Infinity Print Group, Inc

Description

Understand and use today's graphic arts terms, From Design To Distribution, Your complete and up-to-date guide to prepublishing and printing terminology. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z A/D Abbreviation for analog-to-digital (conversion). AA Abbreviation for author's alterations. AC Abbreviation for author's corrections. accordion fold Parallel folds that resemble the bellows of an accordion. Acrobat A software program from Adobe, enabling the user to view, print, and share any electronic document, regardless of platform, application, or printer. across the grain Alternate term for against the grain. acutance The sharpness (absence of feathering) of the edge of an image against its background. ADC Abbreviation for analog-digital converter. additive color system Combining red, green, and blue light in varying levels to produce a color image, such as in computer monitors and television screens. additive primaries Red, green, and blue light that, together, produce white light. Compare with subtractive primaries. Against the grain At a right angle to the grain of the paper. Also called across the grain. Compare with with the grain. Agfa CrystalRaster Agfa Corporation's brand of stochastic screening/frequency modulation screening. Agfaproof A color proofing system that combines four-color sheets and is compatible with both positive and negative materials. Considered a contract proof. airbrush An electronic or manual tool used to retouch drawings and photographs to alter detail. aliasing In computer graphics, the undesirable jagged or stair-stepped appearance of diagonal lines in computer-generated graphic images or type. Also called jaggies. allocation The quantity of paper that a manufacturer can supply to distributors and customers until a specified date. AM Abbreviation for amplitude modulated (screening). Amberlith Brand name for yellow masking film used for covering portions of a flat that should not be exposed to the printing plate. analog Having a continuously variable frequency or intensity. Analog signals are controlled through "more"/"less" adjustments typically using knobs or dials. ANS (formerly ANSI) Acronym for American National Standard (Institute). AP Abbreviation for author's proof. application software Computer programs that perform tasks directly for and by the end-users. Examples are spreadsheets, database managers, and desktop publishing. APR Abbreviation for automatic picture replacement. Archie A program that searches indices of software available at anonymous FTP (file transfer protocol) sites on the Internet. archive Long-term storage of image information on magnetic or other media. array One of the fundamental data structures in computer programming; a single or multidimensional table that the program treats as one data item. artwork All original type, photographs, illustrations, and digital files intended for a publication, or provided on multimedia. ascender The part of a lowercase character that extends above the main character body, as in "b," "d," and "f." ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) A standard computer character set devised in 1968 to enable efficient data communication and achieve compatibility among different computer devices. asynchronous communication One of two methods of data communication in which the transmission of bits of data is not synchronized by a clock signal but is accomplished by sending the bits one after another, with a start bit and a stop bit to mark the beginning and end of the data unit. Asynchronous communication can be compared to sending eight cars, one after the other, down a one-lane road, with a motor-cycle policeman at the beginning and at the end of the procession. Compare with synchronous communication . author's alterations Changes in copy made by the author. author's proof A test copy given to the author for approval. The author returns it to the prepress house or printer marked "OK" or "OK with changes." B (back to top) B Abbreviation for 1) bytes; 2) blue. b Abbreviation for bits. B&W or B/W Abbreviation for black and white. back matter Pages printed at the end of a book, such as the appendix, bibliography, glossary, and index. Also called end matter. backbone Bound edge of a publication connecting the front and back covers. Alternate term for spine. backing up 1) Printing the reverse side of a printed sheet. 2) Making additional copies of computer files on magnetic media to ensure file integrity. backward broadside A page on which the text runs sideways, or is landscaped. bad break 1) The incorrect hyphenation of a word. 2) Starting a page with the last line of a paragraph (i.e., like this line). balance Placement of colors, objects, and other design elements in such a way to create harmony. banding A visible stair-stepping of shades in a gradient or the irregular lines through an image, often the result of a scanner limitation. bar code A binary coding system using bars of varying thickness or position that provide information that can be scanned into a computer. barrel fold Alternate term for letter fold. base color The first color used as a background on which other colors are printed. base side 1) The side of paper without coating. 2) The nonemulsion side of film. baseline The imaginary line on which the bottoms of letters (excluding descenders) rest. batch file A file containing a series of DOS commands executed one after the other. Batch files are useful when there is the need to execute the same series of DOS commands. baud rate The transmission speed of an asynchronous communication channel. In personal computing, baud rates are frequently cited to measure the speed of modems. BBS (Bulletin-board system) A telecommunications system through which e-mail and other messages are posted. Bernoulli box A mass storage system developed by Iomega Corporation for IBM PC-compatible and Macintosh computers. Bernoulli boxes have removable cartridges containing flexible disks capable of holding up to 230 Mb of programs and data. Bezier curves In object-oriented graphic programs, a curve whose shape is defined by anchor points set along its arc. BF Abbreviation for boldface. bindery A facility that collates, covers, folds, or trims printed pieces. binding Joining assembled pages or signatures of a printed piece together. Used generically to describe all finishing operations. bit (binary digit) The smallest unit of information in a computer. It can be in one of two states (on or off). bit map The representation of a video image stored in a computer's memory. Each picture element (pixel) is represented by bits stored in memory. black printer The plate that controls the printing of black ink in four-color printing. blanket Rubber sheet wrapped around an impression cylinder on an offset press. It transfers an inked impression from the plate to the paper. blanket cylinder The roller on the printing press that holds the blanket. bleed 1) Printing that extends to the edge of a page (without a margin) after trimming. 2) The effect from printing a second color on top of an ink that is not yet dry (e.g., a green color may be produced if yellow is printed on top of a wet, blue ink). blend Gradual merging of two or more colors so that there is no visible line of interception. blind A dot on a photographic negative or positive that lacks density and has become so transparent that any light going through it falsifies the values desired. To be photographically effective all dots must be opaque and all transparent areas must be clear. blind emboss To emboss without adding ink or foil on the image. blind folio A page number that is part of a sequence, but is not printed. For example, the first page of a book (page 1) often does not have the page number printed on it. block colors Colors printed solid. blueline A proof where all colors show as blue images on white paper. Used as an inexpensive evaluation of image and page geometry. BM Abbreviation for back matter. body type The majority of copy (text) of a printed piece, as opposed to the headings. bpi Abbreviation for bits per inch. breakout Words excerpted from an article or book printed in large type and inserted in the page the same as an illustration. Also called pull quote or blurb. broke Trimmings and other preconsumer paper recycled by mills. buffer A unit of memory given the task of holding information temporarily. built-in font A printer font encoded permanently in the printer's read-only memory (ROM). bundled software Software included with a computer system as part of the system's total price. bus An internal pathway along which signals are sent from one part of the computer to another. byte A unit of measure equal to eight bits of digital informationthe standard unit measure of file size. See also megabyte, kilobyte, and gigabyte. C (back to top) C 1) Abbreviation for cyan. 2) Name of a programming language. C1S Abbreviation for paper coated on one side. C2S Abbreviation for paper coated on both sides. CA Abbreviation for customer alteration. CAD Abbreviation for computer-aided design. calendering Producing a smooth, glossy surface to paper by pulling and pressing it between a series of rollers during manufacture. camera-ready art Artwork or type that is fully prepared for reproduction according to the technical requirements of the printing process being used. CAN Abbreviation for cancel character. Canvas A software program featuring illustration, graphics, presentation, and page layout tools. cap(s) Abbreviation for capital or uppercase letter(s). caps and small caps (SC) Two sizes of capital letters made in one font size. Small caps are used, for instance, to denote A.M. and P.M., and can be used to soften the impact of normal caps. case binding The process that produces a hardbound book. CC Abbreviation for 1) color compensating; 2) color correcting. CD Abbreviation for compact disk. CD-I Abbreviation for compact diskinteractive. CD-ROM Abbreviation for compact disk-read only memory. A read-only optical storage technology that uses compact disks. CD-ROM is currently used to produce encyclopedias, dictionaries, and software libraries available to personal computer users. central processing unit (CPU) The computer's internal storage, processing, and control circuitry, including the arithmetic-logic unit (ALU), the control unit, and the primary storage. CEPS Abbreviation for color electronic prepress system. CGA Abbreviation for color graphics adapter. chalking The improper drying of ink resulting in the ink pigment dusting off because the vehicle has been absorbed into the paper too rapidly. characters per inch (cpi) The number of characters that fit within a linear inch in a given font. Standard units drawn from typewriting are pica (10 cpi) and elite (12 cpi). check copy The gathered signatures inspected and approved by the customer as ready for binding, and used as a guide as to how all other copies should look. See also signature. Cheshire labels Mailing labels with a nonself-stick adhesive, which are printed and affixed by Cheshire addressing equipment. Also called four-up labels. chip A miniaturized electronic circuit usually printed on a silicon wafer used to hold or process information in an electronic device. choke Reduces the size of an image, as compared to spread for trapping multicolor printing. Also called shrink or skinny. CIE Abbreviation for Commission International de l'Eclairage (color standards organization). class screening Screening options offered by Scitex Corporation that include fulltone, GeometricDOT, high definition printing, conventional-composite dot. clean copy Copy that is free of errors and flaws. CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) The subtractive primaries, or process colors, used in color printing. Black (K) is usually added to enhance color, to print a true black, and for type. CO Abbreviation for Chapter Opening. coated paper Paper with a clay coating that improves reflectivity and ink holdout by producing a smooth printing surface. cold type Type produced without the use of hot metal type, such as that from typewriters, dry transfer materials, laser printers and photo type machines. collate To gather sheets into proper sequence. color correction The process of adjusting an image to compensate for deficiencies in the image or caused by the production process itself. color gamut Range of all possible colors that can be reproduced. Color Graphics Adapter (CGA) A bit-mapped graphics display adapter for IBM PC-compatible computers. This adapter displays four colors simultaneously with a resolution of 200 pixels horizontally and 320 pixels vertically or displays one color with a resolution of 640 pixels horizontally and 200 vertically. color schemes A method used to achieve visual unity and harmony through the prevalence of a particular color or hue. The four basic color schemes are monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic. color separation To divide the colors of a color image into four film halftones for platemaking. color swatch Small color sample representing what a printed color might look like. color transparency A photographic image on transparent film used as artwork. Commonly used formats include 35mm, 4 x 5, and 8 x 10. command A user-initiated signal given to a computer program that initiates, terminates, or otherwise controls the execution of a specific operation. communication channel The connection between two computers or automated devices used to pass data between them. communication protocol A list of communication parameters (settings) and standards that govern the communication of information between computers using telecommunications. Both computers must have the same settings and follow the same standards for error-free communication to take place. When you use a modem to access a bulletin board or information service, such as CompuServe, you must choose the correct communication protocolthe one established by the host computer system. Your communication program enables you to choose the necessary parameters, including baud rate, data bits, duplex, parity, and stop bits. comp Comprehensive artwork used to present the general color and layout of a page. complementary colors Colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel. composite art A mechanical containing all the color reproductions on only one surface. composite film A single film made by combining images from two or more pieces of working film used for making a plate. compositor Alternate term for typesetter. comprehensive (comp) A visualization of an idea for a printed piece with type, graphics, and colors. Used as a guide to the finished art. computer-aided design (CAD) The use of computers and computer-aided design programs as the environment for the design of a wide range of industrial artifacts, ranging from machine parts to modern homes. condensed type A typeface relatively narrow in proportion to its height. configure To set up software or hardware to match the computer's requirements and the preferences of the user. continuous tone (CT) A file format used for exchanging high-level scan information. contone Abbreviation for continuous tone. copy Text and artwork used for reproduction. CorelDRAW A software program featuring illustration, graphics, and publishing tools. corn starch Fine dust sprinkled on sheets as they come off the press, which dries the ink and prevents smudging. CPI Abbreviation for characters per inch. CPM Abbreviation for 1) copies per minute; 2) characters per minute. CPP Abbreviation for 1) characters per pica; 2) color photo paper. CPU Abbreviation for central processing unit. crash An abnormal termination of a computer program, usually (but not always) resulting in a frozen keyboard or an inoperable state. In most cases, the computer must be rebooted to recover from a crash. Cromalin A color proofing system that uses powdered pigments instead of ink. crop marks 1) Printed lines showing the dimensions of the final printed page. These guide marks are used for final trimming after printing. 2) Lines drawn on photos or proofs to indicate what part of a photo or illustration will be reproduced. crossover Type or art that extends from one page across the gutter to the opposite page. CrystalRaster See Agfa CrystalRaster. CS Abbreviation for color scanner. CT Abbreviation for continuous tone. CTCS Abbreviation for continuous-tone color scanner. cut score A crease formed by partially slitting the paper. CW Abbreviation for hundred weight. D (back to top) D-to-P or D2P Abbreviation for direct-to-plate. DAC Abbreviation for digital-to-analog conversion. DASD Abbreviation for direct access storage device. dash A typographic mark. A hyphen (-), the smallest dash, is used for hyphenating words or line breaks (top-notch, day-to-day, de-emphasize). The en dash (-), a longer dash, is used between words indicating a duration (April-September; 8:30-150;10:15 A.M.). An em dash (

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