A look at terms about how printing jobs flow through the plant, estimated, typeset, proofed, proofread, corrected, managed on the press. And terms about printed images and colour printing.

Melbourne Museum of Printing
PRINTING EXPLAINED
Our Glossary of Printing and Typography
PROOFREADING, WORKFLOW, IMAGES AND COLOUR
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Glossary Theme

Thematic Glossary of

PROOFREADING, WORKFLOW, IMAGES AND COLOUR


SUGGESTION: HOW TO EXPLORE THIS GLOSSARY
IF YOU KNOW THE NAME OF A TERM, GO TO THE ALPHABETIC PAGE
eg to find PICA choose the Alphabetic Page N-Q. You will find several meanings of this word, and that it is mostly used in TYPE MEASUREMENTS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE OTHER TERMS ABOUT TYPE MEASUREMENTS
look in the Thematic Glossary about Typecasting and Type Measurements
CHOOSE
AN
ALPHABETIC
PAGE:
A,B
C
DEF
G-K
L,M
N-Q
R,S
T-Z
CHOOSE A THEMATIC PAGE:
CHARACTERS, TYPEFACES
LAYOUT, PREPRESS, TYPOGRAPHY
TYPECASTING, MEASUREMENTS
MACHINE TYPESETTING, HOT/COLD
LETTERPRESS COMP, STEREOTYPES
WORKFLOW, PROOFREADING, IMAGES
PRINTING: LETTERPRESS, LITHO
FINISHING: CUT, NUMBER, BIND

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THESE DEFINITIONS INCLUDE:
usu = usually cf = compare with eg = for example typic = typically

NOUN, COUNTABLE author's correction WORKFLOW
change made by an author after typesetting etc: typesetters usu charge extra for "authors"

VERB cast off WORKFLOW
calculate how much space a manuscript will take up when typeset

NOUN, COUNTABLE catchline WORKFLOW
temporary identifying line on the top of a galley of type or proof

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE copy WORKFLOW
written material and images supplied by client to a printer: "follow the copy"

NOUN, COUNTABLE copy editor WORKFLOW
[line editor] person who checks a manuscript for grammar, style, consistency

NOUN, COUNTABLE en WORKFLOW
unit for counting typesetting effort: keystroke. eg payment per 1000 ens.

VERB keep standing WORKFLOW
hold job (type or plates) after printing to allow for reprints

NOUN, COUNTABLE manuscript WORKFLOW
original written or typewritten work of an author

VERB mark up WORKFLOW
prepare copy for compositor with detailed instructions

ABBREVIATION MS [ plural mss. ] WORKFLOW
manuscript

NOUN, COUNTABLE press check WORKFLOW
final check when job is already on the press: examining first printed sheets

NOUN, COUNTABLE proof WORKFLOW
a copy of a work in progress, usually for checking and correcting

ABBREVIATION repro WORKFLOW
reproduction (as in repro proof, repro press)

ABBREVIATION typo . . . . . . . 1 WORKFLOW
typographical error: an error introduced in the typesetting process

MISCONCEPTION / INAPPROP TERM typo . . . . . . . 2 WORKFLOW
often mistakenly used for any spelling error including author's errors

VERB work and tumble WORKFLOW
front and back of job imposed end-to-end on one plate:printed:tumbled:printed again:cut

VERB work and turn WORKFLOW
both sides of job imposed side-by-side on one plate:printed:turned: printed again:cut

NOUN, COUNTABLE caret mark PROOF READING & CORRECTING
proofreader's mark to insert copy at marked point

VERB close up PROOF READING & CORRECTING
proofreader's mark to delete space between elements where marked

NOUN, COUNTABLE copy holder PROOF READING & CORRECTING
person who holds the original while the proofreader holds the typeset proof

NOUN, COUNTABLE full point PROOF READING & CORRECTING
typesetter/proofreader term for full stop

NOUN, COUNTABLE proofreader PROOF READING & CORRECTING
once called corrector of the press and a greatly prized skill, now devalued but still important

NOUN, COUNTABLE proofreaders' marks PROOF READING & CORRECTING
standardised set of marks used on proof sheet to indicate corrections needed

VERB proofreading PROOF READING & CORRECTING
reading a proof copy beside the original copy to detect errors in content or style

VERB stet PROOF READING & CORRECTING
proofreader's mark, cancelling a previous correction: let it stand [Latin]

ABBREVIATION WF PROOF READING & CORRECTING
wrong fount: proofreader's mark to indicate a type from the wrong typecase

NOUN, COUNTABLE additive colours COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
colour system which adds colour rays to make other colours: projected light: RGB as in video

NOUN, COUNTABLE balloon IMAGES, HALFTONES
circle or bubble with words as in a cartoon

NOUN, COUNTABLE block . . . . . . 1 IMAGES, HALFTONES
engraving for letterpress: may be line or halftone: usu mounted type-high on wood

NOUN, COUNTABLE bowler IMAGES, HALFTONES
machine for planing the edge of engravings or stereos including the mount

NOUN, COUNTABLE callout IMAGES, HALFTONES
name of item in illustration, often linked by a line or arrow

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE clip art IMAGES, HALFTONES
drawings (on paper or disk) available for purchase for unlimited reproduction

NOUN, COUNTABLE colour separations COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
images for reproduction in discrete colours of a full-coloured original

ADJECTIVE continuous tone IMAGES, HALFTONES
image in which shades of grey, or shades and hues of colour exist

VERB crop IMAGES, HALFTONES
eliminate outer portions of an image so the remainder is more useful

NOUN, COUNTABLE cropping L's IMAGES, HALFTONES
aid to visualising effect of cropping: L-shapes of paper or board

NOUN, COUNTABLE cut [US] IMAGES, HALFTONES
same as block: an engraving for letterpress use: orig a wood or lino cut

NOUN, COUNTABLE dye COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
strongly coloured soluble material: provides the colour in transparent inks

NOUN, COUNTABLE engraving IMAGES, HALFTONES
relief image produced by removing material from flat surface by hand or process

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE four colour process COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
full colour printing using three coloured inks plus black

NOUN, COUNTABLE halftone . . . . . 1 IMAGES, HALFTONES
system of representing tones (greys) in image process which knows no grey

NOUN, COUNTABLE halftone . . . . . 2 IMAGES, HALFTONES
an image where illusion of shades of grey is achieved by graduated black dots

NOUN, COUNTABLE highlight IMAGES, HALFTONES
lightest area in a tone or half-tone illustration

PROPER NOUN Klischograph IMAGES, HALFTONES
machine for engraving halftone image into plastic plate from scanned original

NOUN, COUNTABLE line block IMAGES, HALFTONES
engraved image with solids only: no halftones

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE lines per inch IMAGES, HALFTONES
measure of fineness of halftone screen: 60 lpi very coarse: 150 very fine

ADJECTIVE metal mounted IMAGES, HALFTONES
(of a block) mounted on solid metal usu typemetal or aluminium rather than wood, for hot printing

NOUN, COUNTABLE Moire pattern[moray] IMAGES, HALFTONES
pattern appearing in image due to interference between two similar patterns

NOUN, COUNTABLE negative IMAGES, HALFTONES
colour film or print with reversed colour renditions, eg blues appear as yellow

BRAND NAME Pantone COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
a widely used colour matching system

NOUN, COUNTABLE photoengraving IMAGES, HALFTONES
engraving made by etching into metal where light exposure has not hardened plate

NOUN, COUNTABLE pigment COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
finely ground solid material: gives colour and opacity to ink

ABBREVIATION PMS (colour numbers) COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
Pantone Matching System: now named Pantone Colors

NOUN, COUNTABLE positive . . . . . 2 IMAGES, HALFTONES
colour film or print with correct (non reversed) colour renditions

EQUIVALENT TERM process engraving IMAGES, HALFTONES
same as photoengraving

NOUN, COUNTABLE progressive proofs COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
series of proofs showing each colour printed over previous colours and singly

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE reflection copy IMAGES, HALFTONES
text or image on paper base: it can be photographed with incident light

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE scraperboard IMAGES, HALFTONES
artists' board with clay coating that can be scraped away to modify an image

NOUN, COUNTABLE screen . . . . . . 1 IMAGES, HALFTONES
glass or film carrying fine rulings or dot patterns: used in making half-tones

VERB screen . . . . . . 2 IMAGES, HALFTONES
convert continuous-tone image to half-tone, using screen or software

NOUN, COUNTABLE screen angle IMAGES, HALFTONES
screens for halftone negatives must be at correct angles for right effect

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE screen ruling IMAGES, HALFTONES
screens vary from 50 to 300 lines per inch, depending on paper and process

NOUN, COUNTABLE subtractive colours COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
a pigment absorbs some colours: two pigments absorb more colours: reflected light

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE three colour process COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
full colour printing using three coloured inks alone (widely used early 20th C)

NOUN, COUNTABLE tint COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
colour broken down with white ink or by using screen on a solid area

NOUN, COUNTABLE transparency IMAGES, HALFTONES
positive image on transparent medium, usu a colour photograph

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE varnish COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
vehicle component of common printing inks; traditionally boiled linseed oil

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE vehicle COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
liquid component of ink: the vehicle oxidises, absorbs or evaporates, leaving the pigment solid

ADJECTIVE washed out IMAGES, HALFTONES
photo when reproduced has poor contrast, lack of distinct highlights and blacks

The definitions and formats in this work Copyright © E. Michael Isaachsen 2000.

Persons wishing to use these are asked to contact the author at Melbourne Museum of Printing.

Comments and suggestions about terms and definitions will be very welcome.

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