Saddle Stitch

To bind by stapling sheets together where they fold at the spine, as compared to side stitch. Also called pamphlet stitch, saddle wire and stitch bind.

Satin Finish

Alternate term for dull finish on coated paper.

Scale

To identify the percent by which photographs or art should be enlarged or reduced to achieve, the correct size for printing.

Scanner

Electronic device used to scan an image.

Score

To compress paper along a straight line so it folds more easily and accurately. Also called crease.

Screen Angles

Angles at which screens intersect with the horizontal line of the press sheet. The common screen angles for separations are black 45 degree, magenta 75 degree, yellow 90 degree and cyan 105 degree.

Screen Density

Refers to the percentage of ink coverage that a screen tint allows to print. Also called screen percentage.

Screen Printing

Method of printing by using a squeegee to force ink through an assembly of mesh fabric and a stencil.

Screen Ruling

Number of rows or lines of dots per inch or centimeter in a screen for making a screen tint or halftone. Also called line count, ruling, screen frequency, screen size and screen value.

Screen Tint

Colour created by dots instead of solid ink coverage. Also called Benday, fill pattern, screen tone, shading, tint and tone.

Selective Binding

Placing signatures or inserts in magazines or catalogs according to demographic or geographic guidelines.

Self Cover

Usually in the book arena, a publication not having a cover stock. A publication only using text stock throughout.

Self Mailer

A printed item independent of an envelope. A printed item capable of travel in the mailing arena independently.

Separated Art

Art with elements that print in the base colour on one surface and elements that print in other colours on other surfaces. Also called preseparated art.

Separations

Usually in the four-colour process arena, separate film holding qimages of one specific colour per piece of film. Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. Can also separate specific PMS colours through film.

Serigraphic Printing

Printing method whose image carriers are woven fabric, plastic or metal that allow ink to pass through some portions and block ink from passing through other portions. Serigraphic printing includes screen and mimeograph.

Service Bureau

Business using imagesetters to make high resolution printouts of files prepared on microcomputers. Also called output house and prep service.

Setoff

Undesirable transfer of wet ink from the top of one sheet to the underside of another as they lie in the delivery stack of a press. Also called offset.

Shade

Hue made darker by the addition of black, as compared to tint.

Shadows

Darkest areas of a photograph or illustration, as compared to midtones and high-lights.

Sheetfed Press

Press that prints sheets of paper, as compared to a web press.

Sheetwise

Technique of printing one side of a sheet with one set of plates, then the other side of the sheet with a set of different plates. Also called Sheetwork or SW.

Shingling

Allowance, made during paste-up or stripping, to compensate for creep. Creep is the problem; shingling is the solution. Also called stair stepping and progressive margins.

Side Stitch

To bind by stapling through sheets along, one edge, as compared to saddle stitch. Also called cleat stitch and side wire.

Signature

Printed sheet folded at least once, possibly many times, to become part of a book, magazine or other publication.

Size

Compound mixed with paper or fabric to make it stiffer and less able to absorb moisture.

Slip Sheets

Separate sheets (stock) independent from the original run positioned between the "printed run" for a variety of reasons.

Soft Dots

Halftones dots with halos.

Solid

Any area of the sheet receiving 100 percent ink coverage, as compared to a screen tint.

Soy-Based Inks

Inks using vegetable oils instead of petroleum products as pigment vehicles, thus are easier on the environment.

Specially Printer

Printer whose equipment, supplies, work flow and marketing is targeted to a particular category of products.

Specifications

Complete and precise written description of features of a printing job such as type size and leading, paper grade and quantity, printing or binding method. Abbreviated specs.

Spectrophotometer

Instrument used to measure the index of refraction of colour.

Specular Highlight

Highlight area with no printable dots, thus no detail, as compared to a diffuse highlight. Also called catchlight and dropout highlight.

Spine

Back or binding edge of a publication

Spiral Bind

To bind using a spiral of continuous wire or plastic looped through holes. Also called coil bind.

Split Fountain

Technique of putting ink colours next to each other in the same ink fountain and printing them off the same plate. Split fountains keep edges of colours distinct, as compared to rainbow fountains that blend edges.

Split Run

(1) Different images, such as advertisements, printed in different editions of a publication. (2) Printing of a book that has some copies bound one way and other copies bound another way.

Spoilage

Paper that, due to mistakes or accidents, must be thrown away instead of delivered printed to the customer, as compared to waste.

Spot Colour or Varnish

One ink or varnish applied to portions of a sheet, as compared to flood or painted sheet.

Spread

(1) Two pages that face each other and are designed as one visual or production unit. (2) Technique of slightly enlarging the size of an image to accomplish a hairline trap with another image. Also called fatty.

Standard Viewing Conditions

Background of 60 percent neutral gray and light that measures 5000 degrees Kelvin the colour of daylight on a bright day. Also called lighting standards.

Stat

Short for photostat, therefore a general term for an inexpensive photographic print of line copy or halftone.

Statistical Process Control

Method used by printers to ensure quality and delivery times specified by customers. Abbreviated SPC.

Step and Repeat

Prepress technique of exposing an image in a precise, multiple pattern to create a flat or plate. Images are said to be stepped across the film or plate.

Stocking Paper

Popular sizes, weights and colours of papers available for prompt delivery from a merchant's warehouse.

Stock Order

Order for paper that a mill or merchant sends to a printer from inventory at a warehouse, as compared to a mill order.

String Score

Score created by pressing a string against paper, as compared to scoring using a metal edge.

Strip

To assemble images on film for platemaking. Stripping involves correcting flaws in film, assembling pieces of film into flats and ensuring that film and flats register correctly. Also called film assembly and image assembly.

Substance Weight

Alternate term for basis weight, usually referring to bond papers. Also called sub weight.

Stumping (Blocking)

In the book arena, hot die, foil or other means in creating an image on a case bound book.

Substrate

Any surface or material on which printing is done.

Subtractive Colour

Colour produced by light reflected from a surface, as compared to additive colour. Subtractive colour includes hues in colour photos and colours created by inks on paper.

Subtractive Primary Colour

Yellow, magenta and cyan. In the graphic arts, these are known as process colours because, along with black, they are the inks colours used in colour-process printing.

Supercalendered Paper

Paper calendered using alternating chrome and fiber rollers to produce a smooth, thin sheet. Abbreviated SC paper.

Surprint

Taking an already printed matter and re-printing again on the same.

Swatch Book

A book in a variety of forms, indicating specific stock in specific colours in a specific thickness.

SWOP

Abbreviation for specifications for web offset publications, specifications recommended for web printing of publications.