Printing is the process of creating an image on paper or another surface. The image is printed by drawing or carving a design onto the surface of a matrix, usually a hard and flat object, such as a wood block, metal plate or stone. The matrix is then inked, and the ink transferred to paper using pressure. The resulting print is a copy of the original image on the matrix. Artists have long exploited the narrative and expressive potential of printing, with some achieving world fame. One such example is Katsushika Hokusai (1760 – 1849) who, following success as a landscape painter, turned to the woodblock prints known as ukiyo-e.
Color printing that uses four primary colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) to reproduce a wide range of hues. It is also sometimes called full-color process printing and digital color printing.
A prepress photographic proof showing all colors of a job on blue-toned paper. Also called blueline, brownline, diazo, ozalid, silverprint and VanDyke.
The weight, in pounds, of a ream (500 sheets) of paper cut to the basic size. Sometimes also called basis weight and sub weight.
A department within a printing company responsible for collating, folding and trimming various printing projects. It is often also responsible for proofing, binding and finishing.