Glossary of Printing & Technical Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A 

Acetate:

A thin flexible sheet of transparent plastic used to make overlays.

Acrobat:

Computer software package used to edit PDF files.

Acrobat Distiller:

Computer software package used to create PDF files from postscript files.

Adobe Photoshop:

Image manipulation program used in pre-press and graphic design for print and website work.

Against the grain:

At right angles to the grain direction to the paper.

Alpha Channel:

A hidden image channel in an image file which can be used to hide parts of the image, producing cut-outs and transparency effects.

Art paper:

A common term used to describe a range of smooth papers with a coating of china clay.

Artwork:

Copy or typesetting, ready for reproduction, before the plate stage.

A Format series paper:

'A' size is a set of paper sizes established by the International Standards Organization (ISO) that ranges from 2A0 (the largest) to A7 (the smallest). See paper sizes here.

Author's / Author's Corrections:

Corrections to proofs, made by the author, that alter the original copy.

Artwork:

A process which follows the initial design stage which makes rough ideas into a print-ready form.

A/W:

Abbreviation for artwork.