Aqueous Varnish	A water based coating, applied during the printing process, to protect and enhance the printing underneath.
Artwork Engineering	The technical process of converting design files (the files prepared by a designer) into printable files (the files required by a printer). A lot of technical work gets done such as trapping, generating vignettes and colour matching. We always prepare a proof as a final check of printing quality. Designers don’t normally have the technical knowledge to undertake this stage – nor do you want them to!  You want them focused on creating great designs. Leave the technical expertise to our team of Artwork Engineers.
CMYK	Abbreviation for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black.
Colour Sequence	The order in which inks are printed. This is important in the Artwork Engineering phase.
Cromalin	The trade name for DuPont colour proofs, accurate for text positioning, but not for true colour. The proofs use a colour powder on photopolymer layers to simulate final product.
Dots	Printing pictures are made up of many tiny dots.  You can see this by looking at your printing with a loupe. Dot gain is the phenomenon where the dots will print bigger on paper than on your actual printing stock.
EPS	Encapsulated Post Script - A file format for transferring high resolution graphic files
FTP	File Transfer Protocol - A network protocol used to transfer data from one computer to another over a network such as the Internet.  Once transferred the files can be manipulated, even if the new operating system is different from the original one.
Image Ready File	Digital files that are stepped to the required layout that the print converter requires including all mandatory's specific to the printer.
JETPAK™	A JETPAK™ mock-up is true for artwork design and size, but not for final colour. It’s a great, lower cost alternative to a TRUEPAK when accurate colour representation isn’t so important, such as research samples and shelf layout trials.
JETPROOF™	Much quicker to produce than a TRUEPROOF™, a JETPROOF® is accurate for printing treatment but not for colour. It is generally used for small updates to existing artwork where final colour is not a concern, such as changing a packaging code, or removing a new flash.
Keylines	Lines on artwork showing the exact size, shape and location of photographs or other graphic elements.
Loupe	A magnifying glass
PDF	Portable Document Format - A low resolution (and low file size) file format for viewing graphic files.  These are then viewed in Adobe Acrobat
Plate Ready File	Single Unit Digital Files that are supplied on either CD or sent Via FTP to the relevant printer that will be colour accurate and meet the printers specifications.
PMS	The abbreviated name of the Pantone colour Matching System
Pre Flighting	Reviewing artwork supplied by a designer to ensure all necessary components have been included (eg. Fonts)
RGB	Abbreviation for Red, Green, Blue.
Separations	The process of preparing artwork into separate printing images, with one specific colour per piece of film. Normally done for the four process colours - Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. Can also be used to separate specific PMS colours.
Stepping	Also called Step and Repeat - A procedure for placing the same image on plates in multiple places.  Typically used for cartons, to make use of a full sheet of cardboard.
TESTPAK™	Basically a blank mock-up. It’s available in any substrate, but with no printing on it.
TESTPROOF™	A TESTPROOF is normally generated whilst the Artwork Engineering process is underway to test a small area of artwork for printing issues or, more often, to confirm a new colour from a selected range around a PMS target. It is printed on actual substrate and to machine specifications to give an accurate representation of how it will print. We test as many variations as possible to use up a printed sheet. This saves money for our clients as a lot of key issues are sorted out before we get to the final TRUEPROOF.
Trapping	The ability to print one ink over the other or to print a coating, such as varnish, over an ink. The first liquid traps the second liquid.
TRUEPAK™	Just like a TRUEPROOF, a TRUEPAK is a mock-up that is printed on the actual substrate, to your printing machinery specifications. It’s the most print accurate mock-up currently available in the market. It’s ideal for trade presentations, advertising production and GSI verification.
TRUEPROOF™	Using IMS’s proprietary proofing system, a TRUEPROOF™ gives colour true representation as well as accurate text positioning.  The proof prints layers of coloured film on actual printing stock to simulate the final product.