A text-based page description language that describes how to handle both text and graphics for printing.

Abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and black—the four colors used in most color commercial printing. When printed using transparent inks, the three subtractive primaries—cyan, magenta and yellow—act as individual filters to transmit and absorb light reflected from the surface of the paper to create the colors seen by the eye. Intermediate colors—colors other than the subtractive primaries—are formed by laying one film of ink over another. Black is added to enhance the depth and extend the tonal range of all hues.

The hardware, software and procedures used to ensure the accurate, consistent and repeatable representation of color throughout the print production process.

Printing by one of a number of imaging systems, with the images generated from digital data. Digital printing systems include production color laser, laser copiers/printers, and ink-jet as well as digital offset technologies.

Short for “picture element". The smallest individual component of a digital image, usually a colored dot. The greater the number of pixels per inch, the greater the resolution.

An electronic device that receives design files and outputs streams of bits directly to a digital printer, imagesetter, or platesetter or to a computer display.

The process of altering an image, especially to remove defects or change its content. Retouching includes correction of mechanical problems, such as removing shadows or dust, as well as alterations to the image. Retouching may be performed with pencils, a brush and inks, or with an airbrush on a negative, before printing, or on a print. Digital retouching, which makes changes to pixel values to enhance or change the appearance of the image, is typically done on a computer before printing.

Abbreviation for red, green and blue—the three additive primaries, used to create colors on computers screens, televisions and other light-emitting electronic devices. By mixing any two of the primaries—in overlapping colored beams of light projected on a video screen, for example—the intermediate colors are reproduced. White is formed by combining all three additive primaries, while black is their total absence.

A family of printing techniques in which continuous tone-like images are reproduced using micro dots of all the same size, with variable spacing between the dots (first-order stochastic printing) or variably-sized dots and variable spacing between the dots (second-order stochastic printing). Identified by a number of trade names, including Staccato®, Diamond™ and others. Also see FM printing

In color printing, the process of reducing colors and printing a full black in shadow areas. UCR can be used to improve trapping and reduce ink and makeready costs.