Page Makeup
The assemblage of all the necessary elements required to complete a page.
Page Proofs
Proofs made up from pages.
Parchment
A hard-finished paper that emulates animal skin; used for documents, such as awards, that require writing by hand.
Parent Sheet
– A sheet that is larger than the cut stock of the same paper.
Paste Drier
Any of a variety of compounds used in enhancing the drying properties of printing inks.
Paste Ink
An ink having a high level of viscosity.
Perf Marks
Markings usually dotted lines at edges showing where perforations should occur.
Perfect
A term used to describe the binding process where the signatures of a book are held together by a flexible adhesive.
Perfect Binding
Binding process where backs of sections are cut off, roughened and glued together, and rung in a cover.
Perfecting
Printing both sides of the paper (or other material) on the same pass through the printing machine.
Perfecting Press
A printing press that prints on both sides of the page in a single pass.
Perforating
Punching small holes or slits in a sheet of paper or cardboard to facilitate tearing along a desired line.
Photoengraving
Making printing plates by exposure of line and halftone negatives on sensitized metal, converting the image into an acid resist, and etching the print to the relief required for letterpress printing.
Pica
Standard of measurement, 1/6 inch. 1 pica = 12 points, 72 points = 1 inch
Picking
When the tack of ink is stronger than the surface strength of the paper, some lifting of the paper surface occurs; this is referred to as picking. Or, an occurrence in printing whereby the tack of ink pulls fibers or coating off the paper surface, leaving spots on the printed surface.
Piling
A buildup of pigment or paper coatings onto the plate, blankets or rollers.
Pin Register
Using metal pins fitted into preset holes of copy sheets, films, plates and presses that will assure the proper registration.
Plastic Comb
A method of binding books whereby holes are drilled on the side closest to the spine and a plastic grasping device is inserted to hold the pages together.
Plate
Reproduction of type or cuts in metal, plastic, rubber or other material, to form a plate bearing a relief, planographic or intaglio printing surface.
Plate Cylinder
The cylinder on a printing press on which the plate is mounted.
Platemaking
The process of making printing plates, including preparation of the plate surface, chemically sensitizing the plate, exposing it to the flat, developing or processing the plate, and finally the finishing of the plate.
Point
A measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch. 12 points to a pica, 72 points to an inch.
Positive
Film that contains an image with the same tonal values as the original; opposite of a negative.
Premium
Any paper that is considered better than #1 by its manufacturer.
Presensitized Plate
A plate that has been treated with light-sensitive coatings by the manufacturer.
Press-Proof
Actual press sheet to show image, tone values and colors, as well as imposition of frame or press-plate.
Primary Colors
In printing the four primary colors are cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black.
Print Ready
See Camera Ready
Printability
The ability of a paper to show reproduced (printed) images.
Process Inks
Printing inks, usually in sets of four colors. The most frequent combination is yellow, magenta, cyan and black, which are printed one over another in that order to obtain a colored print with the desired hues, whites, blacks and grays.
Process Lens
A high-quality specialty lens made for line art, halftone and color photography.
Process Printing
Printing from two or more halftones to produce intermediate colors and shades.
Proof
An impression of composed type and illustrations made for the purpose of checking the accuracy of the layout, type and color.
