Art paper
Smooth paper appropriate for high quality work. Obtained by adding a coating of china clay compound to one or both sides.
Binding
Umbrella term encompassing all the methods for securing loose sections of a book.
Blanket cylinder
The cylinder which allows the transfer of the image to the paper from the inked litho plate.
Bleed
The extension of artwork beyond the final trim size to assist the cutting process.
Blind
The incapability of a printing plate to accept ink.
Blind embossing
A raised impression. Occurs by pressing the stock against a particular die.
Burst bound
A strong method of binding appropriate for both coated and uncoated stocks. The sections are gathered in order and one on top of the other. The folded sections spines are perforated to allow for gluing.
Case bound
A method of binding where a book is made into a hardback by applying stiff outer covers (cases). Cases can be covered with leather, vinyl or cloth.
Comb binding
A binding method where holes are punched in the binding edge of a booklet and a plastic strip with attached coils is inserted.
Corner or crop marks
Marks which indicate the cutting guidelines for the guillotine operator and the line up and back up areas for the printers.
Cropping
The elimination of parts of an image which are not to be printed.
Die
A hardened steel stamp used to produce embossing effects.
Die cut
To cut paper into the desired finished shape with a die.
Double page spread
Two pages facing each other which feature one continuous presentation.
Flyer
A printed circular used for promotional distribution.
Foil blocking
The use of a coloured foil with pressure from a heated die or block to stamp a design into the stock. There is no use of ink during this process.
Four colour process
The use of four colour separations – cyan, yellow, magenta and black (CYMK) during a print run.
Full colour
See four colour process.
GIF
Otherwise known as Graphics Interchange Format. These should not be used for files to be printed offset. They are a compressed file more suitable for internet images.
Grain
The direction which the paper fibres lay in. This direction corresponds to the direction that the paper travels in it’s production process and has an influence on some of the printing and finishing processes.
GSM
Otherwise known as Grams per Square Metre. This is the unit used for paper weight measurement.
Head to head
Term to explain that a job is to be imposed with the page heads (tops) facing each other.
Head to tail
Term to explain that the job is to be imposed with the head (top) of the page facing the tail (bottom) of the page opposite.
Imposition
The arrangement of individual pages on a sheet. The pages will fall into their correct order when printed both sides and folded.
Impression cylinder
The cylinder which brings the paper into contact with the blanket cylinder or printing plate.
JPEG
Otherwise known as Joint Photographers Expert Group. A format used for compressing and saving photographic images.
Laminate
A thin plastic transparent coating applied to a stock to give a glossy finish and/or provide protection.
Layout sheet
In imposition, a clear piece of film with ruled lines indicating the position and size of the pages. It also indicates where folding, trimming and other relevant finishing processes will occur.
Leaf
The front and back of a single sheet of paper in a book (ie. Two pages in a book).
Lithography
Ink and water have a natural aversion to each other. The lithographic printing process is based on this concept. The photographically prepared printing plate is treated chemically so that the image will accept ink and repel water and the background of the plate will accept water and repel ink.
Overprinting
Reprinting over an already printed area. May be printing darker colours to avoid misregistration or printing more information onto pre-printed stock.
Overs
Reference to the number of copies produced over the number ordered as additional paper is always required to allow for spoilage.
Page
One side of a leaf. One “page” of a book.
Pantone
The ink colour matching system used worldwide.
Perforations
Small scores to make areas on a form or page easily removable by tearing.
Perfect binding
A method of binding not to be used with coated stock. This method requires printed sections to be gathered and, the spines ground off and a cover glued on and is not considered as strong as burst binding.
Perfecting
A printing process allowing printing on both sides of a sheet in one pass.
PMS
Otherwise known as Pantone Matching System. International standardised system of matching, co-ordinating and mixing inks to produce specialised colours.
Press proof
A proof printed off the press used for the customer to view and indicate their approval that that the job can go to print (sign off).
Proof
A copy taken from type or film for checking purposes before final printing.
Progressive proofs
Colour proofs taken at each stage of the printing process. They show each colour printed individually and then superimposed on the former colour.
Proof sticker
A sticker attached to a proof used as a communication tool. The client uses it to mark their comments during the print process.
RGB
Otherwise known as Red, Green, Blue. This is the colour model used by computers and peripherals. Colour is created using mixtures of these three primary colours.
Ream
Collective term for 500 sheets of paper.
Register marks
Used to accurately align colours in printing. Usually circles or crosses.
Saddle stitching
A binding method where folded sections are gathered one inside the next and then stapled through the spine with wire.
Score
A mechanical furrowing process on a sheet which allows the stock to fold without cracking. Especially useful for heavier stocks.
Section
One printed sheet, folded into the multiple of pages it produces.
Section sewn
A binding style where the sections are stitched together with thread, rather than glued together or stapled.
Self cover
A cover of a publication printed on the same stock as its body.
Sheet
A single piece of paper.
Sheet fed
A printing press which accepts and prints on paper in a single sheet format, rather than from a reel.
Sheetwork
(Sheetwise or Fronts & Backs)?A method of printing a section. Half the pages of a section are printed on one side of a sheet and the other half the pages in the section are printed on the back of that sheet.
Side stitched
Folded sections of a book are stacked on top of one another and wire staples are stabbed through the spine area.
Spiral bound
A book bound together by inserting wires in spiral form through holes punched along its binding edge.
Tint
The effect of the screening of a solid area or adding white to a solid colour.
Transparency
Monochrome or full colour positive photographic image intended for viewing and reproduction by transmitted light.
Trapping
A printing process to prevent gaps along a printed object’s edges in a separated image by an intentional overlap. This can occur with movement in the press or slight misalignment.
UV overgloss
An appearance enhancing process where coating is applied to stock. Mostly used on covers or in spot form on photographs.
Varnishing
A process at the finishing stage in printing where a transparent “gloss” or “matt” finish is applied over the printed sheet.
Watermark
An impression, often used to show of a company logo or name, ingrained into the paper during it production.
Weight
The “thickness” of a paper stock.
Wire-bound
Continuous series of double wire loops threaded through slots which have been punched into the binding edge of a booklet.
Work and turn
A printing method where pages are imposed on one plate. One side of the sheet is printed, then the other side of the sheet is printed using the same plate. The sheet is then cut in half to produce two identical copies.
Work and tumble
A printing method where pages are imposed together. The sheet is then printed on one side with the sheet being tumbled from front to rear (rather than left to right) to print the opposite side.