Best Business Cards

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What is a “die cut”? We have been asked several times this week about this since we have been posting examples of different types of business cards, including die cut business cards and UV coated business cards. This is the main reason why we decided to come up with a layman explanation of these terms that are commonly used in business card printing. Knowing and understanding these terms are very important especially if you are a designer. Before you could submit your design for printing to a commercial printer, you are normally asked what stock to use, is your file print-ready and in CMYK? Is there a bleed? Would you like to put spot UV, so on and so forth.  So here are some of the common terms that could help you understand the different processes and materials used in business card printing. Since this is a glossary-style listing, the terms or words are arranged alphabetically.

Aqueous Coating

Aqueous coating or AQ for short is a clear, non-toxic coating that is applied like ink by a printing press to protect and enhance the printed surface. Aqueous coating adds brilliance and durability to business cards, postcards, premium flyers, booklets, and catalogs.

Backside

Backside is the side that is opposite the front. For postcards, the backside is not coated with aqueous coating.

Bleed

A bleed is when an image extends beyond the trim edge of the printed sheet. It is important to include bleeds in your artwork files if you want the image to extend to the edge of the paper for your final printed piece. We encourage you to create a design with a full-bleed – i.e., extend the image off all four sides of your design – to ensure the best quality for your printed piece.

Blind Image

Blind image is an image that is debossed or embossed, but not printed with ink or foil.Border

Border refers to the area between the edge of the image and the edge of the paper.

Camera-Ready

Camera-ready is a layout created by a designer that is created and submitted as 100% Rich Black on white paper. It usually contains text and logos in finished form.

CMYK

CMYK is short for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black). CMYK is the standard color model used in four-color printing process used by PsPrint.

Coated Paper

Coated paper has a coating of clay or other substances that improves reflectivity and ink holdout. PsPrint uses two coating, UV coating and aqueous coating, to improve the quality of your printed pieces.

Color Separations

Color separations are the four-color negatives or positives which are the result of changing full color artwork into the four process colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black) by the use of filters. Color separation is done for offset printing jobs so that each color layer can be printed separately – one layer on top of the next layer – to give the final printed piece a consistent, full color look.

Computer-to-Plate (CTP)

Computer-to-Plate or CTP describes a system in which the use of desktop publishing software, electronic prepress workstations, and platesetters allows the imaging of metal plates for any format of press without the use of film, stripping or traditional platemaking. This process results in lower costs while shortening the amount of time needed to get a job on the press.

Crop

Crop or cropping refers to the process of positioning an image to ensure that unwanted portions of the image are removed during the printing process. Cropping is also a way to properly proportion your final artwork before approving your print job.

Crop Marks

Crop marks are small symbols placed in the margin outside of the image area that indicate the area to be printed and/or trimmed from the image.

Cure

Cure is the process to dry inks or other coatings after printing to ensure good adhesion and prevent set-off.

Deboss

Deboss means to press an image into paper so it lies below the surface.

Die

Die is a device made out of sharp steel that is used to cut, score, stamp, emboss, or deboss irregular shapes.

Diecutting

Diecutting is a process by which a die made out of sharp steel is used to cut irregular shapes in printed sheets. Diecutting is done on either flatbed or rotary presses.

Dots Per Inch (DPI)

Dots per inch or DPI for short is a measurement of resolution of a printed image as determined by the number of dots that fit into one inch. The higher the concentration of dots per inch, the sharper the image will be.

Duotone

Duotone is a halftone that prints in two colors to create greater visual interest or more subtle detail and gray tones.

Emboss

Emboss is the process of pressing an image into paper so it lies above the surface.

Encapsulated Postscript File (.EPS)

Encapsulated postscript file or .EPS for short is an Adobe Systems-developed file format. It is a device-independent PostScript representation of a graphic or other object. It stores files as vectors and includes a low-resolution bitmap representation for quick on-screen viewing.

Foil Stamping

Foil stamping is the process of pressing a heated die onto a sheet of foil, releasing the foil from its backing and adhering it to the paper to create a foil design on a printed piece.

Four-Color Printing

Four-color printing is the process by cyan, magenta, yellow, and blank inks are used to create a full color image.

Halftone

Halftone is an image composed of tiny dots whose variations in size create the illusion of variations in tone. In the past, a halftone screen was used to convert a continuous tone image into a halftone; today, such screening is done electronically.

Mockup

Mockup or comp is a piece that is handmade by a graphic artist to show others how the finished printed piece will look. It generally will be folded and bound the exact way the final piece will be done in production.

Oversampling

In computer graphics, oversampling or anti-alisasing is a software technique for addressing alisasing issue. Anti-aliasing reduces the prominence of jaggies by surrounding the stairsteps with intermediate shades of gray (for gray-scalling devise) or color (for color devices). Please note that although anti-aliasing may reduce the jagged appearance of the lines, it also may make the lines appear fuzzier.

Print-Ready Files

Print-Ready files are digital artwork files that are 100% ready to print, requiring no additional adjustments by PsPrint other than preflighting and standard prepress work.

Process Color

Process color is using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black in various combinations to create all other colors.

Proof

Proof, also known as hardcopy proof, is a close representation of the final printed piece provided by PsPrint. A proof is provided to predict results on press and record how the final printed piece will appear in terms of color, layout and accuracy. Production does not begin printing the final piece until the proof has been approved by the client.

Resolution

Resolution is the number of pixels displayed per unit of length in an image, usually measured in pixels per inch (ppi) or dots per inch (dpi). Computer monitors are normally 72 to 96 dpi while most printed pieces are 300 dpi or more.

Rich Black

Rich black is made by mixing other colors of ink with black ink to produce a much darker, deeper black on press than can be achieved by using black ink alone. To create rich black on pieces printed by PsPrint, your CMYK calibration values must be 50% Cyan, 40% Magenta, 40% Yellow, and 100% Black.

Uncoated

Uncoated paper means that the printed piece has not coated with UV Coating or Aqueous Coating during the finishing process.

UV Coating

UV Coating is the liquid applied to a printed sheet, then bonded and cured with ultraviolet light. This coating yields a tough, almost unscratchable surface that is extremely durable.

Main Source: PSPrint