printing glossary

Plain-English definitions for the terms you'll bump into while prepping a print file or comparing options. If something here is unclear, tell us — we'd rather rewrite it than leave you puzzled.

• aq coating (aqueous)

  AQ is a water-based, food-safe protective coating sprayed over print after press. It adds a subtle gloss or matte finish, protects against scuffing, and dries fast.

• bleed

  Bleed is extra artwork that extends 0.125 inches past every edge of the final trim line, so the printer can cut your piece without leaving white slivers.

• cmyk vs. rgb

  CMYK is the four-ink colour model printers use (cyan, magenta, yellow, key/black). RGB is the three-light colour model screens use (red, green, blue). Always design print files in CMYK — RGB colours can shift dramatically when converted at the press.

• dpi

  DPI (dots per inch) measures how many ink dots fit in a square inch of print. Most printing uses 300 DPI at the final printed size — anything lower looks pixellated or fuzzy.

• eddm (every door direct mail)

  EDDM is a USPS program that lets you mail printed postcards or flyers to every address on a postal route without buying a mailing list. Cheaper per piece than standard direct mail, with simpler addressing.

• gsm vs. lb (paper weight)

  GSM (grams per square metre) and lb (pounds per 500-sheet ream) both measure paper weight, but they aren't directly comparable across paper types. A 100 lb gloss text is about 148 GSM; a 100 lb cover is about 270 GSM.

• offset vs. digital printing

  Offset uses ink rollers and plates — cheaper per unit at high quantities, sharper for fine detail and Pantone matching. Digital uses toner or inkjet — no setup fee, more economical for small runs and variable data.

• pantone (pms)

  Pantone (PMS) is a standardised colour system where each colour has a fixed ink recipe. It guarantees consistent brand colours across different printers and materials when no other method can.

• preflight

  Preflight is the automated check a printer runs on your file before printing — verifying bleed, safe zone, DPI, fonts, colour mode, and overprint settings. It catches issues that would otherwise show up only after you've paid for the print run.

• safe zone

  The safe zone is the 0.125-inch buffer inside the trim line where text and important graphics should live, so cutter drift doesn't slice off anything readable.

• soft-touch lamination

  Soft-touch lamination is a velvety, matte finish film bonded to printed pieces. It feels like suede, dampens glare, and elevates perceived quality without changing colour.

• spot uv

  Spot UV is a clear, glossy coating applied to specific areas of a printed piece (often a logo or icon) to make them shine while the rest of the surface stays matte.

• trim size

  Trim size is the final dimensions of a printed piece after it's been cut to size. A 3.5″ × 2″ business card has a trim size of 3.5″ × 2″.

• uv coating

  UV coating is a liquid plastic-like coating applied over print, then instantly cured (hardened) under ultraviolet light. It produces a hard, very glossy, scratch-resistant surface.

• vector vs. raster

  Vector graphics are math (lines and curves between points) and scale infinitely without quality loss. Raster graphics are pixels and degrade when enlarged. Logos should be vector; photos are always raster.