General Art and Printing Terms

DISTORTION- Flexographic printing plates grow in length in the direction around the cylinder when mounted for printing. (SEE DISTORTION IN THE ART GUIDELINES BOOK.)

FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING- This printing process uses raised image printing plates made from photopolymer or rubber transferring ink from the plate to the substrate.

GRAVURE- This printing process uses engraved metal cylinders with cell shapes to transfer ink directly from the engraved cylinders to the substrate.

GUSSET- The "side" of the bag. Always prepare gusset artwork to the left of the face panel.

INK COVERAGE- Term used to describe the amount of ink to be printed on a bag. There are three levels: schedule 1=25% or less ink coverage, schedule 2=65% or less ink coverage, and schedule 3=100% or less ink coverage.

INK DRAWDOWN- A representation of an ink which has been rolled out by hand on a sample of the actual paper on which an order will be printed. This PMS color or a special match color is sent to a customer for approval prior to printing.

INK LAYDOWN- Term used to describe the order in which ink colors are printed. Rule of thumb is lightest to darkest.

LINE COUNT- Sometimes called screen count, it refers to the number of dots per linear inch (example: a 65 line screen has 65 dots in one linear inch).

OFFSET- Printing process that uses an intermediate blanket cylinder that transfers the image from the plate to the substrate.

POSITIVE- A photographic image which corresponds exactly to an original in all details.

PREDISTORTED- Art or films that have been compensated for plate elongation around the cylinder. (SEE DISTORTION IN THE ART GUIDELINES BOOK.)

PREPRINTING- Your design is printed and rewound into roll form in one manufacturing step. The roll of printed paper is then moved to other converting equipment for bag production.

REVERSE, OR KNOCK-OUT- A representation of an ink which has been rolled out by hand on a sample of the actual paper on which an order will be printed. This PMS color or a special match color is sent to a customer for approval prior to printing.

PROCESS PRINTING- In color printing, the process of dropping an image out of a color.

TAILPRINTING- A process where a roll of paper is printed and converted into the form of a bag in one manufacturing step.

TEMPLATE- A mechanical drawing which outlines the perimeters, folds and general layout specifications for a bag. All bag size templates are available on disk or layflat mylar to aid in layout, sizing and positioning of your artwork. Templates show bleed folds, handle, trim and glue areas.

TRAP- A deliberate overlapping of colors in a design to prevent their separating as a result of machine movement during preprinting (3/64") or tailprinting (3/32"). Where the colors overlap a third color will be seen.