Printing Terms – Glossary of Key Concepts
Discover essential printing terms and definitions used in professional print production. This guide helps you understand printing processes, materials, and techniques for both offset and digital printing.
Apla
In printing, apla refers to a full sheet print. The sheet background is uniformly covered with one color at exactly 100% ink density. The opposite of apla is a raster.
Creasing (Bigowanie)
Creasing is the process of pressing paper using a rounded printing knife, called a crease. These knives are installed in a die-cutting matrix made of plywood. Creasing is essential for thick offset papers above 200g for aesthetic reasons.
Plate (Blacha)
A plate is a matrix installed in offset machines to produce prints.
CMYK
CMYK represents the four primary process colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black). These colors are used in computer graphics and print production. “K” can also refer to Key color or Carbon.
Custom Publishing
Custom publishing is a marketing approach where printing companies deliver personalized materials to clients. Its main goals are attracting new customers, building loyalty, and strengthening brand identity.
Densitometer
A densitometer measures the optical density of reflected or transmitted light to maintain color accuracy.
DTP
Desktop Publishing (DTP) is the preparation of print materials using computer software, including layout design, prepress setup, and plate production.
Printing (Druk)
Printing is the process of repeatedly transferring a printing form onto a substrate, usually paper. Each copy or impression is commonly referred to as a print.
EPS
EPS is a file format created by Adobe Systems, written in PostScript. It can include an entire page with Bezier curves, fonts, or bitmaps.
Folding (Falcowanie)
Folding is bending or folding paper sheets to achieve the final format for brochures or booklets. Sheets enter folding machines with cassettes that create one or more folds.
Laminating (Foliowanie)
Laminating covers paper sheets with a plastic film for aesthetics and protection against mechanical, chemical, or UV damage. Methods include cold lamination using glue or hot lamination with heated cylinders.
Vector Graphics
Vector graphics consist of geometric objects like lines, curves, and polygons. Each object has parameters such as thickness, color, and fill.
Paper Weight (Gramatura)
Paper weight is the mass of 1 m² of paper, fabric, or plastic sheets. It indirectly affects the thickness of the sheet.
Imposition (Impozycja)
Imposition is the electronic arrangement of objects, brochures, or posters on a printing sheet, including necessary marks for printing and finishing.
ISBN & ISSN
ISBN (International Standard Book Number) identifies books or brochures. ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) identifies serial publications. Both are registered in Poland by the National Library.
Kaszerowanie
Kaszerowanie is gluing printed paper onto a rigid substrate, like solid or corrugated cardboard. Commonly used for calendar heads.
Mockup (Makieta)
A mockup is a graphic layout of a publication used as a template for page design and formatting.
Moiré
Moiré is an unwanted pattern in printing caused by overlapping or misaligned raster grids. It often occurs during scanning or reproduction of halftone prints.
Printing Setup (Narząd)
Printing setup includes mounting CTP plates, applying ink, aligning colors, and setting ink flow, often verified through test prints.
Binding (Oprawa introligatorska)
Binding is finishing multi-page publications, connecting the inner pages to a cover. It applies to magazines, books, calendars, notebooks, and sketchpads.
Pantone
Pantone is a color system where each color has a unique number. Colors may differ from CMYK or RGB equivalents.
Registration Mark (Paser)
Registration marks align multiple colors on the sheet. Each color contains a mark in the same position, usually at the sheet margin.
PDF files, created by Adobe Systems, can include entire publications or pages. Viewing or reproducing them requires software like Adobe Acrobat or a RIP interpreter.
Printing Industry (Poligrafia)
Printing is the technical process of producing prints. Modern printing is industrial, preparing forms and graphics for mass reproduction. “Poligrafia” in Greek means “writing multiple times.”
Portfolio & Proof
A portfolio is a collection of works by an artist or printing agency. A proof is a digital print used as a color reference, produced on calibrated equipment simulating halftone patterns.
Raster
A raster is an image composed of single-tone dots.
Color Conversion (Rozbawienie)
Color conversion is changing composite color data from one model (e.g., RGB) to another (e.g., CMYK). In printing, it is often called Cmyk-ing.
Folded Sheet (Składka)
A folded sheet is a printed paper or cardboard sheet folded one or multiple times to the final format.
Bleed (Spad)
Bleed is the part of a printed sheet that extends beyond the final trim format. It prevents white edges after cutting.
Die Cutting (Sztancowanie)
Die cutting uses a die with embedded blades to cut shapes in paper or other substrates. It allows creating complex forms not possible with a guillotine.
Tinta
Tinta refers to a small area of ink coverage, usually a light application of color.
Impression (Użytek)
An impression is the part or copy of a work printed on a sheet. Large format machines (A1, B1) can include multiple impressions per sheet.
Cut Marks (Znaczniki cięcia)
Cut marks indicate where the sheet should be trimmed. They show the final net format of the sheet.
Color Swatch (Wzornik kolorów)
A color swatch is a printed sample used by printers and designers to reproduce a specific ink color. Pantone is the most common system. Screen colors may slightly differ from printed results.