Fine Print

Fine Print Knowledge Center

The online guide to print and design.

Introduction
A Brief History of Printing
PrePress
Planning and Strategy
Design Tips
Color Management
File Submission
Proofing
Materials and Stocks
Inks
Platemaking
Types of Printing
Offset Lithography
Digital Printing
Screen Printing
Gravure
Thermography
Flexography
Letterpress
Large Format
Specialty Printing
3D Printing
Promotional
Security Printing
Green Printing
Types of Finishes
Coatings
Binding
Folding
Scoring
Die Cutting
Embossing
Foil Stamping
Perforations
Iridescent Paper

Text that is used to denote emphasis by slanting the type body forward.

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Iris print

An type of inkjet print printed from an Iris printer.

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Iron Gallnut Ink

A very stable ink made from gallnut acid (also called tannin) and known since antiquity. Its name comes from the oak apple, which served as a source of tannin, and was used up until the dawn of chemical pigments in the recent past for all kinds of printed materials.

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Irrational Screening

Refers to randomly arranged, incorrectly read pixel values that usually result from electrical interference or device instability.

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ISBN

The International Standard Book Number

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a 10-digit number that uniquely identifies books and book-like products published internationally.

The purpose of the ISBN is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher and is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketing of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers and distributors.

Every ISBN consists of ten digits and whenever it is printed it is preceded by the letters ISBN. The ten-digit number is divided into four parts of variable length, each part separated by a hyphen.

There are over 160 ISBN Agencies worldwide, and each ISBN Agency is appointed as the exclusive agent responsible for assigning ISBNs to publishers residing in their country or geographic territory. The United States ISBN Agency is the only source authorized to assign ISBNs to publishers supplying an address in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico and its database establishes the publisher of record associated with each prefix.

ISBN

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ISDN

Integrated Services Digital Network

A method for the uniform digital transmission of voice and data in local telephone networks, supplying users with more functions than a conventional, analog connection offers. In Europe, a normal ISDN connection has two data channels with a transmission capacity of 64 kbit/s each and a control channel with 16 kbit/s. If required, more channels can be connected and also bundled to obtain higher transmission capacities.

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ISO

The International Organization for Standardization

An international standard-setting body composed of representatives from national standards bodies.

Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization produces world-wide industrial and commercial standards, the so-called ISO standards.

While the ISO defines itself as a non-governmental organization (NGO), its ability to set standards which often become law through treaties or national standards makes it more powerful than most NGOs, and in practice it acts as a consortium with strong links to governments.

The mission of ISO is to promote the development of standardization and related activities in the world with a view to facilitating the international exchange of goods and services, and to developing cooperation in the spheres of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity. ISO’s work results in international agreements which are published as International Standards.

Established standards for paper sizes based on the metric system (millimeters). The standards have been grouped into three different series of requirements.

The “A-series” is for general printing.

ISO

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ISO 14000

h3.

A series of international standards that rely on changes in organizational commitment, focus and behavior (rather than on government coercion) to provide the basis and key to the realization of strategic environmental management.

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ISO Brightness, Diffuse Blue Reflectance Factor

Intrinsic reflectance factor at an effective wavelength of 457 nm; measure for the brightness of paper

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ISO Paper Sizes

The International Organization for Standardization Paper Sizes

European standard paper size standard. The most common of which is the ‘A’ series.

The aspect ratio of ISO paper sheets is 1 to 1.414.

This means that if you cut a sheet into halves they will be the same proportion as the original. In other words a sheet of A3, when cut in half, will give two sheets of A4.

There are are also B and C size papers and the larger RA and SRA paper sizes, which are allow printers to print oversize sheets that can be trimmed to ‘A’ size for commercial use.

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ISO Speed

The emulsion speed (sensitivity) of the film as determined by the standards of the International Standards Organization. In these standards, both arithmetic (ASA) and logarithmic (DIN) speed values are expressed in a single ISO term. For example, a film with a speed of ISO 100/21 would have a speed of ASA 100 or 21 DIN.

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ISO9000/1/2/3/4

International quality standard for industry defining the structure of an organisation, its obligations and authorisations, the structure of production and its ability to manufacture products or to produce services at a continuous quality level (in conformity with the standard).

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ISP

Internet Service Provider

A business or organization that provides to consumers access to the Internet and related services.

In the past, most ISPs were run by the phone companies.

Now, ISPs can be started by just about any individual or group with sufficient money and expertise.

In addition to Internet access via various technologies such as dial-up and DSL, they may provide a combination of services including Internet transit, domain name registration and hosting, web hosting, and colocation.

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ISSN

International Standard Serials Number

The ISSN is a code used on catalogues, databases or commercial transactions each time serial publications are involved.

In order to fulfil its goal in an efficient way, the ISSN, as any standardized international code, must be universally used.

It is thus available for all partners concerned, at each stage of the information chain.

ISSN

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Issue

A portion of the printing of an edition that has a different format, binding, or paper. An issue, of an edition, is done intentionally by the publisher and can contain various states.

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Issue Date

The date a magazine is distributed to readers, usually before the cover date.

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Issue Life

How long it takes for a reader to read a magazine as defined by some predetermined measure.

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IT

Information Technology

In particular, IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and retrieve information.

For that reason, computer professionals are often called IT specialists/ consultants or Business Process Consultants, and the division of a company or university that deals with software technology is often called the IT department.

Also known as Information and Communication(s) Technology (ICT).

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IT-8 Color Reference Target

An industry standard color reference tool used to calibrate input and output devices.

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Italic

Type with sloping letters.

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Ivory Board

A smooth high white board used for business cards etc.

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IX Information Exchange

The ability of Advanced Photo System film to communicate with devices, and devices to communicate with film; can be accomplished optically or magnetically using a thin magnetic layer on the film that records digital data. See also Transparent magnetic layer.

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