Print Terms Cheat Sheet
ADVERTISEMENT
1
2PRINT TERMS CHEAT SHEET
FILE SETUP
crop marks
safe area
even machines aren’t perfect! Keep all important text or images within
the safe area (traditionally 1/8” in from the trim line) to avoid having
important information trimmed off.
trim line
this is the finished size that your piece will be trimmed to.
bleed
Printing that extends to the edge of a sheet or page after trimming.
This is created by printing past the trim line, then cutting it off. Bleeds
range from 1/16” to 1/8”, depending on the printer’s requirements
INK
CMYK/Process Colors:
Spot Color:
RGB Color:
The colors used for four-color
Any color created by only printing
SHOULD NOT BE USED IN
process printing:
cyan
(C),
magenta
one ink. For example, the
PRINT PROJECTS. Images
(M),
yellow
(Y) and black (K). These
Proforma brand uses the spot
using RGB color mode are for
four inks are combined to create all
color
PMS
221. This color is part
digital projects, and cause all
the colors in your printed piece.
of the Pantone Color Matching
sorts of troubles in print. Ask
System and has a specific formula
your designer to make sure all
so it always prints the same, no
images are converted to CMYK
matter the printer.
before going to print!
DIGITAL VS. OFFSET
Digital Printing:
Offset Printing:
Think of your desktop laser printer, but on an extremely
Each color in your piece is separated into its own plate.
large scale and with color monitoring. Great for small
Your art is transferred (or “offset”) from each plate to a
jobs with fast turnaround. The downside? Less paper
rubber blanket, then to the printing surface. This is more
options, less finishing options, and lower image/print
time-consuming than digital printing but you can print on
quality than offset printing.
just about any substrate, the image quality is excellent,
and cost goes down as quantity goes up.
REGISTRATION
Registration:
Since your colors are all printed separately in offset printing, alignment of
all of these separate colors becomes extremely important. This is referred
to as registration. A piece is in register if everything lines up perfectly. It’s
out of register if you notice weird shifts and overlaps.
ADVERTISEMENT
0 votes
Related Articles
Related forms
Related Categories
Parent category: Education