Glossary
This glossary covers the key terms you’ll encounter when working with offset printing, book manufacturing, and custom game production. Each term links to a detailed article in our Printing Academy where you can learn more.
B
Barcodes — Black and white bars that hold information about your project, including price. The standard retail barcode for books is the EAN-13 format (managed by GS1), which encodes the ISBN as a scannable bar pattern.
Binding — The assembly of separate pages into a finished book or booklet by adhering the edges together by smyth sewing, gluing, or stapling. Binding quality is governed by ISO 11800:1998 and the BMI MSST specification.
Bleed — The area past the trim line used to conceal cutting variances for artwork that extends to the edge of the page. Standard bleed is 0.125″ (3mm) on all sides.
Board Books — Special type of children’s book that uses thick paperboard (greyboard) pages laminated with printed art paper. Pages are typically 2–3mm thick. See our board book guide.
Book Block — The assembled stack of folded, collated signatures before binding. The book block is what gets trimmed, bound, and cased (for hardcovers) or wrapped in a cover (for softcovers).
C
Case Binding — Binding method for hardcover books, with a cover made from rigid boards (typically 2–3mm greyboard) wrapped in printed paper or cloth. The book block is attached to the case via endsheets.
CMYK — The four color values used in offset printing: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (also known as “key”). These four inks are combined in varying percentages to reproduce the full color spectrum. Color targets are specified in ISO 12647-2:2013.
Collation — The process of organizing pages together in number order to produce a book body. See our detailed collation guide.
Color Bar — A strip of colors printed in the trim area of a parent sheet that press operators use to verify color balance and ink density during the press run.
Color Variance — Slight differences in color between runs and within a run that is inherent in the offset printing process. Acceptable variance is measured as ΔE (Delta E) — a perceptual color difference metric. ISO 12647-2 specifies a maximum ΔE of 5 for process colors.
Copyright — A protection of your original work of authorship. In the U.S., works are automatically copyrighted upon creation, but registration with the U.S. Copyright Office provides additional legal protections.
Computer-To-Plate (CTP) — Plate producing technology that uploads images to a software application that outputs images directly onto a printing plate using lasers, eliminating the need for traditional film negatives.
Creep — In saddle-stitched booklets, the phenomenon where inner pages extend slightly past outer pages when folded. Imposition software compensates with shingling (progressively shifting inner pages inward).
D
Debossing — Using high pressure on paper to give a “sunken in” look in order to emphasize parts of a design with texture and depth. The reverse of embossing.
Die Cutting — A specialty feature that creates unique shapes with steel blades that cut through paper. Used to produce punch-out tokens, custom-shaped cards, window cutouts, and packaging.
Digital Offset — A type of printing press or method of printing utilizing key features from both digital printing and offset printing, combining the quality of offset with the short-run flexibility of digital.
Dot Gain — The tendency of halftone dots to spread and enlarge when ink hits paper, making printed images appear darker than the digital original. Coated papers exhibit less dot gain (~12–15%) than uncoated papers (~18–22%). Printers compensate with calibrated color curves per ISO 12647-2.
Duties — Import fees charged based on the contents of your shipment, transportation mode, and destination. Printed books (HS code 4901) enter the U.S. duty-free under the Florence Agreement.
E
Electronic Proof — File review by a pre-press expert who generates a PDF proof with printer’s marks for client approval before the project goes to press.
Embossing — Raising parts of a sheet of paper with high pressure in order to emphasize parts of a design with texture and depth. Often combined with foil stamping for a premium effect.
F
Folio — A single sheet of paper folded once, creating 4 pages (2 leaves). Also refers to page numbers in a finished book.
French Fold — A cover format with flaps that fold inward, giving a softcover book the premium feel of a dust-jacketed hardcover. See our french fold guide.
G
Gloss — A coating that adds a reflective shine to paper. Gloss lamination provides the highest durability and color vibrancy.
Greyboard — Dense, rigid recycled paperboard (also called chipboard) used as the core material for game boards, tokens, hardcover cases, and board books. Thickness measured per TAPPI T 411.
GSM (Grams per Square Meter) — The international paper weight measurement system per ISO 536:2019. Unlike the U.S. basis weight system (which varies by paper grade), GSM is consistent and directly comparable across all paper types.
H
Halftone — The technique of reproducing continuous-tone images using a grid of dots that vary in size. The dots are too small to see individually, creating the illusion of tonal range. Commercial printing typically uses 150 lpi (lines per inch) halftone screens.
Hard Copy Proof — Printed pages of your project using the same materials as your final product to produce an example before printing. The most accurate way to preview the finished result.
Hot Foil Stamping/Sequential Foil Numbering — Specialty options that use heat to transfer metallic foil onto a printed sheet. Available in gold, silver, copper, holographic, and custom colors.
I
Image Setter — Compartment found in the computer-to-plate machine where laser beams bounce off mirrors onto the plate to output the image.
Imposition — A custom layout that fits as many pages as possible on a single parent sheet to decrease waste. Determines page position, rotation, and margins so pages read in correct order after folding.
Impression Cylinder — A rotating cylinder in the press machine that applies pressure to paper as ink is being rolled onto the surface.
Ink Fountain — Fountains in the printing press that distribute ink onto a roller. Each CMYK color has its own ink fountain and roller train.
ISBN (International Standard Book Number) — A 13-digit identifier for books, governed by ISO 2108:2017. Required for retail distribution, library cataloging, and online sales. See our ISBN guide.
L
Lamination — A film applied to a printed sheet to protect the printed surface. Comes in gloss (high reflectivity), matte (soft, reduced glare), and soft-touch (velvety texture) varieties.
Library Placement — Distribution technique where your books are circulated through libraries. Requires an ISBN and usually an LCCN (Library of Congress Control Number).
Linen Finish — A cross-hatch texture pressed into the printed surface using steel press plates that replicate a fabric pattern. Commonly used on playing cards (improves airflow during shuffling) and game boards (hides minor wear).
M
Manufacturing Variance — Very slight differences between copies within a print run, inherent in the offset printing process. Includes minor color shifts, trim position variance (±1mm is typical), and registration tolerance.
Matte — A coating that gives a soft, non-reflective finish to paper. Reduces glare for comfortable reading but can show fingerprints and scuff marks.
N
Nick — In die-cutting, the tiny uncut connection point (typically 0.3–0.5mm) that holds a punch-out token in place within its sheet. Designed to break cleanly when the token is pushed out by hand.
O
Offset Printing — High quality printing method where ink is transferred from etched aluminum plates to a rubber blanket cylinder, then onto paper. The indirect (“offset”) transfer produces sharp, consistent results. The dominant commercial printing process worldwide.
Opacity — How much light passes through a sheet of paper, measured as a percentage per TAPPI T 425. Higher opacity (90%+) prevents text and images from showing through the reverse side.
P
Pagination — The process of arranging pages for a book.
Pantone Matching System — A universal color matching system that is categorized by numbers. Pantone spot colors are pre-mixed inks that produce colors outside the CMYK gamut, ensuring exact color matches across print runs and locations.
Paper Coating — A coating applied during paper manufacturing for appearance purposes such as gloss, matte, or uncoated. Coating affects ink absorption, color vibrancy, and writability.
Paper Finishes — Liquid applied after the printing process to provide protection for ink such as varnish, lamination, or aqueous coating.
Paper Weight — The thickness of paper stock. Measured in pounds (basis weight) in the U.S. or GSM (grams per square meter) internationally per ISO 536.
Parent Sheets — Large pre-cut sheets of paper that are fed one at a time into a sheet-fed printing press. Typical sizes accommodate 8–32 pages per side.
PDF/X-1a — The print industry standard PDF format, defined by ISO 15930-4. Requires CMYK-only color, embedded fonts, and flattened transparency — eliminating the most common prepress errors.
Perfect Binding (softcover) — Binding method used for trade paperbacks and softcover books, where the spine edge of the book block is milled and adhesive-bonded to a wraparound cover, producing a flat, printable spine.
Plates — Thin aluminum sheets with a photosensitive coating, exposed with laser (CTP) to create the printing image. One plate per CMYK color, per side of each parent sheet.
Print-On-Demand (POD) — Digital printing methodology that prints books on an as-needed basis, eliminating inventory. Higher per-unit cost than offset but no minimum quantity.
PrePress — Everything in the production of a print project that happens before the project goes to press (file review, proofing, imposition, plate manufacturing).
Printer’s Marks — Marks placed on your digital files or printed sheets that determine different elements such as trim, center, registration, and color bars.
Printing Press — Machine that uses a series of plates that transfer ink onto sheets of paper. Modern sheet-fed presses can print up to 18,000 sheets per hour.
Proofs — A presentation of your file’s quality either digitally (PDF proof) or as a printed hard copy for final approval before the press run begins.
R
Registration — The process of precisely lining up CMYK colors so that their overlap produces one single color. Misregistration creates visible color fringing on edges and text.
RGB — Color model where red, green, and blue light are used to create a variety of colors. RGB is the native color model for screens — files must be converted to CMYK before printing.
RIP (Raster Image Processor) — Software that converts digital files (PDFs, images) into the precise dot patterns that control the printing press. The RIP calculates halftone screens, manages color separations, and processes transparency.
Rubber Blanket — Rubber sheet in the printing press that transfers ink from the plate to paper. The blanket’s resilient surface adapts to minor paper irregularities, producing a cleaner impression than direct plate-to-paper contact.
S
Saddle Stitching — Simplest binding method in which folded signatures are nested and stapled through the spine fold. Limited to approximately 64 pages.
Scoring — Pressing a crease line into paper or cover stock to create a clean, controlled fold. Essential for heavy stocks (10 pt+) to prevent fiber cracking along the fold.
Sheet-Fed Printing Press — A printing press that uses pre-cut sheets of paper fed through one at a time, as opposed to a web press that uses continuous rolls.
Signature — A single parent sheet folded into a section of 8, 16, or 32 pages. Multiple signatures are collated and bound to form a book.
Smyth Sewing — A sewing process that threads signatures together by sewing through the fold of each signature. Creates the strongest and most durable binding — the gold standard for hardcover books.
Spot Color — Special pre-mixed ink, often specified by use of a PMS (Pantone Matching System) color number. Used when exact color matching is critical (brand colors, metallic effects).
Spot UV/Spot Gloss — A liquid varnish applied selectively to specific areas for a high-gloss accent effect. Most impactful when applied over a matte-laminated surface.
T
Trim Marks — Marks that show where pages will be trimmed to their final size. Also called crop marks.
Trimming — The cutting of the three sides of your book to remove registration marks and color bars, give the book smooth edges, and open folded pages. Trim tolerance is typically ±1mm.
U
Uncoated — Paper that does not have a matte or gloss coating and therefore feels raw and natural. Provides better writability and reduced glare, but absorbs more ink, resulting in softer colors and more dot gain.
V
Varnish — A type of liquid finish applied to a printed sheet to protect the ink. Available in gloss and matte. Thinner and less durable than lamination but more cost-effective.
W
Web Press Printing Machine — A printing press that uses a continuous roll of paper fed through the press at high speed. More cost-effective than sheet-fed for very large runs (50,000+ units) but with fewer paper options.