Printing Glossary

Key printing terms explained from A to Z

The world of printing has its own language. Terms such as print sheet, rubber blanket, CMYK or prepress are everyday vocabulary for printing professionals – but they can be confusing for others.

In our printing glossary, we explain important terms from the world of print production in a simple and accessible way. Our goal is to provide insight into the technical language of printing while helping you better understand how print production works.

Since we operate in South Tyrol, a multilingual environment, we also include the German and Italian terms for many entries. This can be particularly helpful for international projects or clients working with different terminology – and also for us when we switch between words like “ciano” and “Blaupause” ;)

Some entries also explain differences between similar terms. For example: Is bleed the same as margin extension, or are there differences? These are exactly the kinds of questions we address here.

Our goal is simple: to explain printing terminology clearly – for designers, clients, students and anyone interested in print.

Printing dictionary with essential technical terms from the printing industry

B

Bleed

Bleed refers to the area of a layout that extends beyond the final trim size of a printed product. This extra margin is printed and later trimmed off during finishing. Bleed prevents unwanted white edges from appearing when the paper is cut. In most print projects the bleed is around 3 mm on each side.

DE: Anschnitt
IT: Abbondanza

Bleed in print design for full-bleed printed products.

Blueprint

A blueprint is a preview of a print project used for checking layout and structure before final production. It allows designers and clients to review the page order, layout and overall structure of a publication before printing begins. Sometimes a blueprint is also created as a physical dummy to simulate the final product.

DE: Blaupause
IT: Ciano

Blueprint for preparing an offset printing sheet

Binding

Binding refers to the method used to permanently join the pages of a printed product together. It is an important part of the finishing process and influences both the durability and usability of a publication. Depending on the project, different binding techniques are used, such as perfect binding, thread sewing or Swiss binding. The choice of binding depends on factors like the number of pages, the type of paper and the desired look and feel. Binding plays an especially important role in books, magazines and catalogues, as it determines how well a publication opens and how durable it is during everyday use.

DE: Bindung
IT: Rilegatura

Bookbinding with various binding techniques and high-quality materials

C

CMYK

CMYK is the standard four-colour printing process used in most commercial printing. The abbreviation stands for:

Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
Key (Black)

By combining these four colours in different proportions, printers can reproduce almost all colours in images and photographs.

DE: CMYK
IT: CMYK

CMYK color model for professional four-color printing

Computer to Plate (CTP)

CTP (Computer to Plate) is a technology used in prepress that allows printing plates to be produced directly from digital files. The printing image is transferred onto an aluminium plate using a laser. This plate is then mounted in the printing press and carries the image during the printing process. The advantage of CTP is that the traditional intermediate step using film is no longer required. This makes the process faster, more precise and less prone to errors.

DE: CTP
IT: Computer to Plate

Colour Profile

A colour profile defines how colours are displayed or reproduced on different devices. Because monitors, cameras and printing presses all represent colours differently, colour profiles ensure that colours remain consistent and predictable across different systems. In print production, colour profiles are used to adjust digital images so that they reproduce accurately during the printing process.

DE: Farbprofil
IT: Profilo colore

F

Folding

Folding is the process of folding a printed sheet so that the pages appear in the correct order. This step transforms a large print sheet into the individual pages of a brochure, magazine or book. Different folding techniques are used depending on the type of publication.

DE: Falzen
IT: Piegatura

Piegatura dei fogli stampati per la lavorazione finale.

Finishing

Print finishing refers to additional processes that enhance the appearance or tactile quality of a printed product. Common finishing techniques include:

embossing
foil stamping
varnishing
die-cutting

Finishing is frequently used for book covers, packaging and premium print products.

DE: Veredelung
IT: Nobilitazione

Print finishing for premium surfaces and special effects.

G

Grammage

Paper weight, also known as grammage, describes the weight of a sheet of paper per square meter and is measured in grams per square meter (g/m²). It is an important factor that influences the feel, thickness and quality perception of a printed product. For example, standard office paper is around 90 g/m², while book covers or packaging materials can have significantly higher grammage.

DE: Grammatur
IT: Grammatura

O

Offset Printing

Offset printing is one of the most important printing methods for high-quality print products. In this process, the image is first transferred to a printing plate and then offset onto the paper via a rubber blanket. This indirect printing method allows very precise colour control and consistent print quality. Offset printing is particularly suitable for medium to large print runs and for products such as photo books, magazines, catalogues and premium brochures.

DE: Offsetdruck
IT: Stampa Offset

Offset printing for high-quality and precise printed products

P

Print Run

The print run describes the number of copies produced in a single printing job. Print run size plays an important role when choosing the printing method. Offset printing is usually more efficient for large quantities, while digital printing is ideal for smaller runs.

DE: Auflage
IT: Tiratura

Illustration of print runs in offset and digital printing.

Prepress

Prepress refers to all technical steps that take place between design and the actual printing process. This includes checking print data, adjusting colour profiles, preparing layouts and producing printing plates. The goal of prepress is to ensure that the files are technically correct and ready for high-quality printing.

DE: Vorstufe
IT: Prestampa

Prepress for the professional preparation of print data

Print Sheet

A print sheet is a large sheet of paper on which multiple pages of a publication are printed at the same time. The pages are arranged in a specific way so that after folding and trimming, they appear in the correct order in the final product.

DE: Druckbogen
IT: Foglio Stampa / Foglio macchina

Printing Plate

A printing plate is a key component in offset printing. It is usually made of aluminium and contains the image that will be printed. During printing, ink is transferred from the plate to the rubber blanket and then onto the paper. Each printing colour requires its own printing plate.

DE: Druckplatte
IT: Lastra di stampa

Offset printing plate for precise print production.

R

Rubber Blanket

The rubber blanket is an essential component of offset printing. In offset printing, the ink is first transferred from the printing plate to the rubber blanket and only then to the paper. This indirect process ensures even ink distribution and high detail accuracy.

DE: Gummituch
IT: Caucciù

Offset blanket for ink transfer in offset printing.

S

Spot Color

A spot colour is a printing ink that is used separately rather than being created by mixing CMYK colours. Spot colours are often used for brand colours, logos or special effects. Pantone colours are the most common type of spot colour.

DE: Sonderfarbe
IT: Colore speciale/pantone

Spot colors for precise and vibrant print results.

(Halftone) Screen

A halftone screen is the technique used in printing to reproduce images using small dots. By varying the size and spacing of these dots, printers create lighter or darker tones that combine to form a full image.

DE: Raster
IT: Retinatura

Printing halftone screen with fine dots for precise color reproduction in offset printing

Swiss Binding

Swiss binding is a special bookbinding technique in which the book block is attached only to the back cover. The spine remains visible and open, creating a distinctive design appearance. At the same time, the book can open very easily and lie relatively flat. This binding method is often used for design publications, art books and premium magazines.

DE: Schweizer Broschur
IT: Brossura svizzera

Swiss binding with an exposed spine. A refined binding that combines elegant design with durability, making it ideal for art books, catalogues, and premium publications.

T

Thread Sewing

Thread sewing is a high-quality binding technique in which folded sections are sewn together using thread. This method creates a very durable binding and allows books to open flat. It is commonly used for photo books, art books and premium publications.

DE: Fadenheftung
IT: Cucitura a filo refe

Thread sewing for durable, high-quality book binding.

V

Varnish (Coating)

In printing, varnish refers to a coating applied to a printed product. Varnish can serve both protective and decorative purposes. It can protect printed materials from abrasion, moisture or UV light. Common types include dispersion varnish, UV varnish and spot varnish, which can highlight specific areas of a design.

DE: Lack
IT: Lacca (Vernice)

W

Waste Sheets

Waste sheets are printed sheets produced during the setup phase of a printing press that cannot be used in the final product. They are necessary to adjust colours, alignment and printing quality. Modern printing processes aim to reduce waste sheets to save materials and improve sustainability.

DE: Makulatur
IT: Scarto di stampa

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