A type of paper folding in which each fold runs in the opposite direction to the previous fold creating a pleated or accordion effect.

Large white areas in a design layout.

The condition of type and or art materials as they level up on a horizontal or vertical line.

Water soluble plate coatings, which are less toxic and less polluting.

All illustrated material, ornamentation, photos and charts etc., that is prepared for reproduction.

An old style of typeface used in Germany in the 15th century, also referred to as Old English (US) and Gothic (UK).

Also referred to as black patch; a piece of masking material which is used in layout to mask an area leaving a window into which another element can be stripped.

Extra ink area that crosses trim line, used to allow for variations that occur when the reproduction is trimmed or die-cut.

Any type that has a heavier black stroke that makes it more conspicuous.

A grade of durable writing, printing and typing paper that has a standard size of 17x22 inches.

A term given to the fold whereby paper is folded with the short side running with the grain.

A pamphlet that is bound in booklet form.

A portion of the binding machinery with rollers that fold the paper.

A boldface square or dot used before a sentence to emphasize its importance.

The stiff covers of a hardbound book.

Paper coated with clay, white pigments and a binder. Better for printing because there is less picking.

Any paper that has a mineral coating applied after the paper is made, giving the paper a smoother finish.

To gather sheets or signatures together in their correct order. (see Gather)

This term refers to a color test strip, which is printed on the waste portion of a press sheet. It is a standardized (GATF-Graphic Arts Technical Foundation) process which allows a pressman to determine the quality of the printed material relative to ink density, registration, and dot gain. It also includes the Star Target, which is a similar system designed to detect inking problems.

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

A narrow, elongated type face.

The degree of tonal separation or gradation in the range from black to white.

Refers to any typewritten material, art, photos etc., to be used for the printing process.

A term describing a general type of papers used for the covers of books, pamphlets etc.

To eliminate a portion of the art or copy as indicated by crop marks.

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.

Marks of fine lines, which intersect to indicate accurate alignment of art elements.

Not lying flat and tending to form into cylindrical or wavy shapes. A term to describe the differences of either side of a sheet relative to coatings, absorbency etc.; the concave side is the curl side.

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).

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

An optical device used by printers and photographers to measure and control the density of color.

The lay of paper fibers relative to tightness or looseness which affects the bulk, the absorbency and the finish of the paper.

A term that describes that portion of lower case letters which extends below the main body of the letter, as in "p".

Design, letters or shapes, cut into metal (mostly brass) for stamping book covers or embossing. An engraved stamp used for impressing an image or design.

A method of using sharp steel ruled stamps or rollers to cut various shapes i.e. labels, boxes, image shapes, either post press or in line. The process of cutting paper in a shape or design by the use of a wooden die or block in which are positioned steel rules in the shape of the desired pattern.

Color separation data is digitally stored and then exposed to color photographic paper creating a picture of the final product before it is actually printed.

Any type that stands out from the rest of the type on a page which attracts attention of the reader.

A shadow image placed strategically behind an image to create the affect of the image lifting off the page.

Any matte finished paper.

Color reproduction from monochrome original. Keyplate usually printed in dark color for detail, second plate printed in light flat tints. A two-color halftone reproduction generated from a one-color photo.

The form used by the printer to calculate the project for the print buyer. This form contains the basic parameters of the project including size, quantity, colors, bleeds, photos etc.

Paper folding that emulates an accordion or fan, the folds being alternating and parallel.

A fault in printing where the ink fills in the fine line or halftone dot areas.

Dull - (low gloss) also matte or matte gloss.

Papers that have a surface resembling metal.

Markings at top edges that show where folds should occur.

Machine used to fold signatures down into sections.

The bundling of two or more different printing projects on the same sheet of paper.

Marring a print by the placement of an image of work printed on the reverse side which has interfered with its drying so that differences in the trapping frame colors or glass variations are apparent.

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.

A series of metal fingers that hold each sheet of paper as it passes through the various stages of the printing process.

The grippers of the printing press move the paper through the press by holding onto the leading edge of the sheet; this edge is the gripper edge.

Space between pages in the printing frame of a book, or inside margin towards the back or binding edge. The blank space or margin between the type page and the binding of a book.

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

Arrangement of pages so that they print correctly on a press sheet, and the pages are in proper order when the sheets are folded.

Product resulting from one cycle of printing machine. The pressure of the image carrier, whether it be the type, plate or blanket, when it contacts the paper.

Markings pre-printed on mailing envelopes to replace the stamp.

Extra printed pages inserted loosely into printed pieces.

Text that is used to denote emphasis by slanting the type body forward.

To vibrate a stack of finished pages so that they are tightly aligned for final trimming.

Vibrating, sloping platform that evens up the edges of stacks of paper.

The narrowing of space between two letters so that they become closer and take up less space on the page.

A rendition that shows the placement of all the elements, roughs, thumbnails etc., of the final printed piece before it goes to print.

The addition of space between typeset letters.

Paper that has had a coating applied to either one or two of its sides during the papermaking process.

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

Imprinted space around edge of page.

To write up instructions, as on a dummy.

A coated paper finish that goes through minimal calendaring. Reference, calendaring.

A term to describe papers that have a color similar to that of wood; also called cream, off-white or ivory.

The most commonly used printing method, whereby the printed material does not receive the ink directly from the printing plate but from an intermediary cylinder called a blanket which receives the ink from the plate and transfers it to the paper.

A term for uncoated book paper.

A light bond paper used for typing and used with carbon paper because of its thinness.

Quality of papers that defines its opaqueness or ability to prevent two-sided printing from showing through.

A quality of paper that allows relatively little light to pass through.

Surplus of copies printed.

A transparent sheet placed over artwork, in register with the work it covers; this is used to call out other color components of the work, instructions or corrections.

Any printing that is done on an area that has already been printed.

One side of a leaf.

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

Binding process where backs of sections are cut off, roughened and glued together, and rung in a cover.

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

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

Making a printing plate from a film or flat including preparation of the plate surface, sensitizing, exposing through the flat, developing or processing, and finishing.

A measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch. 12 points to a pica, 72 points to an inch.

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

The quality of papers to show reproduced printed images.

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

Impression from composed type or blocks, taken for checking and correction, from a lithographic plate to check accuracy of layout, type matter, tone and color reproduction.

500 sheets of paper.

A term that denotes folds that are 90 degrees to each other.

Stitching where the wire staples pass through the spine from the outside and are clinched in the center. Only used with folded sections, either single sections or two or more sections inset to form a single section.

A smooth delicately embossed finished paper with sheen.

The enlargement or reduction of an image or copy to fit a specific area.

Impressions or cuts in flat material to facilitate bending or tearing.

The placement of halftone screens to avoid unwanted moire patterns. Frequently used angles are black 45deg, magenta 75deg, yellow 90deg, and cyan 105deg.

Back edge of a book.

A binding whereby a wire or plastic is spiraled through holes punched along the binding side.

Small area printed in a second color.

A film image that is larger than the original image to accommodate ink trapping. Reference, trapping

A process of generating multiple exposures by taking an image and stepping it according to a predetermined layout.

A term for unprinted paper or other material to be printed.

Any petroleum based waterproof papers with a high tensile strength.

A high quality printing paper.

A printing process whereby slow drying ink is applied to paper and while the ink is still wet, it is lightly dusted with a resinous powder. The paper then passes through a heat chamber where the powder melts and fuses with the ink to produce a raised surface.

The rough surfaced finish of papers such as vellum or antique.

Inks that do not block out the colored inks that they print over, but instead blend with them to create intermediate colors.

Marks placed on the sheet to indicate where to cut the page.

A term used to describe how many similar sheets can be produced on a larger sheet; two up, four up, etc.

A clear shiny ink used to add gloss to printed pieces. The primary component of the ink vehicle. Reference, vehicle.

A finish of paper that is rough, bulky and has a degree of tooth.

A translucent logo that is embossed during the papermaking process while the paper slurry is on the dandy roll. Reference, dandy roll

Another name for bond paper.