An electronic image made up of pixels that are either on or off, white or black, with no variations of gray.
4 Color Separations:
Dividing the colors of a multicolored original into four-color process colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, black).
8 Bit Graphics:
An electronic image made up of pixels that in turn are made up of 16 x 16 grids or halftone cells. Each square within this grid can be either black or white and dependent upon how these two colors are used, this creates an illusion of gray for that pixel. Each 16 x 16 grid is capable of creating 256 different levels of gray when defining the image.
AA (author alteration):
Corrections made at proofing that are not caused by printer error.
Accordion fold:
A binding term for two or more parallel folds that open like an accordion. Brochures and maps often use accordion folds.
Aliasing:
The pixilated or stair-step appearance of slanted or curved lines on low-resolution, computer generated images. Also called jaggies. Ragged edges on computer-generated elements are less visible when output on a high-resolution output device.
ASCII:
A file encoded in the industry-standard representation for text, ASCII (acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange; pronounced "ask-e"). An ASCII file contains only plain text and basic text formatting. The ASCII character set of a microcomputer usually includes 256 characters or control codes. For example, the letter "A" is stored as ASCII 65, "B" as 66, "a" as 97, "b" as 98, etc. Some ASCII "characters" do not display as characters on the screen, but instead control the display in other ways. ASCII 8 is the backspace, 10 is the line feed, 13 is the carriage return, and 27 is escape. Other ASCII characters, consisting of letters from non-English alphabets and graphic symbols, fall in the range from ASCII 128 to 255. These "upper ASCII" characters will not always display or print in consistent ways. The most consistent ASCII characters are those that can be seen on the keyboard; they fall in the range from ASCII 32 to 127 and are called "plain ASCII." Any computer can read plain ASCII.
ATM (Adobe Type Manager):
A software that performs the process of scaling type 1 fonts to the requested size.
Banding:
In electronic pre-press, a visible stair-stepping of shades in a gradient or blend.
Barcode:
A series of varied length vertical bars used to determine zip code.
Baseline:
In composition, the line on which the bottoms of letters rest, exclusive of descenders that fall below the baseline.
Binary:
The base-two numbering system which uses only the digits 0 and 1. It is the format for processing data in computers.
Bind-in:
Includes any insert that is bound into a publication.
Binding:
Binding begins after a printer has laid the ink on the paper. It includes cutting, folding, trimming, gathering (collating), stitching, pasting, insetting, casing-in, etc.
Binding ear:
A narrow (usually 3" to 4") two-page extension of a saddle stitch insert necessary for the actual stitching process. It allows the insert to straddle the gathering mechanism for stitching.
Binding lap:
An extension (usually 1/4" to 1/2") on a 4-page addle stitched insert that allows it to be mechanically opened during binding. There are two kinds of laps, see high folio lap and low folio lap.
Binding stub:
Portion of an insert card (usually 1/4" or 1/2") that fastens into a perfect bound publication. It is the distance from the spine to a vertical perforation on the bind-in.
Bit:
Abbreviation for binary digit. The smallest unit of information in a binary system, a bit is the fundamental unit of information used in computers. A bit element is a 1 signaling on or a 0 signaling off in a data string. Most computers work with 8-bit strings called bytes.
Bitmap:
A computerized image made up of dots and pixels. While satisfactory for pixel-based screen displays, bitmap images give a jagged appearance on paper or film. For high-quality print output, bitmap images must be translated to raster images.
Bitstream fonts:
A collection of fonts manufactured by Bitstream.
Black plate change:
Changes made to the black plate only and thus do not affect the color.
Blanket:
A fabric-reinforced sheet of rubber used on offset presses to transfer the impression from the plate onto the paper.
Bleed:
Printed colors that run to the edge of a the paper. To accommodate the bleed, the printer must make the bleed image area larger than the final trim size. The page is trimmed through the bleed area. (Bleeds cost more because they require more paper.)
Blind folio:
Page numbers not printed on the page.
Blow-in:
Any loose insert that is not physically bound into the publication.
BRM (Business Reply Mail):
Postage paid reply cards.
Byte:
The number of bits used to represent a character.
C1S (coated one side):
Paper with a coating of clay or other substances that improves reflectivity and ink holdout on ONE SIDE ONLY.
C2S (coated on two sides):
Paper coated on BOTH SIDES.
Calibration:
Adjusting a monitor to more accurately display colors or an imagesetter to more accurately output halftone screens.
Card stock:
Also called cover stock. A stiff paper often used for postcards, catalog covers, and other items that require rigidity. Card stock is described by point sizes that give the thickness of the sheet in thousandths of inches.
CD ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory):
A kind of optical storage device used by computers to store vast amounts of data.
Chokes:
Used to provide a printing overlap between a color or tinted background in order to outline letters. The image remains the same except for a narrow reduction around its perimeter.
CMYK:
A method of representing color based on the standard printing ink colors of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.
Coated paper:
Paper coated with clay, white pigments, and a binder.
Code:
A specific series of numbers and/or letters used on jobs to track printed items.
Color bars:
The color strip on plates that is used as a guide for the printer in determining the amount and density of ink needed.
Color break:
In artwork and composition, a color break designates parts to be printed in different colors.
Color cast:
An unwanted dominant color present in the original image or in its reproduction. Color cast usually results from lighting variance during photography or improper processing or proofing conditions.
Color correction:
In electronic pre-press, the process of adjusting an image to compensate for image deficiencies or for characteristics of the output device and printing process.
Color gamut:
The range of colors that can be formed by all combinations of a given set of light sources or colorants of a color reproduction system. The human eye can perceive a wide gamut of colors within the full range of the visible spectrum, including detail in very bright light and deep shadows. Reflected light, ink impurities, and paper absorption, all limit a conventionally printed image color gamut. Much of the work done in color correction arises from the tonal compression of the color gamut that occurs during color separation.
Color proof:
A visual impression of the expected final reproduction produced on a substrate with inks, pigments or dyes.
Color scanner:
Equipment used to make color separations by photoelectrically reading the relative densities of the copy; also called Electronic Scanner.
Color separation:
The process of separating a color image into a series of single-color (cyan, yellow, magenta, and black) images that will be used as negatives. Printed on top of one another, the color separations create the full-color process image.
Composite proof:
Shows position and color of all elements as stripped up.
Compression/decompression:
In electronic pre-press, an application used to compress files and documents so larger files can fit on smaller storage devices. Not recommended for graphic files.
Continuous tone:
An image in which the subject has continuous shades of color or gray without being broken up by dots. Continuous tones cannot be reproduced in that form for printing but must be screened to translate the image into dots.
Contrast:
The difference of tonal gradation between light and dark values within an image. Image contrast is sacrificed somewhat when tones are compressed to bring an original's density down to a range that can be reproduced on a printing press.
Contrast range:
The amount of variance between highlights and shadows in an original or reproduction. Quantified as the difference between the top highlight and deepest shadow density readings as measured by a densitometer.
Copy dot:
To photograph dot for dot; to exactly match previously screened originals.
Coupon:
Designated area of a return card used for respondent information; e.g. name, address, etc.
Cover wraps:
Any piece that is used to cover the front and back of the publication, also called an overwrap. This type of piece typically will include all publication printer trims.
Crop:
To eliminate portions of copy or a photograph.
Crop mark:
Symbols placed in the margin outside the image area that indicate an area to be printed and/or trimmed from the image.
Cutoff:
The length of the printed sheet off press, based on either the full circumference or 1/2 of the circumference of the impression cylinder of a web press.
Cyan (C):
One of the three subtractive primary colors used in process printing.