Helpful Hints
Artwork Preparation and Presentation
The ten step Guide to ensure speedy proofs
- Include all trim or crop marks
- Include all bleeds - minimum to be 3mm all round
- Supply as individual pages per PDF not as readers pairs
- Embed all fonts in the PDF
- Embed all graphics in the PDF
- Make sure all graphics are high resolution e.g. a minimum 300dpi for pictures and 600dpi for line work
- If the job is 4 colour process supply the PDF as CMYK not RGB if possible
- If the job is pantone colours do not supply the PDF as CMYK
- If the job is black only then supply the PDF as black only
- If possible supply a set of colour laser prints of the job so that the pictures and fonts can be checked before going to proof
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Glossary
- Acetate
- A thin flexible sheet of transparent plastic used to make overlays.
- Application
- A computer programme designed for a particular use e.g. Microsoft Word, QuarkXpress, Publisher, Photoshop etc.
- Artwork or a/w
- A process that turns the agreed design into a print ready form.
- 'A' sized paper
- Paper sizes are based on dimensions of a large AO sheet. A3 (297 x 420mm) A4 (210 x 297mm) and A5 (148 x 210mm) are the most common formats.
- Backing up
- The process of printing the reverse of an already printed sheet.
- Binding
- The process of fastening papers together.
- Bitmap
- A grid of printed dots or pixels generated by computer to represent type or images.
- Blanket
- The flexible sheet that transfers ink from plate to paper within a station on a printing press.
- Bleed
- The printed image extends beyond the trim edge of a sheet or page.
- Blind emboss
- The impression of type or image onto the back of a sheet of paper to produce a raised image on the front of the sheet.
- Bond
- A grade of paper suitable for letterhead etc.
- Cast coating (coated)
- The process used to create very high gloss finish.
- CMYK
- Abbreviation of Cyan Magenta yellow and Key (black) - 4 colour process - used in varying percentages can produce the full colour gamut.
- Clipping path
- An outline embedded in a file that tells an application which areas of a picture should be considered transparent.
- Collating
- Placing various sheets of paper in the right order.
- Colour separation
- The process by which a continuous tone colour image is separated into CMYK components.
- Concertina fold
- Folding so that each fold opens in the opposite direction giving a pleated effect.
- Crease
- To mechanically press a metal rule into paper or board to allow it to fold without cracking.
- Crop
- To trim the edges of an image to make it fit or to remove unwanted bits.
- Crop marks
- Lines on the artwork indicating where to trim perforate or fold the sheet.
- CTP
- Computer to Plate - transferring the image to be printed direct from a computer to the printing plate.
- Deboss
- To press an image into paper so it the reproduced image lies below the surface of the paper.
- Density
- The degree of opacity of the printed image.
- Die-cutting
- A process of using a cutting form, made up of sharp metal rules mounted onto a wooden board, to cut out special shapes.
- Digital printing
- A plate-less process with most benefits accruing on short run work or where personalisation is required.
- Dot
- Only 4 colours are used to produce all the colours you see in most images. By having dots of different sizes, the eye sees the sum of these dots as a shade of colour. Place a yellow dot next to a blue dot and you will see this as green. The bigger the blue dot in relation to the yellow dot will create an impression of a darker green.
- Dot gain
- A printing defect where dots print larger than intended creating darker colours or tones than required.
- Dpi
- The quality of an image from a scanner or output resolution of a printer is measured in dots per inch. The higher e.g. 1200 dpi (Hi-Res) the higher the quality, the larger the file and the slower the processing.
- Dummy
- A mock up sample showing the finished product with correct weight and colour of paper, finishing specification etc…
- Drilling
- The drilling of holes in sheets to be collated into a ring binder.
- Embed
- Include all data (fonts and graphics) into a computer file to keep all elements of the job together.
- Embossing
- A process where a stamp or embossing die creates a raised or depressed image onto the surface of the paper.
- EPS
- An acronym for Encapsulated PostScript, a computer file format.
- File format
- The system by which data is held in a particular type of computer file.
- Flush
- To align or to be even with.
- Foil stamping
- A process using heat or mechanical force to lay metallic foil onto a sheet often embossing at the same time.
- Font
- One of a range of styles of typeface e.g. Trebuchet MS 12pt.
- Four-colour process
- See CMYK.
- Format
- The size, shape and overall style of layout.
- Full Colour
- Printing in colour using the full gamut of the output device.
- Graphics file
- A general term for a computer file containing a photographic image or picture.
- Greyscale
- Shades of grey ranging from black to white.
- Grippers
- The metal fingers which secure the sheet as it passes through the printing press.
- GSM
- Grams per square metre - the weight of the substrate.
- Gusset
- The expandable portion of a pocketed folder or envelope.
- Gutter
- The line or fold at which facing pages meet.
- Halftone
- A picture where varying size of dot creates varying shades of tone. See Dot.
- Head margin
- The white space above the first line on a page.
- Hickey
- A spot/speck or imperfection in the finished print often caused by paper dust.
- Hue
- The main attribute of a colour that distinguishes it from other colours.
- Image area
- The portion of the sheet where ink appears.
- Import
- To bring a picture or text file into an application ready for alteration.
- Imposition
- The positioning of pages in a press-ready form so that they will be in the correct numerical sequence after folding
- Indicia
- Postal information place on a printed product.
- ISDN
- A file transfer system which allows for the transfer of larger files than email can handle.
- Jog
- To shake a stack of papers so that the edges line up also referred to as knocking up.
- JPEG
- Joint Photographic Electronic Group. Enables compressed image data.
- Job bag
- Another name for a works order but containing all the relevant information pertaining to a specific job.
- Justified
- Text which is flush to both the left and right hand margins.
- Kerning
- The adjustment of spacing between certain letters to give a more pleasant appearance to the eye.
- Kiss cut
- To die cut without cutting right through the paper or backing paper.
- Knock out
- A shape or object printed by eliminating all background colours.
- Knock out
- To extract a cut shape from the waste matrix after die cutting.
- Lamination
- The application of a thin film of plastic to the printed surface which protects the print and gives an enhanced gloss or matt appearance.
- Layout file
- The file created by computer software which contains all the imported elements and where all the design and layout of a job are performed.
- Lead time
- The amount of time required to turnaround the job from design to delivery.
- Lithographic printing
- Lithography uses the principle that water and oil /grease do not mix normally. The printing image is greasy and the background attracts water (hydrophilic). The printing plate is first slightly dampened, and then greasy ink is applied, this ink only sticking to the greasy image and is repelled by the damp background. This inked image is then transferred to the paper. In offset litho the image is transferred to a rubber blanket before being applied to the paper.
- Line copy
- Copy that can be reproduced without halftones.
- Loose leaf
- A binding method that enables individual collated sheets to be replaced/updated as necessary.
- Lpi
- Lines per inch referring to the quality of a halftone screen.
- Make ready
- The time and materials expended to prepare printing presses or finishing equipment prior to the full run.
- Metal plate
- The plate on which the CTP process deposits the image to be printed.
Each colour has its own plate. - Moiré pattern
- A grid-like pattern caused by the misalignment of dots on a printed document.
- Matt
- A flat non shiny finish to the paper.
- NCR
- No carbon paper required, paper coated with chemicals that transfers the image of one sheet onto another by the application of pressure through writing.
- Origination
- The process of preparing a job for the printing stage.
- Offset printing
- A method in which the plate transfers the image to a blanket or roller which transfers the image to the paper.
- Overs
- Copies printed in excess to the specified run quantity.
- Page count
- The total number of pages including blanks and printed pages without numbers.
- Pantone colours
- Pantone is a registered trademark for pre mixed colours that are specified for printing as a spot colour. This colour may be matched by CMYK but rarely to the exact hue.
- Portable Document Format. The accepted norm for the provision of secure artwork file.
- Perfect binding
- A bookbinding method in which pages are glued to the cover.
- Perfecting
- The process of printing both sides of one sheet in one pass through the press.
- Point
- A measurement of the size of type, distance between lines and the thickness of rules. One point equals one seventy-second of an inch (0.3515mm).
- Process colour
- Colour specified in percentages of cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
- Proof
- A representation of the finished job provided to the customer for approval prior to printing the job.
- Progressives
- Colour proofs taken at each stage of printing showing each colour printed alone and then superimposed on the preceding colour.
- Quark Xpress
- The industry standard type setting and layout program.
- Recto
- The right hand page.
- Registration marks
- Crosses or other marks placed on artwork to ensure perfect alignment.
- Resolution
- The number of dots per inch in a computer processed document.
- Reversed-out
- Type appearing white on a solid background.
- RGB
- An acronym for red, green and blue. RGB is the colour model used for computer monitors and litho printing cannot handle colour separations in RGB.
- RIP
- Raster Image Processor, a computer used to create an electronic bitmap.
- Saddle stitch
- A binding process in which a booklet is stapled through the middle fold of its sheets using wire.
- Scanning
- The conversion of hard copy into digital information.
- Score
- To press a mark in paper or board to make folding easier.
- Sealing
- The application of a varnish to a printed surface to reduce scuffing and improve appearance. Also known as varnishing.
- Self-cover
- Using the same material for the cover of a booklet as used for the inside leaves.
- Solid
- An area which is completely covered in ink.
- Spot colour
- See Pantone. Each spot colour has its own printing plate.
- Spread
- Two or more adjoining pages that appear in view on a sheet.
- Step and repeat
- The positioning of the same image several times on the same sheet of paper.
- Stock
- A generic term for paper.
- TIFF
- An acronym for Tagged Image File Format. TIFF pictures can be black and white, greyscale or colour. This is a widely used format for image/photographic files but is unsuitable for text unless it is created in very high resolution.
- Tint
- An area of tone made by a pattern of dots which lightens the solid colour.
- Trapping
- A slight overlap of two colours that prevent gaps appearing along the edges of an object.
- UV varnish
- A varnish that is cured using UV light.
- Varnishing
- See Sealing.
- Verso
- The left hand page.
- Wash up
- To clean ink from rollers and other parts of the press.
- Wire-o-binding
- A process of binding books along the binding edge which enables the pages to lay flat when opened.
- Work and tumble
- To turn the printed side of a sheet over from gripper to back using the opposite gripper edge but the same side guide to print the second side.
- Work and turn
- To turn the printed side of a sheet over from left to right and print the second side using the same gripper edge to print the second side.
- x height
- The height of lower case letters, without their ascenders or descenders, which is the height of the letter x.