Aqueous Coating

Water based coating available in gloss, dull, satin, and pencil receptive.

Author's Alterations (AA's)/Customer Alterations

Changes made after composition stage where customer is responsible for additional charges.

Binding

Various methods of securing folded sections together and/or fastening them to a cover, to form single copies of book.

Blanket

A fabric-reinforced sheet of rubber to transfer the impression from the plate onto the paper.

Bleed

Extra ink area that crosses trim line, used to allow for variations that occur when the reproduction is trimmed or die-cut. Printing that extends off the edge of a sheet of page after trimming.

Blind embossing

Embossed forms that are not inked, or gold leafed.

Blind folio

Page number not printed on page.

Coated (Paper)

Paper that has a surface coating with clay and other substances that produces a smooth printing surface and improves reflectivity and ink holdout.

Collate

(see Gather)

Collating marks

Black step-marks printed on the back of folded sheets, to facilitate collating and checking of the sequence of book signatures.

Column gutter

Space between two or more columns of type on one page.

Composition

The assembly of characters into words, lines and paragraphs of text or body matter for reproduction by printing.

Continuous tone

Image made of non-discernable picture elements which give appearance of continuous spectrum of gray values or tones.

Cracking

Delamination.

Creep

The middle pages of a folded signature extending slightly beyond outside pages, due to the offset created b the combined thickness of multiple folded signatures.

Crop mark

Markings at edges of original or on guide sheet to indicate the area desired in reproduction with negative or plate trimmed (cropped) at the markings.

Cross-over

Elements that cross page boundaries and land on two consecutive pages (usually rules).

Curl

Not lying flat and tending to form into cylindrical or wavy shapes.

Cutter

Machine for accurately cutting stacks of paper to desired dimensions...can also be used to crease. Also trims out final bound books top size (soft cover).

Cutting Die

Sharp edged device usually made of steel rule, to cut paper, cardboard, etc., on a printing press.

Die

Design, letters or putter cut into metal (mostly brass) for stamping book covers or embossing.

Die cutting

Cutting irregular shapes in paper.

Dot gain

Darkening of halftone image due to ink absorption in paper causing halftone dots to enlarge.

Dog ear

Occurs when you fold into a fold (such as a letter fold) at the side of one of the creases and you get an indentation. It may look like a small inverted triangle.

Drop folio

Page number printed at foot of page.

Dry Offset

Process in which a metal plate is etched to a depth of 0.15 mm (0.006 in), making a right-reading relief plate, printed on the offset blanket and then to the paper without the use of water.

Dummy

A reproduction of the original printed matter, possibly containing instructions or direction.

Duotone

Color reproduction from monochrome original. Keyplate usually printed in dark color for detail, second plate printed in light flat tints. Photograph reproduced from two halftones and usually printing in two ink colors.

Electronic Composition

The assembly of characters into words, lines and paragraphs of text or body matter with graphic elements in page layout form in digital format for reproduction by printing.

Embossing

To raise in relief a design or letters already printed on card or tough paper by an uninked block or die, in rubber and plastic plate making usually by heat.

Estimator

One who computes or approximates evaluation of cost of work to be done on which quotation may be based.

Finish size

Size of printed product after trimming, folding, etc. is complete.

Finish (Paper)

Dull - (low gloss) matte, gloss.

Flat

The assembly of photographic negatives or positives or vinyl acetate for exposure in vacuum frame in contact with sensitized metal press plate.

Fogging Back

Lowering density of an image in a specific area usually to make type more legible while still letting image show through.

Fold marks

Markings at top edges that show where folds should occur.

Folder

Machine used to fold signatures down into sections.

Folio (page number)

Number of page at top or bottom - either centered, flushed left or flushed right often with running headline.

Forwarding

The process between folding sheets and casing in, such as rounding and backing, putting on headbands, reinforcing backs, etc.

French fold(er)

Folder with printing on one side so that when folded once in each direction, the printing remains on the outside.

Four color process

Printing that uses four process colors of ink (yellow, cyan, magenta, black) for color photographs and illustrations.

Gang

Different jobs arranged and positioned to be printed together.

Gather

To assemble or collect sections into single copies of complete books for binding.

Ghosting

Image which appears as a lighter area on a subsequent print due to local blanket depressions from previous image areas on a letterpress rotary machine as well as on an offset press.

Gilding

Adhering gold leaf to edges of books with a liquid agent, and using burnishing tools for permanent placement.

Graduated screen

An area of image where halftone dots range continuously from one density to another.

Grain

Direction of fibers in a sheet of paper governing paper properties such as increased size changes with relative humidity, across the grain, and better folding properties along the grain.

Gutter

Space between pages in the printing frame of a book, or inside margin towards the back or binding edge.

Halftone

Tone graduated image composed of varying sized dots or lines, with equidistant centers.

Hickies

Imperfections in presswork due to dirt on press, trapping errors, etc.

Highlight dot

The highest density of a halftone image.

IBC

Inside back cover.

IFC

Inside front cover.

Image setter

High resolution, large format device for producing film from electronically generated page layouts.

Imposition

Arrangement of pages so that they print correctly on a press sheet, and to assure the pages are in proper order for folding.

Impression

Product resulting from one cycle of printing machine.

Inserts

Extra printed pages inserted loosely into printed pieces.

Interleaves

Extra blank pages inserted loosely into book after printing.

Jogger

Vibrating sloping platform that levels the edges of paper stacks.

Knockout

Eliminating part of an image so that another image can be printed in front of it.

Lay edge

Edge of a sheet of paper being fed into a printing press.

Leaf

One of a number of folds (each containing two pages) which compose a book or manuscript.

Make ready

Process of adjusting final plate on the press to fine tune or modify plate surface.

Margin

Imprinted space around edge of page.

Mark-up

To write up instructions as on a dummy.

Midtone dot

Commonly taken as the area between highlight and shadow area of subject's face in halftone image.

Mock up

A reproduction of the original printed matter, possibly containing instructions or direction.

Mull

A specific type of glue used for book-binding and personal pads that require exceptional strength.

OA of Register

When two sheet passes on a press are misaligned.

OBC

Outside back cover.

OFC

Outside front cover.

Offset

The transfer of ink from one material to another.

Offset Lithography

Indirect printing method in which the inked image on the press-plate is first printed onto a rubber blanket, then in turn offsets the inked impression onto the sheet of paper.

Over run

Surplus of copies printed.

Page Proofs

A composite proof of type, photos and graphics, as they will look on the finished page.

Page

One side of a printed sheet or leaf.

Peeling

Delamination.

Perf marks

Markings usually dotted lines at edges showing where perforations should occur.

Perfect binding

To bind sheets that have been ground at the spine and are held to the cover with glue.

Perfecting

Printing both sides of the paper (or other material) at the same pass through the printing machine.

Perforating

Punching small holes or slits in a sheet of paper or cardboard to facilitate tearing along a desired line.

Pica

Standard of measurement, 1/6 inch. 1 pica=12 points. 72 points=1 inch.

Plate

Reproduction of type or cuts in metal, plastic, rubber, or other material, to form a plate bearing a relief, planographic or intaglio printing surface.

Platemaking

Making a printing plate from a film or flat, includes preparation of the plate surface, sensitizing, exposure through the flat, development or processing and finishing.

Press-Proof

Actual press sheet to show image, tone values and colors, as well as imposition of frame or press-plate.

Printers Spreads

Two consecutive pages as they appear on a flat or signature.

Process Inks

Printing inks, usually in sets of four colors. The most frequent combination is yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, which is printed over one another in that order to obtain a colored print with the desired hues, whites, blacks, and grays.

Proofreading Marks

A standard set of marks to indicate changes to a document.

Proofing

Impression

Readers Spreads

Two consecutive pages as they appear in printed piece.

Saddle stitching

Binding by stapling sheets together where they fold at the spine, as compared to a side stitch.

Score

To compress or indent a linear mark with a string or rule in the paper to make folding easier.

Shadow dot

The lowest density of a halftone image.

Side stitching

Stitching where the wire staples pass through the pile of sections or leaves gathered upon each other and are clinched on the underside.

Signature

A printed sheet that is fold at least once, possibly many times to become part of a book, negative or other publication.

Spine

Back edge of a book.

Spot color

Small area printed in a second color.

Varnish

A clear shiny ink used to add gloss to printed pieces.

Vignette

Fade to white or small decorative design or illustration.

Wire stitching or stapling

To fasten together sheets, signatures, or sections with wire staples. 3 methods: saddle stitching, side stitching, and stabbing.