Print Terminology
Bleed
Color that runs to the edge of the page after trimming.
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CMYK
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. The four primary colors in the full color print process.
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Die-Cutting
Using a formed metal die to cut custom shapes out of paper.
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Digital Printing
Type of printing where images are transferred directly to paper with use of traditional equipment.
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DPI
Dots Per Inch. A measurement of image quality, the higher the DPI the more details are captured in the print.
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EPS
Encapsulated Postscript File. A preferred file type for print made by Adobe Systems. EPS is a type of vector image.
Folds
Refers to the number of ways a final print can be folded for delivery and distribution.
Please see our Fold Options page for additional information.
Gripper
The 3/8 of an inch that the printer or folding machine uses to move the paper. No printing can take place on the gripper edge.
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PDF
Portable Document File. A universal format widely used for printing developed by Adobe Systems.
PMS
Pantone Matching System. This system uses 11 basic colors to create more than 1000 colors and is independent from printers or ink manufacturers.
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Raster
A raster image is composed of pixels which are assigned a color. These types of files lose quality when enlarged and should not be used for print services.
For more information please see our Raster vs. Vector page.
RGB
Red, Green, Blue. The basic color setting for most software. Any file sent in RGB must be converted to CMYK before printing can be completed.
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Sans-Serif
A typeface without decorative edges. Arial, Helvetica, and Tahoma are well known Sans-serif fonts.
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Serif
A serif typeface has decorative edges. Times New Roman, Garamond, and Century are all examples of serif fonts.
Trim
The area of a full print to be removed after the printing process. The trim is cut down to make sure the final product is the specified size.
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Vector
A vector image is composed of lines connecting points. These images never loose quality when being enlarged or reduced. Vector images are the preferred image type for all print services.
For more information please see our Raster vs. Vector page.
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