Every industry loves their jargon and the print world is no different. Below you’ll find a list of some common words that can help you communicate better with your design and print team to ensure you get exactly what you’re looking for.
Bleed: The area beyond the trim edge where design elements or backgrounds extend to ensure there are no white borders when trimmed.
Cardstock: A thicker and more durable type of paper used for business cards, postcards, and greeting cards.
CMYK: Stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black), the color model used in color printing.
Coated Paper: Paper that has been treated with a coating to give it a smooth finish and enhanced print quality.
Coroplast: A corrugated plastic material used for signs, often used for outdoor signage due to its durability and weather resistance.
Crop Marks: Lines placed on the corners of a printed piece to indicate where it should be trimmed.
DPI (Dots Per Inch): Measurement of print resolution; higher DPI means higher quality. For best results it is recommended to have a minimum of 300 DPI.
Die Cut: A process that uses a sharp steel blade to cut out shapes from printed material.
Foam Board: A lightweight, rigid material used for mounting prints and making signs.
Laminate: A protective layer applied to printed materials to increase durability and appearance.
Matte Finish: A non-glossy finish that gives a flat look to the printed material.
Pantone: A standardized color matching system used to ensure color consistency.
Proof: A preliminary version of a printed piece for review before final printing.
Resolution: The detail an image holds; higher resolution means more image detail and quality.
RGB: Stands for Red, Green, Blue; the color model used for digital displays.
Spot Color: A specific pre-mixed ink used instead of or in addition to CMYK inks.
Stock: The type of paper or material used for printing.
Trim Size: The final size of a printed piece after it has been cut to specifications.
Uncoated Paper: Paper that does not have a coating, giving it a natural and tactile feel, often used for stationery and books.
Vector: Graphics based on mathematical formulas, scalable without losing quality.
Vinyl: A durable and flexible material used for banners, signs, and decals, known for its weather resistance.
White Space: The unmarked area of a design, often used to balance elements and improve readability.
Window Perf: A perforated adhesive material used on windows that allows visibility from the inside while displaying an image on the outside.
Working File: The editable, original file used during the design process, often in formats like Adobe Photoshop (.psd), Illustrator (.ai), or InDesign (.indd). These files contain all layers, elements, and design components, allowing for modifications and adjustments before finalizing the design for print or digital use.
