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Plain-language definitions of the words you meet when ordering print, from bleed and CMYK to binding and proofs. Pick a group below, or jump straight to a term.
The part of the artwork that runs past the trim line so no white edge shows if the cut shifts a little. Backgrounds and images that reach the edge need it.
Read the guide: Bleed, safe zone and the trim line — what is the difference? · How to add bleed to a print file in any app
The line where the sheet is cut to its final size. Everything outside it is trimmed away.
Read the guide: Bleed, safe zone and the trim line — what is the difference?
An inner margin inside the trim line where text and logos should stay. It keeps important content from being cut or sitting too close to the edge.
Read the guide: Bleed, safe zone and the trim line — what is the difference?
Thin lines printed outside the page corners that show the cutter where to trim. They sit in the margin and are cut off with it.
How many dots or pixels fit in an inch of an image. The higher the number at the final size, the sharper the print; low values look soft or blocky.
Read the guide: Image resolution for print: how many dpi do you really need?
Artwork built from lines and curves defined by math, such as logos. It stays sharp at any size.
An image made of a grid of pixels, such as a photo. It has a fixed resolution and loses sharpness when enlarged.
Read the guide: Image resolution for print: how many dpi do you really need?
A file format that keeps layout, fonts and images together in one file. It is the usual format for sending artwork to a printer.
Read the guide: How to export a print PDF from Canva, Word, PowerPoint and InDesign · Canva PDF for print — how to download it right
Fonts stored inside the PDF itself, so the text looks the same on every computer even if the font is not installed there.
Read the guide: How to export a print PDF from Canva, Word, PowerPoint and InDesign
Turning letters into drawn shapes so the font is no longer needed. The text can no longer be edited as text afterwards.
Everything done to a file between design and the press: checking, adjusting, laying out sheets and making proofs.
A check of a file for common problems before printing, such as low resolution, missing bleed or missing fonts. It reports what it finds.
Read the guide: How to prepare a print file: a checklist before you send
The four inks most presses use: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Artwork meant for print is normally set up in CMYK.
Read the guide: Color in print: RGB, CMYK, spot colors and rich black
The red, green and blue light used by screens. Some bright screen colors cannot be reproduced with ink, so they look duller on paper.
Read the guide: Color in print: RGB, CMYK, spot colors and rich black
A specific ink mixed in advance for one exact color, often named from a Pantone swatch book. It is used for brand colors that must match closely.
Black made from black plus other inks for a deeper look on large areas. Small text is usually kept to plain black.
The total amount of ink laid down in the darkest spot of the page, shown as a percentage. Very high coverage can dry slowly and smudge.
Read the guide: Color in print: RGB, CMYK, spot colors and rich black
Printing one ink on top of another instead of cutting a hole in the one below. Used on purpose, or by mistake, it changes how colors mix.
Soft shadows, fades and see-through objects in a design. Some older workflows handle them badly, so they are worth checking in the proof.
How heavy a sheet is, in grams per square meter. Higher numbers mean thicker, stiffer paper.
Paper with a thin surface layer that keeps ink on top, giving sharper images and richer color. It comes in matte and gloss.
Paper with no surface layer. It feels natural and is easy to write on, but absorbs more ink, so colors look softer.
Two surface looks. Gloss is shiny and makes colors pop; matte is flat, calm and easier to read under bright light.
A thin plastic film bonded to the printed sheet to protect it and add a matte or gloss feel. Often used on covers and cards.
A clear coating applied over the whole sheet or only on chosen areas. Spot UV adds raised shine to details such as a logo.
Pressing the paper to raise a shape or letters above the surface. Debossing presses them in instead.
Pressing a thin metallic or colored foil onto the paper with heat. It gives a shiny finish in gold, silver or other shades.
Cutting paper into a special shape with a custom-made blade, such as rounded corners or a window.
Pressing a groove along a fold line so thick paper bends cleanly without cracking the ink.
Bending the printed sheet along planned lines, for example in half, in three like a letter, or in a zigzag.
A large sheet printed with several pages and folded to make a block of pages. Booklets are built from signatures.
Read the guide: Booklet page count — why it must be a multiple of 4
Arranging pages on the press sheet so that after printing, folding and cutting they end up in the right order and orientation.
Binding with staples through the fold line. It suits thinner booklets, and the page count must be a multiple of four.
Read the guide: Booklet page count — why it must be a multiple of 4
Pages glued at the spine inside a wrapped cover, like a paperback book. It suits thicker books and gives a flat spine you can print on.
A wire or plastic coil threaded through punched holes. The book opens fully flat, which suits notebooks and manuals.
A book bound in a stiff board cover wrapped in paper or cloth. Durable and premium, but slower and costlier to make.
A booklet whose cover is printed on the same paper as the inside pages, instead of a separate heavier cover.
Two facing pages seen together as one wide view. Designs that cross the middle fold need extra care at the center.
The total number of pages in a booklet or book. Folded work needs set multiples, so the count may have to be rounded up with blank pages.
Read the guide: Booklet page count — why it must be a multiple of 4
A sample or preview of the job shown before the full run, so mistakes can be caught while changing them is still cheap.
A proof shown on screen or as a PDF rather than printed on paper. Screens differ, so it shows layout and content more reliably than exact shade.
The customer's confirmation that the proof is correct and printing may start. After approval, errors that remain are usually the customer's.
Printing from metal plates through a rubber blanket onto paper. It is economical and consistent for medium and large runs.
Printing straight from a digital file with no plates. Good for short runs, quick turnaround and personalized pieces.
Printing on wide rolls or boards for banners, posters and signs. It is read from a distance, so lower resolution is often acceptable.
The number of copies ordered in one job. Price per piece usually falls as the run grows.
Extra copies printed beyond the ordered quantity to cover setup and damaged sheets. A small margin above or below the order is normal.
Several different jobs placed on one press sheet to share paper and setup. It lowers cost when jobs use the same stock.
The sheet that travels with a job and lists what to produce: size, paper, quantity, finishing and deadline.
A written price offer for a job with its specifications. It stays valid only for the specifications it lists.