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Glossary
An A-Z of useful terms.
Bitmap
At its simplest, a text character or graphic image made up of dots.
Bleed
That part of an image that extends beyond the trim marks on a page.
Board
General term used when referring to any paper over 220gsm.
Booklet
A publication larger than a pamphlet, but of not more than 24 pages.
Brand
An idea that exists in people's minds. Its an idea that is formed from the perception of a given product, service, company, place or way of thinking.
Brand Identity
Brand identity or brand image is the visual expression of the idea. It includes the company mark or symbol and it normally uses metaphors or visual elements like photography or illustration, to communicate with, and engage the brand's audience - usually to create influence and/or generate value of some sort.
Brand Mark
This is the company symbol or logo which represents the company or organisation and its ethos.
Brochure
A pamphlet of other unbound, short publication with stitched pages.
CMYK
In four-colour process printing, an abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and black (black being denoted by 'K' for 'key plate').
Coated Paper
Paper that has been coated in china clay or similar material to give a smooth surface with a gloss, matt or satin finish. Also known as art paper.
Corporate Identity
A design or set of designs for use on corporate stationery, livery etc.
DL
This is a standard size used in printing measuring 210mm x 99mm.
EPS
Abbreviation for 'encapsulated PostScript', a graphics file format used primarily for storing object-oriented or vector graphics. An EPS file consists of two parts: PostScript code, which tells the printer how to print the image, and an onscreen preview, usually in JPEG, TIFF or PICT format.
Exclusion Zone
An indicated clear zone that gives a logo breathing space. set of type characters of the same size, style and design.
Finishing
As the name implies, this is the final part of the print production process. It encompasses various processes, including collating, trimming, folding, binding, embossing, laminating, varnishing and so on.
Font
A complete set of type characters of the same size, style and design.
Four-colour process
Any printing process that reproduces full-colour images, which have been separated into three basic 'process' colours - cyan, magenta and yellow with a fourth colour, black, added for greater contrast.
JPEG
Abbreviation for 'Joint Photographic Experts Group'. This International Standards Organisation group defines compression standards for bitmapped colour images, and it has given its name to this popular compressed file format.
Layout
The placement of various elements - text, headings, images on a printed page.
Logotype
Letters or words in a distinctive and unified form. Often used as, or as part of, a company logo.
Pantone
The proprietary trademark for Pantone's system of colour standards, control and quality requirements, in which each colour bears a description of its formulation (in percentages) for subsequent printing.
Abbreviation for 'portable document format'. A cross-platform format that allows complex, multi-featured documents to be created, retaining all text and picture formatting, then viewed and printed on any computer with an appropriate 'reader', particularly Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Pixel
The smallest component of a digitally generated image, such as a single dot of light on a computer monitor.
Proof
A prototype of a job, taken at various stages from laser printers, image setters, inked plates, screen and so on, in order to check the progress, quality and accuracy of the work.
Resolution
The degree of quality, definition or clarity with which an image is scanned or displayed. The concept is used in connection with monitors, printers and other output devices.
Scan
A scanner is an electronic device that uses a moving light beam to convert artwork or photographs into digital forms, so that they can be manipulated by a computer or be output to separated film. Some scanners are simple, flatbed, desktop models that are generally used for creating positional pictures; others are sophisticated devices (drum scanners) that are used for high-quality reproductions.
Spot Printing
A printing colour that has been specifically mixed for the job, as opposed to using the four-colour process colours.
Sub Brand
A secondary brand that builds on the associations of a master brand.
Template
A document created with pre-position areas, used as a basis for repeatedly creating other documents that follow the same format and style.
Tiff
Acronym for 'tagged image file format' A standard and popular graphics file format originally developed by Aldus and Microsoft. Tiffs are used for scanned, bitmapped images, and for colour separations. They can be used to transmit black and white, greyscale or colour images that have been generated on all the most popular platforms.
Typeface
A typeface is a collection of characters, letters, numbers, symbols, punctuation, which have the same, distinct design.
Vector
A miniature database that stores information about the magnitude and direction of a line or shape. Sometimes used to refer to the lines themselves.
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