Can You Speak Print?

We know printing can be confusing at times, so here's a guide to many of the terms we commonly use.

Now you can speak print, do get in touch if we can help at all with your next project.

	Bleed – Ink that extends beyond the intended trim area to ensure no blank paper is showing.
	Crop Marks – Lines on paper that define the print area, and where to trim for the final printed size.
	Finishing – Processes including cutting, binding, laminating, or folding to complete the final product.
	CMYK – Colour model using Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (another word for black) inks for full colour printing.
	RGB – Red, Green Blue – the colour you see on your screen when designing for print. CMYK is used to print it.
	Artwork – Simply another word for the design or images to be printed.
	Font – A set of characters with a specific typeface, size and style for text representation.
	Crease – A fold or ridge formed on paper or card by bending or applying pressure.
	Finished Size – The final size of a printed piece of work after trimming or binding is complete.
	Gutter – The space between facing pages in a printed or bound material, usually at the spine.
	Proofing – The Process of reviewing and confirming a version of the print or design before final production.
	Perfect Binding – A binding method were individual pages are glued to the spine and cover to create a booklet.
	GSM – Grams per Square Metre – Measures paper weight and thickness. The higher the GSM, the thicker the paper.
	Laminating – The process of sealing paper by applying thin plastic film to paper for protection and durability.