Glossary

If there are printing or graphics terms with which you are not familiar, please refer to this list of the most commonly used terms. Feel free to email or call us if you have any questions or need additional information as you prepare a file or a quote request.

Bleeds
Printing that extends to the edge of a sheet or page after trimming. A file that includes bleeds should have at least the industry standard 1/8†image extending beyond the crop marks.

C1S and C2S
Abbreviations for coated one side and coated two sides stock.
Usually accompanied by caliper measurement
(i.e. 10 pt C1S would be 10 point coated one side stock).

CMYK
Abbreviation for cyan (also called process blue), magenta, yellow and black; these are the four colors used in process printing, both digital and offset.

Collate
To organize printed matter in specific order.

Comb Bind
Flexible plastic comb is inserted through rectangular holes punched along the edge of a stack of paper. Also called plastic bind, GBC bind or Ibico bind (brand names).

Crop Marks
Thin lines at the edges of an image which designate where a piece is to be trimmed for final size. Crop marks appear as solid lines, approximately 1/4" long; crop marks must lie at least 1/8" outside the trim area and must not intersect. Often called cut or tic marks.

Digital Printing
"Digital Printing" is a type of printing using the "CMYK" color spectrum. It varies from "Offset Printing" in that it does not use plates and ink, but rather digital information sent directly from a computer and output in toner rather then ink.

EPS
Encapsulated Post Script, a known file format used to transfer post script information from one program to another.

Flat Size
Size of product after printing and trimming, but before folding,
as compared to finished size.

Fold Marks
Thin dotted lines which lie at least 1/8" outside the trim area and designate where a piece is to be folded for its finished size.

Four Color Printing
Digital or offset printing, and digital laser printing (toner-based), using cyan, magenta, yellow and black process colors to reproduce full-color images. Also called color process printing,
full color printing and four color process printing.

Gripper Margin
On a sheetfed offset press, the edge of a sheet is held held by grippers. A gripper margin (no copy or image) must be allowed (typically 3/8") at the edges of a layout unless the piece is to be printed with bleeds.

Imposition
Arrangement of pages so they will appear in proper sequence after press sheets are folded and bound; also used to refer to arranging multiple pieces to share a print page (i.e. business cards 8 or 10 up, postcards 2 up or 4 up).

Landscape
When the orientation of a piece of paper or document runs horizontal,
it is said to be "Landscape."
(The longest side of the sheet will run across the top.)

Matte Finish
Coated printing paper with a flat (non-glossy) finish.

Offset Printing
This printing technique transfers ink from a plate to a blanket to the paper. Offset printing offers the most accuracy for Pantone colors since it uses the actual Pantone Matching System inks rather than toner.

Pages vs Sheets
In a document, "pages" refer to the number of digital pages, where as "sheets" define the amount of paper used to output/print the document. (i.e. A 24 page document, printed double sided, will be 12 sheets total)

Pantone Matching System (PMS)
Internationally used, this formula guide provides a method for selecting, specifying, communicating, reproducing, and matching Pantone colors (also called spot colors) in a non-process color (4 color) printed piece.

Perfect Bind
Binding cut sheets at the spine which are held to the cover by glue. When preparing file, margins should be allowed for grinding the paper at the spine and for top, bottom, and face trimming (recommended minimum 1/4" trim).

Perf Marks
Thin dotted lines which lie at least 1/8" outside the trim area and designate where a piece is to be perforated.

PDF
Abbreviation for portable document format.
SPI's most desired format for submitting a file for print.

Portrait
When the orientation of a piece of paper or document runs vertical, it is said to be "Portrait." (The shortest side of the sheet will run across the top.)

Prepress
Camera work, color separations, stripping, platemaking and other prepress functions performed by the printer, separator or a service bureau prior to printing. Also called preparation.

Print Ready
Print Ready refers to a client submitted file that is in a PDF format, correctly separates, has all essential markings (i.e. crops, registration, fold marks, bleeds) and has no need for additional pre-press prior to printing.

Process Color
Digital or offset printing, and digital laser printing (toner-based), using cyan, magenta, yellow and black process colors to reproduce full-color images. Also called color process printing,
full color printing and four color process printing.

Registration
Whenever two or more colors are required to touch or be in an exact location to each other when printed, they are required to "register" or be in alignment to one another.

Right Angle fold
When a document requires two or more folds that are at a 90 degree angle (perpendicular) to each other, the fold is called a right angle fold. (An 11x17 sheet might fold to 8.5x11 and then again to 8.5x5.5 or 8.5x3.625.)

RGB
Standing for Red, Green and Blue, RGB is the way a computer monitor displays color. Artwork is displayed electronically in RGB, but must be printed in CMYK or Spot Color. This is why the colors in your electronic proof may vary from your printed piece.

Saddle Stitch
Binding a folded booklet together with wires down the middle is called "Saddle Stitching." Also known as staple-stitched.

Score
To compress paper along a straight line so it folds more easily and accurately; cover stocks need to be scored for folding in order to provide a clean, non-buckling fold.

Screens
Anytime a percentage of a color is used, it is called a "Screen." This is not a separate color, merely a lightened version of the main color being printed.

Separations
During prepress, colors separations need to be made to ensure a document will print correctly. If a file is set up incorrectly and uses more than the intended colors, a document will not separate properly and will not print right.

Spiral Bind
To bind using a spiral of continuous wire or plastic looped through holes. Also called coil bind.

Spread
Two pages that face each other and are designed as one visual or production unit. Readers spread (visual) shows pages as reader would view them; printer’s spread (production) shows pages with correct imposition for printing and binding.

Spot Color
Using pre-defined specific ink color(s) in printing, this is the color spectrum used by the Pantone Matching System.

Thermography
Also known as "Raised Print," this is a printing process which adds a fine powder to the printing ink. When the ink and powder are heated, they raise to create a textured feel.

Toner / Ink
Toner is a powdered chemical that is used on a Digital Printer, where as Ink is a black or colored liquid used on an Offset Press. Ink can be used for both Spot and Process Color; Toner can only be used in Process Color methods.

UV Coating
Liquid applied to a printed sheet, then bonded and cured with ultraviolet light.

Watermark
A Watermark is imbedded into paper during the manufacturing process. When held up to light, a watermark appears as a lighter pattern in the paper. A fake watermark can be simulated in printing by using a light screen.