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.