Glossary
Design review and print glossary
Plain definitions for the terms a studio uses in a review, from the first proof to the final print approval.
28 pages. Start with the one closest to the review you are running.
Glossary
Proof
A design proof is a version of a design file presented for review. It can be a PDF, an image or a link to a review page, and it usually carries a…
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Proofing
Proofing is the process of reviewing a design proof. It can cover the copy, the layout, the colour, the images and the production settings, and it…
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Approval
Design approval is the client's decision that a specific version of a design is accepted. It should identify the approver, the version, the date and…
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Sign-off
Sign-off is a formal acceptance of a design version. It can be a recorded approval, a signed proof or a written confirmation, and it usually names…
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Markup
Markup is a note, drawing or annotation added to a design proof. It can be a pin, a box, a freehand mark or a text comment, and it usually points to…
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Annotation
An annotation is a comment tied to a location or an element on a proof. It can include text, a drawing, a measurement or a link, and it stays with…
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Pin comment
A pin comment is a comment attached to a numbered pin on the artwork. The pin stays at the same relative position when the proof is zoomed or…
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Revision round
A revision round is one pass of client feedback followed by one studio revision. The feedback should be consolidated by the client's decision maker,…
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Version control
Version control is the practice of giving every design iteration a clear version number and keeping the previous versions available. It includes the…
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Approval record
An approval record is a document or page that captures the approver, the date, the version, a file fingerprint and the comments that were open at the…
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Internal review
An internal review is the studio's critique of a design before the client sees it. It checks the work against the brief and catches errors that the…
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Client review
A client review is the stage where the client reviews a design proof, leaves comments and decides whether to approve or request changes. It should…
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Print-ready
A print-ready file is prepared to the printer's specification: the correct trim size, bleed, colour mode, image resolution, fonts and marks. It…
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Bleed
Bleed is the area of artwork that extends beyond the trim line. It gives the printer room to cut the piece without leaving a white edge when the…
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Crop marks
Crop marks are thin lines placed outside the trim area of a print file. They show the printer where to cut the page and are usually paired with bleed…
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CMYK
CMYK is a subtractive colour model used in process printing. It builds colour from cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks, unlike RGB, which is used…
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Overprint
Overprint is a print setting where one colour prints over another instead of leaving a white gap. It is used for small black text, registration marks…
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Preflight
Preflight is a file check before a print job is released. It looks for missing links, unembedded fonts, RGB images, low resolution, missing bleed and…
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Imposition
Imposition is the arrangement of pages on a printing sheet. The pages are positioned so that when the sheet is printed, folded and trimmed, the…
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Colour proof
A colour proof is a representation of the printed colour, made on a proofing device, a contract proof system or the actual press. It is used to…
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Digital proof
A digital proof is a proof viewed on a screen or printed on a non-production device. It is useful for checking the copy, the layout and the page…
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Hard proof
A hard proof is a physical proof of a print job. It can be printed on the actual stock or produced by a contract proof system that simulates the…
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Trim size
Trim size is the final dimensions of a printed piece after trimming. It is different from the document size before bleed and from the size of the…
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Slug
A slug is the margin outside the trim area of a print file. It can hold the job name, the version, the date, the colour bars and the printer marks.
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Scope creep
Scope creep is the expansion of a project beyond the deliverables, rounds or formats in the engagement letter. It often arrives as a series of small…
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Dieline
A dieline is a technical drawing of a packaging structure. It shows the trim, the folds, the glue areas and the panels, and it is usually supplied by…
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Change order
A change order is a written agreement to change the scope, fee or schedule of a design project. It should name the new work, the estimate, the…
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Turnaround
Review turnaround is the elapsed time between the studio sending a proof and the client returning comments or a decision. It can be measured in…
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