tabloid

A paper size that is used in the US and measures 279 x 432 millimeters or 11 x 17 inches. This is half the size of a broadsheet, or twice the size of a sheet of ‘Letter’ sized typing paper.

tabular material

In typesetting, tables and charts with columns of data must be aligned.

TAC

Abbreviation for Total Area Coverage: the total build-up of ink on a given spot on the paper. An area where 70 percent cyan is combined with 50 percent yellow and 20 percent black has a TAC of 140. More information can be found on this page

tack

The ’stickiness’ or adhesive quality of ink while printing.

tag

– A dense, strong paper stock.

– In page composition systems, a notation that defines each classification of text in a publication, such as the title, subtitles and body text. Typographic styles can then be assigned to each tag. This makes it possible for a designer to change just a single tag and experiment with type changes throughout the publication.

tag stock –

Designed to be used for such items as baggage tags and store item tags. Also used for general printing purposes.

taxonomy

Taxonomy is the science and practice of classification. Within graphic arts, the term usually refers to the classification of images or other data in an asset management system. A taxonomy refers to a particular way in which assets are classified.

TB

Abbreviation for TeraByte, 1000 megabyte.

TCP-IP

Abbreviation for Transmission Control Protocol – Internet Protocol, the communication protocol that is used on the internet as well as most computer networks.

tearing strength

Tear is the amount of work required to tear paper through a fixed distance after the tear is started.

template

A temporary background image or shape on the computer monitor into which text and artwork are inserted. A template can also be a file that contains a style sheet and master or base pages which contain recurring images or place holders for text or images. Such a template is useful for publications in which pages share a common design.

tensile strength

Tensile strength relates to the stress and strain to which paper is subjected in its many end use applications. It is defined as the maximum force required to break a paper strip of a given width under prescribed laboratory conditions.

terabyte

1099511627776 bytes (1000 megabyte)

terminator

A little device that prevents data signal reflection at the end of a conductor. The SCSI-bus nees a terminator (which is sometimes build into SCSI-devices) and on some systems, if you want to use only 1 processor on a dual-CPU system, a terminator has to be put on the empty processor slot.

tertiary colors

Colors that are made up with portions of all three process ink pigments.

TeX

Computer language designed for use in typesetting, in particular for typesetting math and other technical material. (According to its inventor, professor Donald Knuth, TeX rhymes with the word blecchhh.) TeX is pretty popular in universities or at publishers handling scientific publications. TeX systems are available on all common computer platforms.

text

– The main body of copy in a book or on a page opposed to headings. – A high quality printing paper.

texturing

impressing a pattern into the surface of a film or paper.

text papers

High quality printing papers available in a multiplicity of colors and finishes. Although there are “text” papers with plain finishes, the use of the word “text” is linked to characteristic textured finishes.

text wrap

The ability within a computer application to run text around a graphic image or other object within a document, without the need to adjust each line manually.

TFT

abbreviation for Thin Film Transistor

thermal transfer printer

A color printer using colored waxes that are heat-transferred and fused to special coated papers.

thermography

A printing process whereby slow drying ink is applied to paper and while the ink is still wet, it is lightly dusted with a resinous powder. The paper then passes through a heat chamber where the powder melts and fuses with the ink to produce a raised surface.

thickness

In reference to paper, measurement in thousandths of an inch.

thin space

The thinnest space normally used to separate words.

Thirty two sheet

A paper size that is typically used for posters, measuring 3048 x 4064 millimeters or 120 x 160 inches.

Thumb Cut

A notched opening to allow easy access to contents.

three-color black

A neutral gray made up of cyan, magenta and yellow pigments in correct percentages and ink densities. However, by over printing the process color inks in equal dot sizes, it appears brown, rather than gray, because of the ink impurities.

three-color process

Color separation and reproduction using only process cyan, magenta and yellow inks, with no black ink.

three quarter web

Type of web press that can print eight-page signatures whose flat trim size is typically 17 by 22 inches. Three-quarter Webs use rolls that are 22 to 27 inch wide.

thread sewing

In finishing the binding technique in which a thread or cord is used to stitch a book block together. This is often done in conjunction with using an adhesive. Thread sewing is used for hardcover books.

threshold

A reference value on a scale, to which something (like a signal while scanning) is compared.

through drier

A slower drier that dries the ink throughout without forming a hard crust.

thumbnail

A small low-resolution version of an image or page.

TIC

Abbreviation for Total Ink Coverage, the total build-up of ink on a given spot on the paper. An area where 70 percent cyan is combined with 50 percent yellow and 20 percent black has a TAC of 140.

ticket bristol

Any bristol used for ticket purposes. It is usually made from mechanical fibers and/or wastepaper.

ticket envelope

Envelopes used mostly for theater tickets, with no other particular usage.

TIFF

Abbreviation for Tagged Image File Format, a file format used for bitmap images.

TIFF-IT

Abbreviation for Tag Image File Format for Image Technology, a file format used to exchange page data.

Tiger

Code name for Mac OS X 10.4

tiling

– The act of cutting up an image into smaller sections. – The act of printing a page layout in sections with overlapping edges so that the pieces can be pasted together. Large format posters are often tiled.

timeout

An error that occurs when a device or application has waited too long for another device or application to send or receive data.

tint

A percentage of a solid ink or a halftone screen that contains all the same sized dots 2) Flat tints and spot colors are often called tints. 3) A variant of a color that is created by mixing a defined amount of white with the basic color.

Tinting

1) Can be caused by the ink pigment not being compatible with the fountain solution being used. To correct, have the ink and fountain solution tested, the consult with the ink manufacturer and fountain solution supplier.

2) Can be caused by the roller wash contaminating the ink. To correct, use a recommended roller wash and clean the rollers.

Tint, Security

Patterns or solids printed on the inside of the envelope to increase opacity.

tip in

The separate insertion of a single page into a book either during or after binding by pasting one edge.

titling face

Typeface designed specifically for use in large sizes, such as titles. Some titling faces contain only capital letters, in which case they’re called titling caps

TOC

Abbreviation for Table Of Content

Token Ring

Network architecture that was developed by IBM. It is comparable to ethernet but less popular and more efficient on networks that operate under a heavy load. Token Ring has virtually disappeared by now.

tombstone

In typography, a hollow or filled rectangular or square character that is used to indicate the end of an article in a magazine. It is also referred to as a halmos (in mathematics) or end of proof mark.

tonal range

The maximum range of tones in an original or reproduction.

tone

The character of a color, its quality or lightness. The verb tense, to tone, means to change or modify color.

tone compression

The reduction of an original’s tonal range achievable through the reproduction process.

tone curve

The relationship between each original density and each reproduction density that can be plotted on a graph.

toner

Powder or liquid ink used to print. Toner is used in laser printers as well as a lot of digital presses.

toning

A printing defect that is cause by ink printing where it should not print. Toning is the weak color in non-image areas of the reproduction that gives the visual appearance of more color everywhere

tooth

The rough surfaced finish of papers such as vellum or antique which accepts ink readily. total density

The total amount of printing dot in a given area on a press sheet or on separation films. The term is misleading, because the total amount of printing dot should not be specified as a density. The correct term is total printing dot.

total ink

See TAC or TIC

TQM

Abbreviation for Total Quality Management

track

A portion of a disk surface that is used to organize the information stored. When the disk is initialized, the operating system separates the disk surface into circular tracks and divides each track into sectors.

tracking

Decreasing or increasing the amount of space between letters in a word or a line of text.

trade printer

A printer who does printing for other companies in the business, usually print brokers.

trade shop

A company that specializes in scanning images and delivering color separated films

tranny

Slang term for transparency that is used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand.

transactional printing

the printing of bank statements, bills, insurance portfolios, payroll slips, mailings,…

transformation algorithm

An equation that defines a transfer from one input/output relationship for a set of conditions to another system or peripheral.

transmission

The transfer of radiant energy through a medium

transmission rate

The amount of data that can be transferred in a given period of time, specified in bits per second. Specified in cycles per second, transmission rate refers to the bandwidth carrier.

transmissive

An transparent original, such as a 35mm slide or transparency. In general, transmissive originals produce higher-quality scans than reflective originals.

transmittance

The ratio of transmitted light to incident light. It is measured with a transmission densitometer and expressed as a percent.

transparency

The photographic color positive film that represents a color image such as Kodachrome, Fujichrome or Agfachrome. Also called by the slang terms: tranny and chrome. Standard sizes are 35mm, 2″ x 2″, 4″ x 5″, 5″ x 7″, and 8″ x 10″. Transparencies are the preferred original for color scanning because the film offers higher resolution than photographic print material.

transparency viewer

A small box containing a 5000K light that is used for viewing transparencies.

transparent

Inks that do not block out the colored inks that they print over, but instead blend with them to create intermediate colors.

transpromo

In printing transpromo refers to transactional documents such as phone bills, invoices or event tickets that also contain promotional messages or advertising.

Trapping, Multicolor Ink

1) Can be caused by the second-down ink being tackier than the first-down ink. To correct, the tacks of the ink must be adjusted for multicolor printing. Consult with the ink manufacturer about tack-rated inks.

2) Can be caused by inks with improperly balanced color strengths. To correct, consult with the ink manufacturer or supplier about inks with balanced color strengths for running on multicolor presses.

TrendSetter

Family of thermal CtP systems developed and sold by Creo/CreoScitex/Kodak.

tri-fold

A fold where a three panel piece has both side sections folded inward, one on top of the other. Each section is approximately 1/3 the length of the piece. Also known as a C-fold or letter-fold.

trim

– The edge of a printed page. – The cutting of the finished product to the correct size. trim – 1) Widest sheet of finished paper than can be made on a paper machine. 2) To cut true to the exact size. 3) Excess of paper allowed a print sheet for gripper and bleed

tritone

Image that consists of three different colors of ink to produce a subtle range of tone. Usually black is one of these colors and it is often combined with 2 Pantone spot colors.

TrueImage

A PostScript-compatible graphics system that was developed by Microsoft. They cross-licensed it to Apple in in exchange for their TrueType technology, which once again proves that Microsoft are better businessmen then Apple. TrueImage was buggy and inferior to PostScript. The only application that ever used it was Aldus TrapWise.

TrueType

A font format created by Apple Computer. More information can be found on the font pages.

Trumatch

Colour matching system that is similar to Pantone

turnkey system

System that is ready to be used right out of the box without any additional purchases

TVI

Abbreviation for Tone Value Increase (dot gain) – Numerical value to indicate the physical and optical enlargement of halftone dots during the printing process.

TWAIN

Abbreviation for Technology Without An Important (or Interesting) Name, an application communication protocol for MacOS and Windows developed by Aldus, Caere, HP, Logitech, and Kodak. TWAIN drivers allow applications like Photoshop, PageMaker or CorelDraw to directly import data from devices such as scanners, video-capture boards or digital cameras.

twin wire machine

Fourdrinier papermaking machines with two wires, instead of a wire and felt side. This assures higher quality when two sides are used for printing.

two-sidedness

The difference in feel and appearance of either side of a sheet of paper due to the papermaking process having a felt and wire side.

twip

Abbreviation for Twentieth of a Point, 1/1440th of an inch

type

Letters of the alphabet, and all the other characters used to create words, sentences, paragraphs, etc.

type design

The art and craft of designing typefaces. Designers of typefaces are called type designers, font designers or typographers.

type 42 fonts

Type 42 fonts are TrueType fonts with a rather trivial PostScript “wrapper” around them so they can be processed by a PostScript RIP. Most PostScript Level 2 printers support type 42 fonts.

typeface

– A set of characters created by a type designer, including uppercase and lowercase alphabetical characters, numbers, punctuation and special characters. A typeface contains many fonts, at different sizes and styles. This distinction between a font and a typeface is nowadays not made by most people who consider both words to be synonyms. – The style and design of a particular alphabet. – A single style variation in a type family, such as light, bold or condensed, for example: Times Roman ItaIic.

typo

Abbreviation for Typographical error – an error in text.

typographer

A specialist in the art of typography.

typography

The art (and craft) of setting type so as to enhance the text. “If it’s done well, no one will notice”.