Real World Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications

Glossary of Printing Terms

This glossary is by no means a comprehensive record of printing terms. But it may come in handy before and during your conversations with a print service provider.

Aqueous Coating

A water-based coating applied over the entire printed area, usually by the last printing unit on a press. Aqueous coatings protect the printed ink and may enhance the appearance of the piece. For example, a pocket folder may benefit from the ability of aqueous coating to prevent scuffing as the pocket folder is repeatedly handled.

Baseline

An imaginary line at the base of a row of text. All text sits on the baseline, with descenders such as the lowercase y and g extending below the baseline.

Bindery

Sometimes also called a finishing department, ...