Glossary

The PRINTING United Alliance Glossary serves as an excellent industry terminology resource. It is the language by which we all communicate. Without it, universal understanding would be impossible.

To keep our constituents well informed about changes to the increasingly complex industry terminology, PRINTING United Alliance has developed this glossary of terms. Definitions are for general reference only. Usage may vary between companies, individuals, or national and country customs. The information presented is as accurate as the authors and editors can ascertain and PRINTING United Alliance assumes no responsibility for the use of information presented herein.
  • Color filters
    Transparent colored glass or dyed gelatin discs (or squares) used in photography to modify light passing through the camera lens or light falling on a subject. Filters are used to separate colors in color separation work; they pass almost all of the light of the apparent color of the filter and hold back colors other than the color of the filter.
  • Color gamut
    Any color medium representing its own range of colors including that which is applied to film, a monitor, printed images, and the human eye.
  • Color harmonies
    The blending of hues, shades and tints to produce a pleasing effect.
  • Color Hi-Fi
    A special high fidelity color reproduction process based on the Küppers model that uses seven basic colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, orange, green, violet, and black instead of four to expand the color gamut of printing, separations are generated using stochastic screening technology to prevent moiré.
  • Color Key
    A registered trademark of the 3M Company for an overlay color proofing system that allows the checking of registration and tint screen combinations in process color reproductions prior to actual press proofs.
  • Color Management System (CMS)
    A combination of software and hardware devices to produce accurate color results throughout a digital imaging system.
  • Color match
    Condition resulting when no significant difference in hue, saturation, and lightness can be detected between two color samples when examined under specified illumination and viewing conditions.
  • Color matching functions
    Relative amounts of three additive primaries required to match each wavelength of light. The term is generally used to refer to the CIE Standard Observer color matching functions.
  • Color model
    A color measurement scale or system that numerically specifies the perceived attributes of color.
  • Color OK sheets
    The printed colors that have been approved for ink/color-matching.
  • Color overlay
    Transparent film overlay usually made of acetate, which are superimposed over each other to represent each color in a reproduction.
  • Color oxide
    Material used to impart color to a glass enamel.
  • Color profile (device profile)
    This term refers to the relationship between the color models of the system devices.
  • Color proofs
    (1) First prints pulled before the production run to check selection, placement, and register of all colors in the composition to be printed, used to determine need for final correction or acceptance of print quality; (2) A representation of how the final printed composition will appear.
  • Color retention
    The property of a color to resist fading or other deterioration on exposure to light.
  • Color saturation
    Color strength. A measure of color purity, or dilution by a neutral.
  • Color separation (seps)
    (1) Separating the areas of a piece to be printed into its component spot and process ink colors; (2) A process using red, green, and blue filters to divide the colors of a multicolored original into the process colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black; (3) A photographic technique involving photographing original continuous tone colored art through a series of filters, each to provide negatives representing the colors used in rendering the original.
  • Color sequence
    The order in which colors are printed onto a substrate.
  • Color space
    A three-dimensional geometric representation of the colors that can be seen and/or generated using a certain color model.
  • Color specification
    Tristimulus values, chromaticity coordinates, luminance value, or other color scale values used to designate a color numerically in a specific color system.
  • Color standard
    A printed ink sample, proof, or press sheet to which another similar material is compared.
  • Color strength
    In printing ink, the concentration of coloring pigment per unit of weight or volume.
  • Color swatch
    Any piece of paper or cloth, printed or unprinted used for color matching or measurement of color.
  • Color system
    A concept that relates colors for description or reproduction. Models in imaging include CIE, PMS and Photo YCC, among others.
  • Color temperature
    (1) A measure of the energy distribution over the visible spectral range of a light source with a continuous spectrum, expressed in degrees Kelvin (K); the temperature at which an object emits its specific wavelength of light in degrees Kelvin (K); (2) Manufacturer’s method of indicating the color of a light source in degrees Kelvin (K) (2700K yellow/white, 4100K white, 5500K blue/white).