Register within plus or minus one-half row of dots.
hairline rule:
The thinnest rule that can be printed. Not to be used for high-resolution output.
halftone:
Ink-printable image produced photomechanically or electronically to convert a continuous-tone image (for example, photograph, drawing, print, etc.) into a regular grid pattern of various-sized dots with equidistant centers to simulate shades of gray. This reproduction method contrasts with line art (no shading of tones), mezzotints (irregular shapes in random placement), and stochastic screening (same-size microdots) in a controlled random placement within a given area.
halftone dots:
The individual subdivisions of a printed surface created with a halftone screen.
hard dot:
A halftone dot that has a hard, crisp edge without the fringe seen with the soft dot. The hard dot also has a fairly uniform density over its entire surface.
hardcopy:
A printout, either low or high-resolution, accurately representing the electronic file. (A printer cannot be held liable for quality of high-resolution output if hardcopy is not provided with the disks.)
head:
The top of a card, page or book.
head trim:
Area that is trimmed off at the top of a piece during the binding process.
hickey:
Spot on a printed sheet usually due to dust, lint or bits of paper.
high folio lap:
Lap appears on higher numbered pages of a four-page insert. Inserts with high folio laps usually jog to the head.
highlight:
The lightest area of a photograph that has the smallest or fewest dots when made into a halftone.
horizontal bars:
Printed bars under the indicia on a BRM card. Horizontal bars should be at least 1'' wide and cannot go below the bottom of the second-to-bottom line in the address.
horizontal justification:
The ability to condense and expand character width any percentage value so right and left margins are flush.
hot:
The relative urgency of jobs that are scheduled to be proofed-out or printed.
hot spot:
A blurred effect, resembling a halo, usually occurring in highlight areas or screens. It occurs when a negative does not seat or contact properly in a vacuum frame.
hue:
The main attribute of a color which distinguishes it from other colors. Hue is determined by the color's dominant wavelength within the visible spectrum. Saturation and brightness are two other attributes of color.
hypertext:
Direct searching based on term occurrences in the text; the retrieval system will find other text units containing the same term(s). A second form is based on hypertext links that have been inserted in the text. These links can draw the user's attention to related sections even if the sections do not share the same terms and would not be found on the basis of term occurrences.
icon:
In electronic prepress, a graphic symbol usually representing a file, folder (MAC), disk, or tool.
image:
Any area in which ink is to appear on the printed product.
image limit (image area):
The maximum area in which an image can be printed.
imagesetter:
A general term used for devices that generate graphic arts films or plates from electronic data sources.
imposition:
In digital imaging, the positioning of pages on a signature so that after printing, folding, and cutting, all pages will appear in the proper sequence.
imposition software:
Software used to manipulate pages created in page layout programs into proper sequence and position for signatures.
impression:
The result of one cycle of a plate cylinder on a printing press.
imprinting:
To print new copy on a previously printed sheet.
indicia:
Imprinted designations used on mail pieces denoting method of postage payment.
ink jet:
A method of printing images using jets that squirt miniscule drops of ink onto a variety of surfaces.
insert/s:
A printed piece prepared for insertion into a card pack or other publication.
intensity:
The strength, degree or amount of ink.
jog to the foot:
All sections/inserts align to the bottom (foot) of the publication in the binding process.
jog to the head:
All sections/inserts align to the top (head) of the publication in the binding process.
justify:
The alignment of text along a margin or both margins. This is achieved by adjusting the spacing between words and characters so each line of text starts or finishes at the same point.
K:
Abbreviation for black in four-color process printing.
kerning:
In typesetting, the process of subtracting space between characters so overall letter spacing appears even.
keyline:
In artwork, an outline drawing of finished art to indicate the exact shape, position and size for such elements as halftones, line sketches, etc.
kilobyte:
An electronic unit of measure equal to 1,024 bytes. Kilobytes are abbreviated as k.
knockout:
When type or line art is to be printed over a photograph or other variable color background, the best way to produce a consistent color is to first reverse the type or artwork out of the background and then drop in the desired color. This process is referred to as knocking out.
landscape:
Printed sheets were the width is greater than the height. Also used to indicate the orientation of tables or illustrations which are printed 'sideways'.
Laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation):
An intense light beam with a very narrow bandwidth used in digital imaging devices to produce images by electronic impulses from computer or facsimile transmission.
layout /mock up:
A drawing that gives the general appearance of the finished piece and usually indicates the relationship between illustrations and copy.
leading:
The distance between lines of type measured in points.
letterspacing:
The addition of space between the letters of words to increase the line-length to a required width or to improve the appearance of a line.
line shot:
Type matter and drawings that can be reproduced by camera without the use of a halftone screen.
lithography:
A generic term for any printing process in which the image area and non-image area exist on the same plane (plate) and are separated by chemical repulsion.
Local Area Network (LAN):
Interconnected computers that can share programs and data files as well as the use of peripheral devices such as printers or CD-ROM drives. Each microcomputer connected to a LAN will typically require a network circuit board and software. A LAN allows many computers to access the same information files.
lossless compression:
Data compression methods that rearrange or re-code data in a more compact fashion and lose no information when decompressed. Because all data are preserved, there is a distinct limit to the amount of compression. (a.k.a. lossy compression or data compression)
low folio lap:
Lap appears on the lower numbered pages of a four-page insert. Inserts with low folio labs usually jog to the foot.
LPI (Lines Per Inch):
The unit by which the resolution of halftone screens are measured. The greater the LPI, the finer the resolution.
M:
1) The abbreviation for "one thousand." 2) Magenta, one of three subtractive primary colors in process printing.
make ready:
Also called set up. All work done on a printing press before running a job. Make ready includes adjusting the plate, feeders, grippers, side guides; putting inks in the fountains; registration; and matching the printed result to the supplied proof (bringing it up to color). For short runs of a few thousand, the make ready costs are a significant percentage of the total printing costs.
margin:
Non printing area of a page.
mark-up:
The procedure of inserting file markers, field tags, and/or hypertext links in the text. Mark-up can be based on a standard markup language, such as the Automated Composition System of the Government Printing Office or the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML). A useful markup language can also be unique to one organization or even to one file. The particular file marker and field tags used with a file are declared when in setting up a text indexer. Hypertext links do not have to be declared, because they are automatically indexed as searchable terms.
mask:
An opaque overlay placed over any part of a photo or separation negative that should not be exposed to light.
match print:
A laminated presentation of color for a printed piece. Used primarily when the printed piece requires four-color process printing.
matte:
A coated paper with a non-shiny finish that inhibits ink from being absorbed by the paper. Matte stocks are used commonly by book publishers.
maximum density:
The highest degree of darkness (light absorption of opacity) of a photographic image. It is crucial to monitor this with four-color process printing. It is determined by adding up the percentages of density on all four films and relating it to the ink absorption properties of the paper to be used.
megabyte (MB):
A unit of measurement equal to 1024 kilobytes, or 1,048,576 bytes.
metallic inks:
Inks that contain metallic powders mixed with the ink base; powders are flakes that are deposited in reflective layers.
midtone:
The tonal values of an image that fall midway between the highlight and shadow dots, closest to 50% coverage.
moiré:
An undesirable optical pattern that happens when two or more grid patterns overlap, such as the halftone dots produced by an angled screen. A moiré pattern may also occur when there is a pattern in the artwork, such as a herringbone weave or window blinds, interferes with a halftone dot pattern. Manipulating artwork when scanned or using stochastic screening may eliminate the moiré.
monotone:
Printed with a single color, black or any color.