaled without affecting the image resolution

W

Wash up
Cleaning up of parts of a printing press to prepare it  for another ink application

Watermark
A translucent and distinctive design created during the papermaking process

Web
The roll of paper that is used in web printing

Web Press
A printing press that uses a web or large roll of continuous paper in printing instead of individual sheets

Wire O
Binding method using double wire loops through a hole

Wove finish
A smooth finely textured pattern