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
ALIGNMENT
Alignment refers to type being set flush left, flush right, centered,
or justified. Justified type lines up on both the left and right
sides of the column’s full measure.
ASCII
Acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
It is the general specification of bits in a computer to input,
store, process and output text characters. ASCII file formats
are frequently requested for text transfer because it allows different
software programs and platforms to accept characters and punctuation.
AUTOMATIC TEXT FLOW
This publishing program feature allows text matter to flow from
one column to the next on each page and from one page to the next
in a document automatically. It eases the pain of making significant
copy changes to a long document.
AUTOMATIC PICTURE REPLACEMENT
The linking process where a low resolution image is automatically
replaced by a high resolution image just before a document is
sent to the imagesetter or platesetter. This feature allows page
layout handlers to work with smaller files.
BLEED
When a printed image runs off the edge of a page or sheet it is
said to bleed.
BODY COPY
Text matter that comprises the major content of an article or
publication other than mastheads, headlines, sub-heads, call-outs,
charts and graphs.
BOXES
This technique highlights or isolates important words or graphs
from secondary copy surrounding it. Boxes also create interest
and give the reader’s eye a break from long passages and
monotonous amounts of text.
BULLET
Bullets can be solid dots, squares, open dots or another tiny
iconic symbol that is used to enhance a list. Bullets are normally
set in a slightly larger point size than the text they accompany
and should always be used in a list of no less than five items.
Bullets are visually most effective when used with hanging indents.
CALL-OUT
A short phrase or line of type that helps identify important elements
of a graphic or illustration. A connecting line or arrow is often
used with a call-out.
CAMERA-READY COPY
Black and white artwork meant to be processed by shooting it on
a process camera or scanning it on a flat-bed or drum scanner.
If shot on a camera, the result is negatives used to make printing
plates. If scanned, the result is a digital file that can be imported
into a document.
CAPTION
A sentence or more used to summarize the importance of charts,
graphs, illustrations, photographs or tables. Captions identify
people in photographs and relate the photo or graphic item to
the surrounding body copy. A photograph should always have a caption.
CLIP ART/CLICK ART
Black and white art that must be scanned, saved and placed into
a document is clip art. Electronic art files that are already
digital are called click art. Both are economical ways to purchase
copyright-free graphic images for use in art preparation for publishing.
COMPOSITION
The process of keyboarding and combining typographic elements
with graphics and photos that result in pleasing page layouts
for print or web content.
COMPUTER READY ELECTRONIC FILES (CREF)
A written outline of parameters for the preparation and output
of film and plates that was developed by the Scitex Company to
assist in the handling and processing of digital art files for
printing. Scitex is a prepress and proofing systems manufacturer
for the graphic arts industry.
CONDENSED
When the set width of a font has been shortened, the font will
be more narrow-allowing more characters to fit on any given line
length. Fonts should be condensed by using a true “condensed”
version of a typeface. Condensing type by using the “attributes”
selection screen of a page layout program increases the risk that
outputting equipment will not recognize the font or ignore it
completely.
CONTINUOUS TONE
Any graphic element that has a grayscale or is not “line
art” originated from a continuous tone image. Examples of
continuous tone originals are black and white photographs or pencil
sketches. Continuous tone originals should be scanned and saved
as TIFF files for use in page layout programs.
COPYFITTING
The process of writing or editing articles to fit into a predetermined
space allowance. Good copyfitting results in evenly filled columns
and pages with the proper amount of white space between lines
of type, words and individual characters.
CROPPING
The process of eliminating irrelevant or excessive background
content of photographs. Cropping enhances the focus of photographs
and allows the designer to change the shape of the original photo.
DIGITAL
A format that is recognizable by a computer system.
DPI
The acronym for Dots Per Inch and relates to resolution. The higher
the DPI, the higher the resolution and amount of detail that will
be visible.
ELLIPSIS
A series of three dots used to indicate missing copy when placed
between two sentences or phrases. They are commonly used when
bits or quips of information are being taken from a longer quotation.
They can also be used in pairs as a “continuation technique”
when you want to lead a reader into other copy.
EM DASH
Em dashes are used to abruptly change a thought within a sentence
or to connect two different thoughts within a sentence. The actual
length of an em dash is approximately four times the length of
a hyphen and is relative to the set width of the font that is
in use. Em dashes are so named because they are equivalent to
the width of the capital letter em (M).
EM SPACE
An Em space is a fixed amount of blank space equivalent to the
width of a capital letter em (M). Em spaces are used for paragraph
indents and bulleted item indents.
EN DASH
En dashes are used to denote continuation; as in “pages
4-5” and “1966-1995.” The actual length of an
en dash is approximately two times the length of a hyphen and
is relative to the set width of the font that is in use. En dashes
are so named because they are equivalent to the width of the capital
letter en (N). An en dash is one-half the width of an em dash.
EN SPACE
An En space is a fixed amount of blank space equivalent to the
width of a capital letter en (N). En spaces are used when a fixed
amount of space is needed, but less space than the more commonly
used em space. An en space is one-half the width of an em space
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)
When an image is scanned, it must be saved in a manner that will
allow it to be placed, sized and colored within a page layout
program. EPS files are used for object oriented, line art graphic
scans.
EXPANDED
When the set width of a font has been lengthened, the font will
be wider-allowing fewer characters to fit on any given line length.
Fonts should be expanded by using a true “expanded”
version of a typeface. Expanding type by using the “attributes”
selection screen of a page layout program increases the risk that
the outputting equipment will not recognize the font or ignore
it completely.
EXPORT FILE
A file that is destined for another computer.
FONT
A font is the specific name applied to a particular typeface style.
Examples of font names are Helvetica, Times, Americana, and Zapf
Chancery.
FONT FAMILY
A family of type is the complete font with all its related attributes.
One family might include: Roman, italic, bold, bold italic, black,
black italic, light, light italic, thin, thin italic, plus all
the condensed and expanded versions of the previously listed.
FOOTER
The information about a publication, such as its title, date,
issue or page number is a footer when is consistently appears
at the bottom of each page of the document.
FOOTNOTE
A footnote is a numbered passage that amplifies specific information
on the page and provides direction about how to find sources or
related reading.
GHOST
When an image is screened back or shaded down in intensity, it
is called a ghosted image. Four-color process, PMS color and black
and white images can be ghosted.
GRAPHIC ELEMENTS
Graphic elements emphasize and organize words, illustrations and
photographs. Boxes, drop shadows, indents, lines, rules, screens
and icons are considered graphic elements.
GRAY SCALE
When a black image has “shading” or “screening”
it is referred to as a gray scale image.
GRID
The defining of headline positions, column lengths and widths,
placement of headers and footers and any other predetermined placement
of photographs or graphic elements on a page. A series of nonprinting
horizontal and vertical rules assist in creating and maintaining
a “grid” for page layouts.
GUTTER
Gutters are white spaces that appear between columns of type.
Gutter widths should be wide enough to clearly define columns
and narrow enough to not lose the reader.
HANGING INDENT
Copy that is indented from the rest of the paragraph. Bulleted
items are visually most effective when they use hanging
indents.
HEADLINE
An enlarged phrase that gives the reader a preview of the content
to follow. Headlines are very important elements because they
motivate the reader to continue reading the associated material.
HEADER
Information about a publication-such as its title, date, issue
or page number is a header when it consistently appears at the
top of each page of the document.
HEAVY INK COVERAGE
When more than 40% of a sheet has ink covering it, the order is
considered to have heavy ink coverage.
HYPHENATION
When words are too long to fit on a single line, hyphenation splits
the word and places the latter half on the next line of type.
Hyphenation is automatic in page layout programs but should be
overridden manually to repair bad word breaks and enhance copyfitting.
Hyphenation can also be turned off if no hyphens are preferred.
HYPHENATION ZONE
The hyphenation zone is the space near the column’s right
edge that will allow hyphenation. Long hyphenation zones result
in fewer word splits than short hyphenation zones.
ICON
A simplified graphic element created to suggest an idea or topic.
Icons are often used to categorize or index ideas
and content.
INDENT
The most common indent is at the beginning of a paragraph when
the first line is set “in” from the left edge of the
column. An indent can be placed on the left side only (as in paragraph
beginnings) or on the left and right sides of copy (when a block
of text needs to be set apart from the rest of the paragraph).
ITC
The abbreviation for International Typographic Corporation, that
licenses many of the typefaces used in graphic design. ITC fonts
are identical to the typefaces used on phototypesetting equipment
and based on the original “hot type” font designs.
They are considered higher quality typographic forms because they
have retained their letterform integrity through the years and
are more reliable when transferred from computer to outputting devices.
ITALIC
Italic is the slanting of a serif typeface.
JUMPLINE
When an article is continued from one page to another, a jumpline
is placed at the end of the first page to identify where the article
is continued. A jumpline should also appear at the beginning of
the continuation page to let the reader know where the article
started.
JUSTIFIED
When the left and right sides of a column of type are aligned
and fill a column’s width it is justified. Wordspacing and
letterspacing will vary more with justified type than with nonjustified
type layouts.
KERNING
Kerning refers to improving the appearance of type by adjusting
the spacing between selected pairs of letters. The most problematic
pairs of letters are AV, AY, FA, AW, PA, and AT. Kerning becomes
of greater importance as type size increases such as in headlines
and poster copy that often uses all caps.
KEYBOARDING
The process of typing in raw text matter (headlines, subheads
and body copy) for a publication in preparation for turning it
over to a graphic designer. A word processing program should be
used for keyboarding. Files can also be saved in ASCII or as “text
only” or “export files” for easier file transfer.
KEYLINES
Artwork that has been designated with “key” identity
“lines” indicating the position of trims, drill holes,
folds, scores, and die-cuts. Keylines are also referred to as
black and white camera-ready artwork.
KICKER
A kicker is a short phrase of key word that introduces a headline.
Kickers can relate a headline to a particular portion of
a publication.
LEADER
A repeating symbol used to draw a reader from one area of an article
to another area. Dots are the most common leader elements.
LEADING
Leading is the vertical space relationship between one line of
type and the next. Computer graphics normally default to +2 points
of leading for any given point size selected. (i.e. 10 point type
uses 12 points of leading and 14 point type uses 16 points of
leading). In general, the larger a point size gets, the better
it will look with reduced leading. Increased and decreased leading
can also be used for copyfitting purposes.
LINE ART
Line art consists of non-shaded or non-screened black and white
images. Line art is not continuous tone imagery such as photographs
or pencil sketches. Some examples of line art are type matter,
solid black and white logos, icons or pen-and-ink drawings.
LIVE AREA
A page’s live area is the part between borders and margins
where most text and graphics will appear.
LIVE ART FILES
The original digital file used to create and identify an EPS or
TIFF image. This can be an original drawing that has been created
in FreeHand, Illustrator or a scanned image. Live art files are
necessary inclusions in processing electronic documents because
they are the links needed to produce high resolution output.
LOGO
A stylized name of a company or organization set in a unique way
and often accompanied by an illustration or icon.
A successful logo should be reproducible in its original color
design and a black and white version.
LOWER CASE
When no capitals letters are used, type has been set in lower
case.
MARGINS
The white spaces that appear at the top, sides and bottom of a
publication.
MASKING
A mask is created when the background or a specific area of a
photograph or illustration is dropped away. Masking is also referred
to as “outlining” or “silhouetting.”
NAMEPLATE
(also called a masthead) A nameplate is the distinctive portion
of the front of any publication that usually contains the title
of the publication, a logo, date and volume information and remains
consistent in style from one issue to the next.
OBLIQUE
Oblique is the slanting of a san serif type.
ORPHAN
When a single word or line of type is left at the bottom of a
column that is continued on another page it is an orphan.
OUTLINE
An outline is created when the background or a specific area of
a photograph or illustration is dropped away. Outlining is also
referred to as “masking” or “silhouetting.”
PICA
Picas are an alternative measurement to inches for defining column
widths in typesetting. Picas are based on the point system of
typography. 12 points equal one pica and one pica is approximately
1/6 of one inch.
PHANTOM
When an image is screened back or shaded down in intensity, it
is called a phantom. Four-color process, PMS color and black and
white images can become phantoms.
POINT
Points are used to define vertical measurements of letterforms
and spacing. Type sizes are defined in points. There are approximately
72 points in an inch.
POSTSCRIPT
PostScript is the copyrighted term for Page Description Language
owned by the Adobe Corporation. PostScript defines the outlines
of letters and numbers, permitting limitless flexibility is type
sizes, styles, shading and placement on a page.
PULL-QUOTE
Pull-quotes (also called out-quotes) are short phrases or sentences
taken from body copy and emphasized by enlargement, boxing or
color background to highlight surrounding content.
RAGGED
Type that is set with an uneven alignment of characters on the
left or right side has been set ragged. A common type alignment choice is “flush left/ragged right.”
Because of its poorer legibility, “flush right/ragged left”
type alignment is rarely used.
RETOUCHING
The process of electronically changing an image’s color,
background or texture.
REVERSE
When white lettering appears against a solid or heavily shaded
black or colored background area it is called a reverse. Reverses
are hard to read when the point size is less than 12 points and
should be used sparingly.
RULE
A rule is a solid line of varied length or thickness.
SAN SERIF TYPE
San serif typefaces have straight stems and cross-bars with no
tiny extensions or decorations at the end of any letter part.
Examples of common san serif types are Helvetica, Franklin Gothic,
Futura and Univers.
SCANNER
A scanner converts a photograph or piece of art into a digital
file. Scans used in printing production are usually saved as EPS
or TIFF files.
SCREEN
Screens are the “tinting” or “shading back”
of a solid image area. Screens are defined in percentages from
99% to 1% of solid (solid = 100% and white = 0%).
SERIF TYPE
Serifs are the tiny decorative extensions applied to the ends
of a type font’s character. Serifs enhance reading flow
and reduce eye strain in long, text-heavy documents and books.
Examples of common serif types are Palatino, Times, Garamond and
Bodoni.
SIDEBAR
A short article that accompanies a longer feature article. Sidebars
can amplify content or tie related information to the feature.
SLAB SERIF TYPE
When a type font’s serifs are squared off, rather than tapered
to a point, they are referred to a slab serif types. Examples
of common slab serif types are Courier, Lubalin and Egyptiennes.
SPELL-CHECK
Spell-checking is an automatic function that page layout programs
offer to assist designers in reducing typos. A spell-check feature
is only as reliable as the dictionary that its program employs
and spell-check will not identify mistyped words that exist but
are out of context. Spell-checks also cannot identify nonsensical
sentences that can occur with “cut and pasting” or
double space bars.
SPREAD
A spread is the relative viewing position of a pair of left- and
right-hand pages in a book or publication. A “reader’s”
spread is the consecutive placement of pages by page numbers.
A “printer’s” spread is the imposed position
of a pages based on how many pages are in the publication.
SUBHEAD
A subhead is smaller than a headline and larger than body copy.
Subheads are useful for breaking up long articles, identifying
specific content for the reader and giving the reader a break
from long passages of copy.
TAB
A tab adds white space to set off or highlight blocks of copy.
TEASERS
Teasers are words or short phrases placed on the outside of a
publication or mailing envelope to increase a reader’s interest
in the publication’s contents.
TEMPLATES
Templates are predetermined and saved formats for page layouts.
They are designed to be used as a starting point for each successive
page or issue. The use of templates saves time and reduces errors
in layout formats.
THIN SPACE
A thin space is rarely used today. It was originally developed
when hot metal was the popular form of typesetting and situations
often arose where a minute amount of space was needed to center
or justify a line of type. The only common use for thin spaces
is placing them before and after an em or an en dash. A thin space
is approximately one-third the width of an en space.
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)
When an image is scanned, it must be saved in a manner that allows
it to be placed, resized and colored within a page layout program.
TIFFs are often used for photographic and continuous tone image
scans.
TILING
Tiling is the process of positioning lasers or negatives together
to create oversized sheets when an output unit does not have the
size capabilities available at 100%. Running out portions of a
document at 100%, aligning them with each other and taping them
together is a common form of tiling.
TINT
Tints are the “screening” or “shading back”
of a solid image area. Tints are defined in percentages from 99%
to 1% of solid (solid = 100% and white = 0%).
TRACKING
Manually adjusting the overall amount of space between letters
and words is tracking. Tracking increases and decreases word density
and can be used for copyfitting purposes. Adjustment of tracking
is often needed with “justified” type to even out
the rivers of white space within body copy. Creative tracking
can also remove widows, orphans, bad word-breaks and undesirable
hyphenation.
TYPEFACE
Typeface refers to the specific shape and outline of an individual
font’s letters and numerals.
TYPE SIZE
Type size refers to the height of the letters and numerals and
is based on the point system. There are 72 points in one inch.
TYPE STYLE
Type style refers to the specific attribute within a typeface’s
family. Styles can include italic, bold, bold italic, condensed,
expanded, black or outline.
UPPER CASE
Words are in upper case when all capital letters are used.
WIDOW
A widow is a word or single line of type that appears at the top
of a column or page that has been continued from the previous
column or page.
WRAP-AROUNDS
When type is shortened or follows the outline of an illustration,
graphic or photograph, it is called a wrap-around type.
WYSIWYG
The acronym for “what you see is what you get” and
is the process of viewing your document on a monitor before it
is
finally output. WYSIWYG software programs have replaced “code-driven”
programs of the phototypesetting generation
of composition.