Common Printing/Graphic Terms
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Absorption – The conversion of visible light
into a different form of energy as it interacts with matter, decreasing
the amount of light transmitted or reflected. The result is a modification
of the matters color.
Additive Color – An emissive color system used
in image capture and display in which the additive primaries, red, green,
and blue (RGB), are combined to form all other colors. When RGB light
comes together at 100%, the result is white (as in white light)
Addressable Resolution – Highest resolution that
can be achieved by the imaging mechanism of a scanner or printer in reproducing
an image. Also see optical resolution and interpolation.
Adobe Acrobat – Software for viewing and printing
files in Adobe’s Portable Document Format (PDF), which was created
so users can read documents without having the particular program or fonts
used to create it. Adobe’s PDF Writer and Acrobat Distiller are
programs for creating PDF files.
AI – file format which is recognized by Illustrator
software. These files are easily identified as they have ".ai"
as the extension in the file name.
Aliasing – Visual stair-stepping of edges that
occurs in an image when the resolution is too low for the size of the
output. Anti-aliasing is the removal or softening of the rough edges (or
jaggies) by averaging or blending of surrounding colors. See also jaggies.
Alpha – In an imaging program, color channels
in addition to those used for the primary colors (e.g., RGB, CMYK); usually
used for masking or controlling opacity.
Aspect Ration – The height-to-width measurement
of an image as displayed on a monitor. This can sometimes be altered when
using a software’s import/export feature and transferring an image
from one computer to another. Ration can also change with pixel size,
although most computers use a 1:1 aspect.
Attribute – A distinguishing characteristic. The
attributes of color are hue, lightness and saturation.
Anti-Aliasing – Process of mixing various amounts
of surrounding colors to create fill pixels, which helps eliminate jaggies
when enlarging low-resolution images.
Aqueous Inks – Inks that use water as a carrier.
Typically, aqueous inks use either dyes or pigments as colorants.
Backlighted (backlit) – Advertising structures
that house illumination in a box, casting light out through translucent
advertising printed on plastic, vinyl or heavy-duty paper. Used primarily
for high visibility at night.
Banding – A pattern of horizontal or vertical
lines that occurs in solid colors, continuous-tone tints, gradations or
images, instead of a smooth color or transition or colors. Banding can
appear on computer monitors when viewing images with less than 24-bit
information, or on printers due to a problem with the shape of the curve.
Bezier Curve – A type of curve defined by a line
and a point, used in computer drawing programs to create vector artwork
and type. Programs have 2 control points at ends of line segments used
to define the shape and curve.
Bitmap – Graphics constructed of individual pixels
arranged in specific patterns. Bitmap-image formats include, by filename
Al = Adobe Illustrator Encapsulated PostScript
BMP = Windows Bitmap
EPS = Encapsulated PostScript
GIF = Graphics Exchange Format
JPEG or JPG = Joint Photographic Experts Group
PCD = Kodak Photo CD
PCX = ZSoft Paintbrush Exchange
PDF = Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format
PICT, PCT = QuickDraw Picture Format
RTL = Hewlett Packard Bitmap Format
SCT = Scitex
TGA = Targa
TIF or TIFF = Tagged Image File Format
Black – The absence of light. A color produced
when an object ab-sorbs all wavelengths of light rather then reflecting
some of them, as other colors.
Black Generation – Addition of a black layer to
the process colors (cyan, magenta, yellow) when converting an RGB color
image to CMYK mode. Usually handled in one of four ways: short-range black,
used with camera/enlarger color separations made through colored filters;
long-range black, used in electronic scanners and color separation software;
UCR black; or GCR black.
Bleed – Printing an image past where the final
print will be trimmed, which allows color to extend all the Way to the
edges of the final print.
Blooming – A “digital overexposure”
caused by exposing a CCD element to too much light while scanning an image.
It can produce distortions of color and image detail.
BMP File – The file extension .bmp indicates a
Windows bitmap graphic.
Bounding Box – In PostScript page-description
language, a rectangle defining the area of an image. The area of an on-screen
image at its maximum X and Y axes measurements. Altering the bounding
box by moving its control points can change the shape or size of an image.
Bounding boxes allow scaling of graphics in page-layout soft-ware.
Brightness – The property of light reflectivity
in paper or emission on a computer screen. Paper brightness (R457) is
defined as reflectance of blue light at the 457-nm wavelength. On a scale
of 0-100%. Monitor brightness is measured in candelas per meter squared
(cd/m2). Media with different brightness levels can cause changes in the
appearance of colors, requiring adjustments in calibration.
Bulletins – Large billboards usually 14' x 48',
10'x 6" x 36', or 20' x 60'. When the method of reproduction is painted
directly on the sign face, the bulletin is called "paint" or
Calibration – Conformance of a device (scanner,
monitor, printer, measurement instrument) to known specifications. The
process of bringing all devices in a digital imaging system into conformance
with specification, in order to achieve accurate and consistent color
Camera Raw – An image file format for digital
cameras containing unprocessed data. Also called RAW (not an acronym)
or CCD-RAW, the format is proprietary and differs between camera makers
(and sometimes between models from one manufacturer). RAW image files
must be processed and converted to an RGB format before they can be manipulated
by a bitmap graphics editor, printed or displayed by a Web browser.
Carrier – Substance in which pigments in inks
are suspended. Aqueous, solvent and eco-solvent carriers evaporate after
printing. Mono-mers are considered carriers in UV-curing inks, but are
transformed into solid polymers after curing.
CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) – A sensor used in
digital input devices (scanners, cameras, measurement instruments) to
record images. These consist of an integrated circuit containing an array
of linked capacitors under the control of and external circuit.
Chromatic Adaptation – Ability of the human eye
to vary color perception under varying light by adjusting to the white
point of the illumination. Some colors look the same in different levels
of light. This ability is not held by reproductive techniques such as
Chromaticity – The quality of a color as determined
by its purity and dominant wavelength, which is relative to saturation
and hue as used in the HSV model.
Chrome – High-quality positive color film, ordinarily
shot by professionals. It includes 35-mm slides, 2 ¼” x 2
¼” medium-format film and 4” x 5” view-camera
transparencies. Chrome positives are often used for proofing.
Chrominance – The property of a color that describes
its saturation, intensity, or colorfulness, used in differentiating two
colors of equal brightness and hue.
CIE (commission Internationale de I’Eclairage) –
An international color-standards body based in Vienna, Austria. The CIE’s
chromaticity diagram is a two-dimensional reference for defining color
and color spaces based upon physiological measurements of human color
vision. An abbreviation for the CIE L*a*b* (CIELAB) color space.
Clean Color – Color made from one or two pigments,
usually of high saturation.
CLUT (Color Look-Up Table) – A digital color-processing
tool for converting color from one color space or device to another, such
as from RGB (scale, 0-255) to CMYK (0-100%)
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) – The
four process colors, which are used by output devices such as inkjet,
electrostatic and thermal transfer printers. Black is called “K”
because in process printing it is the key plate or keyline color. Mixed
to provide a color image; typically used in printing applications.
Color Calibration – Software and/or hardware that
coordinates the color match between two or more digital devices.
Color Curve – Visual control used in photo-illustration
and other graphics software to display color measurements and make tonal
chances to an image.
Colorimeter – An optical device that measures
absorbance of light by filtering reflected light into regions of red,
green and blue. While dedicated colorimeters do exist, most instruments
actually spectro-photometers that compute colorimetric values based on
spectral reflectance or transmittance curves.
Color Management – Refers to coordination of color
among input, display and output devices. In output, color management is
often handled on a device-by-device basis by imaging production software
(see RIP). In display and other tasks, coordination often comes via device-specific
software such as Apple ColorSync or Adobe Photo-shop.
Color Modes – Models of tones based upon different
coordinate values, such as; hue, luminance, and saturation (HLS); hue,
saturation and brightness (HSB); hue, saturation and value (HSV); red,
green and blue (RGB); and cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK).
Color Separation – Color separations consist of
artwork that has been split into component plates of cyan, magenta, yellow,
and black in preparation for process printing (CMYK) or into the required
number of plates for spot color printing. Each separation prints a single
process or spot color. Digital files can be composite separations (all
information in one file) or pre-separated (each color on its own page).
Color Space – Definition of color by theoretical
three-dimensional graphing. Colors are determined by plotting points using
particular values (such as red, green and blue). Used in most cases to
represent the range of variations of particular color combinations, such
as RGB or CMYK.
Color Specification – Numeric values used to specify
a color within a color system.
Color Theory – A set of basic rules for mixing
color to achieve a desired result.
Color Wheel – The colors of the visible spectrum
arranged in a circular fashion. A traditional wheel features 12 colors;
three primary, three secondary and six tertiary. Computer-based color
uses a wheel based on the RGB model, with the CMY model as the secondary
ColorSync – System-based color management software
developed by Apple Computer; manages the color between digital devices
by comparing each device’s color description to the standard CIE
Compression – In color management, gamut compression
refers to the ability of software to reduce the range of colors in an
image to that which can be reproduced on an output device. In image processing,
file compression refers to reducing the size of a file through and alternate
Continuous Inkjet – Process where ink is pumped
through inkjet printing nozzles at a steady pace. Droplets are either
shot onto a substrate/material, or electrically charged and deflected
away from the printable surface and into a collection system.
Continuous Tone – Method of printing in which
equally sized color dots are place in a variable-spaced pattern, creating
the effect of more natural color transitions.
Contour Cut – with print-and-cut digital-printing
device, the ability to cut around the outline of an image, both on the
outer borer and along any internal coded-loop borders.
Cutouts – Special productions or addition to the
face of a sign that are raised or extended beyond the border of the standardized
area. Cutouts can include letters or objects Used to achieve a three-dimensional
appearance (also called extensions or embellishments).
Delta-E (DE) – Measurement unit in a uniform
color space of the perceivable differences in color viewable by the human
eye. The first noticeable change is 1 DE. Delta-E measurement is used,
for example, by customers specifying and accepting color, and in manufacturer
guarantees of colorfastness.
Densitometer – Device used to measure light reflectance
from a substrate or transmittance through a film on a scale of 0-100%,
which is then converted to a logarithmic scale of 0-infinity (0-4 in practice)
to correspond with human vision (density = log 1/reflectance).
Device-Independent Color (DIC) – Color-matching
system based on a universal set of values, instead of being based on the
color gamut of one particular piece of equipment.
Dielectric Media – Specially treated substrate
that holds an electrical charge for direct printing by and electrostatic
Digital Printer – Printing device that is capable
of translating digital data into hardcopy output. Technologies employed
in digital printers include inkjet, thermal transfer, electrostatic and
Digital Contract Proof – A high-quality color
sample suitable for predicting color appearance on a lithographic press
or production printer, produced on a lower-cost inkjet, dye sublimation,
or other digital printer without the use of film.
Dithering – Process that simulates color variations
or shades of gray by varying the sized and shapes of pixel groupings,
rather than an ordered array of halftone dots. This reduces the contrast
between dots of different colors/shades and creates a more-flowing, natural
Dirty Color – Color made from three or more pigments.
Three third pigment functions to reduce the saturation or the color.
D-min/D-max – Measurement or the density range or a photo, transparency
film or printed sheet, indicating its ability to absorb light. On a scale
of 0-6, D-min has the lowest absorption (as white or clear), while D-max
has the highest.
DOD (Drop-On-Demand) – Printhead technology in
which inkjet nozzles fire ink only when color is needed instead of firing
ink continuously and being deflected away from the substrate when not
needed as in continuous inkjet systems.
Dot Gain – Effect produced when individual dots
in a halftone screen or other patterns print larger than their intended
size, resulting in darkening of a printed image. Sometimes referred to
as “tone value increase” in recognition of devices, like inkjet
printers, that don’t use conventional halftone dots.
Double Sided – Many banners and signs have imaging
printed on both sides of the material, as they will be viewed from either
side when installed. Certain substrates will allow this without "ghosting"
(the image from side being viewable from the other side).
DPI (Dots Per Inch) – Unit of measure use to describe
the printing resolution of and output device, or the printed resolution
of an output device, or the printed resolution of images, based on the
number of separate ink droplets representing either horizontally or vertically
in one inch. Also correlates to pixels per inch and samples per inch.
DPI is a significant influence on the size of an image file; a high DPI
indicates higher resolution.
Drum Scanner – Scanner where color prints or transparencies
are mounted to a rotation drum. A the drum spins, light from the image
enters a lens, where it is recorded by one or more photomultiplier tubes
(PMT tubes). Usually records more digital information than the CCD device,
allowing for better image manipulation and printing detail.
Dye – A colorant that dissolves in water. Vegetable-based
dyes are often use to produce non-outdoor-durable inks for large format
Dye Sublimation – Color printing technology that
creates a photo-graphic-quality image by delivering gaseous dyes to a
receiver material using a thermal transfer system usually involving transfer
paper and a heat press.
Dynamic Range – Measurable difference between
the brightest highlight (white) and the densest value that any system
can create; also the range of gray values that a system can reproduce.
Higher values show grater ability of a product to effectively contrast
high-lights and shadows.
Eco-Solvent Inks – A type of solvent ink that
employs a less-toxic carrier, generally dipropylene glycol monomethyl
ether. Printers using eco-solvent inks emit fewer harmful VOCs (volatile
organic com-pounds) than standard solvent inks.
Electrostatic Printer – Printing device based
on xerography (the process on which most paper copiers are based). Electrostatic
(also called e-stat) printers transfer toner resins or dyes from and eclectically
charged plate or writing nibs to the substrate, then thermally sets it.
Embedded Files – Pertains to Adobe Illustrator
files. Embedded artwork actually becomes part of the Illustrator document.
This can dramatically increase the size of the file and slow down processing
speed. It does ensure that an image will be included when you send the
file to be output.
Embedded Paths – Paths are hard-edged outline
objects within image that isolate portions of an image. Graphics exported
for use in other application can contain embedded paths which are often
used as clipping paths to remove backgrounds or create non-rectangular
shapes in page layout applications.
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) – An Adobe graphic
file format; allows different information, such as colors and fill patterns,
to be carried between software programs. Flies can include bitmap and
vector information, including low-resolution files for thumbnail pre-views.
Versions of this include variations from Adobe Illustrator (with .AI filename
extensions). EPS files hold both low-resolution view files and high-resolution
postscript image descriptions.
Equalization – Image-processing technique in which
the range of tones or colors in a file are expanded to produce a better
Error Diffusion – Screening technology used in
digital continuous-tone printers where fixed-sized dots are placed based
on image detail and tone values to enhance detail.
Expanded-Gamut Color – System in which additional
color (usually light cyan, light magenta, light yellow light black , green
and/or orange) are used to supplement CMYK in order to reproduce a greater
number of colors. Also see Hexachrome, hi-fi color.
Extensions – Method of extending the copy area
outside of the billboard frame (See cutouts).
Film Recorders (CRT & Drum) – A device used
to transfer digital files onto film materials at a higher photographic-quality
Flattened Image – In a flattened image, all visible
layers are merged into the background, greatly reducing file size. Flattening
an image discards all hidden layers and fills the remaining transparent
areas with white. In most cases, you won't want to flatten a file until
you have finished editing individual layers.
Flexible Face – Single sheet of flexible vinyl
with advertising message printed on one side. Also referred to as flex
Foil – Donor sheet of color used in thermal transfer
Four-Color Process – Any printing method that
utilizes the subtractive primaries (CMY) plus black (K) to create the
illusion of different colors.
Fully Wrapped Bus – Specially commissioned transit
display in which the entire vehicle, including windows, is covered with
the advertising design. Passengers have visibility out of the windows
due to special material.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) – Technically, FTP
is a language used to moved files; however, the term commonly refers to
the process of sending a file via FTP or to an FTP site. FTP is used as
opposed to HTTP, which is the language used to write web pages, The 'ftp'
or 'http' that precedes a web address tells a web browser which language
it should use when processing the request
Gamma – Slope of the line that represents image
output values versus image input values. Used to describe the contrast
of a monitor or scanner.
Gamma Correction – Non-linear tonal correction
that edits an image’s gamma curve.
Gamut – Slope of colors that can be reproduced
by a specific display or output device, or by a primary color system (such
as RGB or CMYK).
Gamut Compression – Reducing the color gamut of
and image so it can be displayed or output within the limits of a particular
Gradation – Steps of transition between two colors
between black and white. This is performed by progressively mixing percentages
of a dominant and secondary color in alternation. (Sometimes referred
to as “gradient.”)
GCR (Gray Component Replacement) – Color separation
process in which black ink is used to replace cyan, magenta, and yellow
(CMY) in mid-tome and highlight areas where the three inks overlap, in
order to reduce ink consumption and drying time. (Similar to UCR.)
GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) – An image format
type generated specifically for computer use its resolution is usually
very low (72 dpi, or that of your computer screen), Making it undesirable
for printing purposes.
Grommet – Metal rings which can be inserted along
the edges .of a banner/billboard to be used for installation purpose,
Hem: A process whereby vinyl is welded (not sewn), using intense heat
to seam tow or ore pieces of vinyl together.
Halftone – Process of reproducing an image using
a series of various sized dots within a fixed spacing, measured in lines
per inch (lpi).
Hexachrome – A type of hi-fi color system developed
by Pantone Inc. that used CMYK plus orange and green to extend the available
color gamut beyond ordinary CMYK in order to reproduce more PANTONE colors
without using individual spot-color inks.
Hi-Fi Color – Alternative printing process that
extends the tonal capabilities of printing presses. The system employs
stochastic screening and five-, six-, or seven-color printing to expand
the possible color gamut beyond that of traditional four-color process.
Highlight White – Printing application in which
white ink is used to enhance an image, sharpen colors or add contrast.
Hi Res – Refers to files which have a "high
resolution" DPI or 'dots per square inch" count
Histogram – Graphical display that represents
the distribution of tones within an image.
HLS (Hue, Saturation and Lightness) – A non-linear
color space (also called HSL or HIS) that defines color using a double
HSV (Hue, Saturation and Value) – A non-linear
transformation for the RGB color space often used in describing the characteristics
of how devices display color. The HSV model is also called HSB (Hue, Saturation,
Hue – The property of the color indicates the
color name, such as purple, blue, or green, that can be specified by particular
wavelengths or by CIE coordinates. It ranges from 0-360, but is normalized
to 0-100% in some applications.
Inkjet Printer – Device that drops liquid ink
onto a substrate for printing. A thermal inkjet heats ink to approximately
400 degrees F inside a small chamber before shooting it through a series
of nozzles. A piezo-based inkjet stores ink in a small chamber an sends
and electric charge through piezoelectric crystal lining the chamber to
shoot ink through the nozzles.
Intensity – Degree of saturation or reflection
of visible light.
Interpolation – Software technique used to increase
the size of an image file by creating more pixels, using mathematical
averaging to increase tonal value and apparent resolution.
Invariant Color – A color that is not altered
by a change in illumination.
Jaggies – The informal name for aliasing (visual
stair-stepping) in raster images that occurs when the resolution is too
JPEG/JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) –
Graphic file format designed for use with photographs and other color
bitmaps. The JPEG format uses a mathematical compression technique to
reduce file size by removing a user-selectable percentage of the images
data information. Usually used for compressing full-color or grayscale
images. Primarily used for screen and web display rather than printing
due to its low resolution.
King Size Bus Poster – Posters affixed to the
sides of public buses, with a copy area of 27" high by 141"
wide. Also known as "bus king".
L*a*b – Color space calculated with values of
lightness (L) and attributes of red-green (a) and yellow-blue (b). Most
commonly associated with CIE for a non-device-dependent coordination of
color. The two dimensional reference defines colors and color spaces based
upon physiological measurements of human color vision.
Layers – Pertains to Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
files. Layers are best described as sheets of acetate stacked one on top
of the other. Where there is no image on a layer, you can see through
to the layers below. All layers in a file have the same resolution and
have the same color characteristics.
Light Magenta/Light Cyan (Lm/Lc) – Muted or diluted
forms of two subtractive primaries which, when used with CMYK inks, enable
finer highlight detail, expands color gamut and provides a less noticeable
dot structure for more natural-looking continuous tone prints.
Line Screen – The frequency of dots in halftone
screen, used to define the density of the screen. A 133-line screen has
133 halftone dots per linear inch. The higher the number, the higher-quality
of detail reproduction.
Linear Scanner – Scanning device that uses a straight-line
array CCD. The linear array captures one line of the image at a time as
the CCD is moved over the entire image in steps.
Linearization – The process of calibrating the
time values on a scanner or printer to create evenly distributed tones
capable of rendering detail throughout an image.
Low Res – files which have a "low resolution"
DPI or "dots per square inch” count
Luminance – The lightness or brightness of an
LUT (Look-Up Table) – A digital image processing
tool for converting color data from on system to another (e.g., RGB color
to CMYK), including compensation for the output characteristics of a particular
device, in k and substrate. An example would be a LUT that corrects the
color balance for an output device to match the characteristics of a substrate
(i.e., appearance, absorbency, etc.).
Metamerism – A condition in which a color matches
under one light source but not another. The four types are Sample, Illuminant,
Ob-server and Geometric metamerism.
Microstepping – Process of moving media through
a printer in smaller-that-standard motions, which can improve dot gain
and density when printing solid areas on film positives.
Mild-Solvent Inks – Also known as light-solvent
inks. Similar to solvent inks in that they use cyclohexanone as a carrier,
but in greatly reduce concentrations. Printers using mild-solvent inks
emit fewer harmful VOCs than standard solvent inks.
Mirror – Reversing type or an image in a design.
This is often used in digital imaging to make transfer prints that are
applied backward to a material or backlit media that is viewed through
Mobile Billboard – A billboard mounted on a truck
or trailer that can become part of traffic flow, or remain parked at specific
Moiré Pattern – An interference pattern
created when two grids are unevenly spaced, conflicting or present overlapping
angles. Visual artifacting occurs between the dots of the different color
separations in halftone images.
Monomers – Chemical compound in UV-curing inks
that undergoes the process of polymerization and is transformed from a
liquid to a solid (polymer) state when exposed to UV radiation.
Network – Connection of computers with cables
and software constant, on-demand communication. With a network, several
computers can use or control software installed on a central computer,
or server, dedicated to one or a few functions.
Non-Illuminated Panel – A billboard panel not
equipped with lights. Also called a "regular".
On-Demand Color (ODC) – Term usually used in
short-run color printing. Processes include inkjet, electrostatic and
Opacity – Measurement of the resistance to light
passing through a substrate, on a scale of 0-100%, indicting the propensity
fro show-through of underlying type or images. This is computed by measuring
the density of the substrate over a black background and over a white
OPI (Open Prepress Interface) – PostScript operations
that allows for the use of low-resolution images as place holders during
design and setup of a printing job, that inserts the actual high-resolution
images when the job goes to output.
Optical Resolution – The maximum actual or “true”,
resolution of a device without the use of interpolation.
Overlay – Paper strip pasted over a section of
an existing poster, to show a price, a date, or other time-sensitive information.
Used inter-changeably with" snipe".
Overprint – Standard in process color, the placement
of one color over another to create varying tones and shades. Also used
with individual spot colors to create other colors (as with Gerber Scientifics’
thermal-transfer Spectratone foils).
Overprint White – Printing application in which
white ink is used as a background for reverse-printed transparent stocks,
such as back-lit images. White in this application should be somewhat
Page – Production area of a printer. Most plotters
have a limit of page size along the Y axis (usually a few inches less
than the width of the material) and the X axis (although most allow 1,000”
or more). Also called a panel.
Panel – Division of a job based on the production
area of a device, such as a plotter or printer. If the job size exceeds
the production area, different panel are set up by sign software, and
can be pro-duced by selecting individual panels. Also called tiling. Usually
refers to a billboard face, but can also refer to a single sign structure.
Pass – Describes the travel of a printhead across media in inkjet
printers with shuttling printheads. Each pass of the printhead in-creases
color density and resolution of the image.
PANTONE® Matching System – Numbering system
for identifying 3,000+ colors created through combinations of 14 primary
color inks. The Pantone company produces numerous color-matching systems
for standard print and computer applications.
PDF (Portable Document System) – Electronic document
format from Adobe Systems Inc. that allows the distribution of files across
platforms that can display a document as originally designed and formatted
– and, when fully developed, also allow printing – without
requiring the original software application or fonts on the viewing computer.
Permanent Bulletin – Advertisement or display
that remains at one location for the entire term of the advertiser's contract.
Phase-Change Printer – Printer that uses ink loaded
and kept in reservoirs as a solid, and then liquefied by heat for printing
onto a substrate.
Photo YCC – Standard developed by Eastman Kodak
Co. to define the color space for digital imaging in Photo CD and desktop
Piezo Inkjet – Inkjet printhead design using oscillations
of electrically stimulated piezoelectric crystals to force ink through
inkjet muzzles and onto substrates.
Pigment – A colorant that is suspended rather
than dissolved in an aqueous ink vehicle. The opposite of a dye. Pigmented
inks generally have greater outdoor durability and fate resistance than
dye-based inks, bur may not have as large a color gamut.
Pixel – A combination of the words “picture”
and “element,” denoting the smallest part of a picture that
can be located and placed as an element along the X and Y axes of a bitmap
or on the computer screen. A pixel can be monochrome or up to the pixel
depth available on your color system. Pixels are also used for identifying
screen or print resolutions, e.g. 72 pixels square inch.
PPI (Pixels-Per-Inch) – A measurement of the number
of pixels that will occur within the vertical and horizontal planes of
a one inch areas in a raster image. The higher the number, the grater
the resolution and maximum viewable size without aliasing.
Pixelization – Process that results when image pixels are simply
enlarged to increase image size, resulting in a lower PPI without increase
in detail, resulting in jaggies along diagonal edges.
Plug-Ins – Small, limited-purpose programs that
work with and add capabilities to larger graphics applications.
PMT (Photomultiplier Tubes) – Light detectors
used in drum scanners. PMTs usually accept four beams of light –
one each fro red, green and blue, plus one for image sharpness. Usually
considered to be more sensitive and accurate then CCD by having greater
Pocket – Pockets are a finishing technique whereby
the edges if the banner are turned around to the back-side of the vinyl,
etc. and either welded or sewn so that there is an open "loop"
at the edge(s) of the banner. This allows the banner to be suspended from
the top sides, or held in place at the bottom. Pockets can be produced
in different sizes depending on installation needs.
Pole Pockets – Similar to pockets but typically
refer to the type of pocket used for billboards. They are usually 3"
in depth, and are used by outdoor companies to literally insert a pole
through, which is then secured to the structure using hooks and ratchet
Polymer – Stable chemical compound or mixture
or compounds consisting essentially of repeated structural units. Monomer-based
UV-curing inks, once cured, become a solid.
Posterization – Process of reducing the number
of colors in an image. Used to aid in speeding the RIP process for solid-color
images, it can greatly affect specific color integrity.
PostScript – Graphics language that creates vector-based
images that, by computer code, allows for proportional scaling. It makes
most scalable type and artwork possible for Windows- and Macintosh-based
Preflighting – Process of checking a graphic file
for potential problems before a sending it for final output, essentially
to find font, color and other problems.
Primary Colors – Color that cannot be created
by missing other color in the gamut of a given color space, but can be
mixed to create other color combinations within the space, red, green,
and blue (RGB) are additive primaries of emitted light, while cyan, magenta
and yellow (CMY) are subtractive primaries of reflected light. Black (K)
is added to CMY to produce denser, truer black images.
Printhead – The device in an inkjet printer that
sprays droplets of ink onto the substrate. Printheads contain nozzles
(grouped by color), and typically shuttles back and forth across the substrate
as ink drop-lets are forced out on the nozzles.
Print On Demand – Term that applies to a variety
of short-run publishing processes that include copier technologies and
Process Color – Cyan, magenta, yellow and black
(CMYK), combined in a matching system to recreate thousands of colors
in offset and direct digital printing.
Queen Size Bus Poster – Posters affixed to the
sides of public buses with a copy area of 27" x 85".
Queue – Electronic holding area, usually in random-access
memory (RAM) or on a hard drive, where data waits before being sent to
a printer for output. Synonymous with spooler.
RAM (Random Access Memory) – The high-speed portion
of a computer’s data storage that is held on special chips for use
in cur-rent applications procedures. RAM is said to be a volatile if the
stored information is lost when power is disrupted.
RAS (Remote Access Server) – A server that allows
access to various arranged computers through modems.
Raster Image – An image comprised of a collection
of pixels ar-ranged in a rectangular array. The image us displayed as
a series of lines of dots, as opposed to 'vector image",
Rasterization – Translating data to a specific
bitmap pattern for use by a digital printing device.
Real-Time – The concept of seeing actions on a
computer screen as through the activity were happening at a natural pace.
As in “real-time proofing”.
Reflective – When referring to color, the ability
of a surface to return some or all of the wavelengths of light that strike
Resampling – Changing the resolution of a bitmap
image file without altering the image’s physical size.
Resin Transfer – Method of creating a color using
resin-based polymers on a donor sheet, called ribbon (or Foil), and printing
to a substrate using the thermal transfer method. The resin colors are
fused onto normally resilient materials such as vinyl, creating a more-permanent
image and waterfastness and UV protection.
Resize – Change of reproduction size. Files can
generally be resized so prints can be made smaller or larger. Significant
up-sizing often results in jaggies, but an adjustment of up to 20% is
Resolution – The number of pixels or samples per
inch in a device is capable of recognizing or producing, measured in horizontal
columns (width) by vertical rows (height). Megapixels can be calculated
by multiplying pixel-columns with pixel-rows. Resolution is a measure
of the detail in an image; the higher the resolution the higher the amount
of detail and the bigger the file size.
RGB (Red, Green and Blue) – The three additive
colors used by monitors and scanners for transferring and representing
color data. The rule of thumb in imaging is that input and display are
in RGB, while output is done in CMYK. RGB is typically used in video display
RIP (Raster Image Processor) – Software and/or
hardware used to convert data to bitmap information for processing on
a PostScript printer or other digital device. This computer-calculation-intensive
process determines 360,000 combinations and color placements to print
every square inch of a 300 DPI image using CMYK process colors. Each process
color is a color separation. This action is referred to as RIPing or Rasterization.
Samples Per Inch – Unit of measure use to describe
the input resolution of a device, such as a scanner or camera, in one-linear-inch
increments. Each data point in a RGB capture includes separate red, green
and blue calculations.
Sampling – A computer process that selects the
best pieces of capture data for representation. While 24-bit scanners
use sampling to select the eight most-accurate bits each of red, green
and blue, 30-bit scanners take the best 10 per color.
Saturation – The intensity of a specific hue,
based on the color’s purity, measured from 0-100% in the HSV color
model. Highly saturated hues have vivid color, while less saturated hues
Scan – Process whereby a hard copy image, typically
a photograph or other artwork, is electronically converted to a digital
file using a scanner. This process captures the image, as well as the
color characteristics of the original and allows the image to be inserted
into electronic documents.
Screen Angles – In half-tone printing, the geometric
intervals at which halftone screens are placed to eliminate the appearance
of moiré on a print. Usually, these are back at 45 degrees, magenta
at 75 degrees, yellow at 90 degrees and cyan at 105 degrees.
Screening – Method for positioning dots for reproduction
of an image by a printer. The two basic methods are halftone, where dots
of varying sizes are placed in an exact evenly spaced order; and stochastic,
where small dots of the same size are placed in a random-looking variable-spaced
distribution on an image. Halftone is also know as amplitude modulation
(AM), and stochastic as frequency modulated (FM).
Secondary Color – A color made by mixing two primary
colors in a given space.
Sequence – Order in which inks are deposited by
a printing device. For example, CMKY inkjets use a sequence of yellow,
magenta, cyan and black (Y/M/C/K) for actual printing.
Server – Computers used for limited tasks. In
networks, servers may act as a hub for storing programs used by different
workstation computers, and can act as the sole machine for RIP purposes
in large-format color printing.
Shadow Point – The darkest and densest tone in
an image that is not black; all tonal values beyond this threshold are
Sharpen – Process in imaging-editing software
to improve contrast of tones within an image. This can be a universal
(all tone) operation or target specific areas of an image.
Single-Pass Printing – Inkjet printing process
that uses arrays of stationary printhead clusters (also called “color
bars”) instead of a shuttling printhead. The substrate passes beneath
printhead arrays in a single pass. Not yet commonly applied to wide format
Snipe – Small added strip of paper or vinyl pasted
over a section of a billboard advertisement, showing a price, a date,
or other time-sensitive information; synonymous with overlay.
Solvent Inks – Inks that use a solvent, generally
cyclohexanone , as a carrier and are commonly used for printing onto vinyl,
as they offer good outdoor durability. Printers using solvent-based inks
emit VOCs and should be ventilated.
Spectrophotometer – A color measurement device
using the distinct wavelength (spectral) values of light to indicate a
spectral reflectance, emittance or transmittance curve along the visible
spectrum (380-720 nm). A more sophisticated device than a colorimeter.
Spooler – Area where data used in printing is
held before going to the printing device. Can be a specific part of a
computer’s random-access memory (RAM) or its hard drive. See Queue.
Spot Colors – Color times used independently in
a printed piece for a specific need (i.e., Coca-Cola’s shade of
red), or in overlapping combinations (including those with process colors).
Spot White – An application in which white ink
is used as an independent color (usually for printing text on a non-white
Stochastic Screening – Screening process that
conveys the tone of a screened image by varying the number and location
of same-sized dots as opposed to varying the size of dots within rigid
Substrate – In the billboard industry, the fabric
or material on which an advertisement is printed. Common substrates are
flexible vinyl, canvas, mesh, paper and translucent materials.
Subtractive Colors – A reflective color system
used in printing, in which the subtractive primaries, cyan, magenta and
yellow (CMY), are used to create all other color. When CMY are combined
at 100%, black is produced. Most printing systems use a separate black
(K) pigment to reduce in cost.
Super King Bus Posters – Posters affixed to the
sides of public buses with largest transit format: 30" x 240".
Support Files – Support files are elements such
as pictures, fonts, color characteristics and graphics that are included
in the final image.
SWOP (Specifications for Web Offset Printing) –
Formulations of inks used in web-offset presses; inks following these
standards form the basis for color-matching systems such as Pantone. Different
components of SWOP inks, such as those with fluorescence, expand the color
gamut beyond the effective range of many digital printers, however.
Tertiary Colors – Created by combining a primary
color with an adjacent secondary color.
Thermal Inkjet – Inkjet printhead technology where
inks are heated in a chamber located above the printhead to a temperature
greater than the boiling point of the liquid. Heat changes the characteristics
of the fluid, causing it to expand and be expelled through the printhead
nozzle and onto the substrate. Sometimes called “bubble-jet.”
Thermal Transfer – Printing technology that uses
heat to deposit dyes or resins from a donor sheet (often called foil)
onto a receiver material.
Thermal Wax – Phase-change technology in which
color are harbored in waxes and melted as needed for inkjet deposit on
a receiver material.
TIFF (Tag Image File Format) – A document format
developed by Aldus, Microsoft and leading scanner vendors as a standard
for color or grayscale graphics, including scanned images. The quality
of the image is determined by its DPI.
Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) – Pigment used to make
white inks (both UV-curing and eco-solvent). TiO2 molecules are dense
and heavy and have only recently been use in digital printing applications.
Tolerance – The amount of acceptable difference
between a known standard and a measured sample.
Transit Advertising – Advertising media appearing
on the exterior or interior of public transportation vehicles or stations
(buses, trains, commuter rail, subways, platforms, terminals, etc.)
Transit Shelter Display – Advertising panels that
are an integral part of a freestanding covered structure located at bus
stops, usually with 24-hour illumination.
TURMATCH – Color matching system bearing the name
of its developing company. They system uses CMYK color values.
UCR (Under Color Removal) – Color separation
process in which black ink is used to replace cyan, magenta and yellow
(CMY) in shadow areas where the three inks overlap, since black (K) in
the combination of CMY. (Similar to GCR.)
Underbase White – Printing application in which
a solid field of white ink that is laid down to be over-printed with and
image, as when printing onto a non-white surface.
UV-curing – Printing process in which a lamp emitting
ultra violet (UV) rays is used to transform monomer-based liquid inks
(deposited onto a substrate) into polymer-based solid inks. Commonly used
process in many digital flatbed printers.
Value – Indicates the lightness or darkness of
a color in relation to a neutral gray scale. The HSV color model uses
a scale of 0-100% representing pure white.
Vector Image – A computer image that used geometrical
primitives (such as points, line, polygons and Bezier curves) to produce
mathematical descriptions of paths for the graphic.
Viewing Booth – Enclosed area with controlled
lighting that creates a stable environment for evaluation proofs and other
printed materials and reduces the influence of metamerism.
Viscosity – The term used to describe the degree
of fluidity of a liquid. Regarding inks, a high viscosity indicates a
thicker ink; a low viscosity indicates a more fluid ink.
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) – Petroleum-based
chemical compounds with high vapor pressure and low water solubility (evaporate
easily) commonly found in industrial solvents, including those used as
carriers in solvent-based inks. VOCs are considered toxic, and airborne
VOCs are federally regulated in some industries.
VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) – Storage chips
in a computer that are devoted exclusively to the display of images on
a monitor. Increased VRAM allows displays to redraw or refresh an image
at closer intervals.
Walking – Process of changing the charge levels
of the printing nibs of an electrostatic printer. Adjusting to a lesser
charge level, or walking down, an electrostatic printer reduces dot gain
with overlapping images while printing and enables better color matching.
Wall Bulletin – Large mural or display on the
exterior wall of a building. Also called a wallscape.
Wax Transfer – Method of heating a colored was
material and printing it onto vinyl. The wax colors rest on the vinyl,
creating a less-permanent image on the material.
White Point – The lightest tone discernable in
an image; all values paler than this threshold appear as white.
YCC – Color space developed by Eastman Kodak
that defines colors by luminance (Y) and two levels of chrominance (C
Zip – To reduce file size by using compression
algorithm programs such as PKZIP or WinZIP.
Zoom – Making an image or image part become larger
(zooming in) or smaller (zooming out) as it appears on the monitor. A
lens that changes magnification.
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