Let’s say one day you’re chatting with your Infinity Images account representative about your latest epic project, and they use an unfamiliar term to describe part of the proofing process. Never fear! Your industry glossary is here.

We’ve chosen 85 of the most common terms and grouped them according to the service — project management, design, prepress, printing, cutting, fabrication, finishing, and installation — they’re most closely related to. This list is far from complete, but 350+ definitions would make for a rather long blog post. If you encounter an unfamiliar term not listed here, please ask your account representative. They’d be happy to shed some light!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Project Management
Design
‍Engineering
‍Prepress
Printing
Cutting
Fabrication
Finishing
Installation

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Purchase Order (PO): A document that confirms a client’s intent to buy goods or services from a supplier (e.g., graphics and/or retail display components from Infinity Images).

Scope of Work (SOW): A mutually agreed-upon document that outlines the work a business will perform for a client's project. It typically includes deliverables, a timeline, hardware and equipment requirements, a progress report schedule, and shipping and/or installation location details.

Site Survey: A comprehensive examination of a designated area where work is proposed to determine measurements and assess the conditions of the space.

Statement of Work: See definition of Scope of Work.

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Alignment: Arranging elements in a straight line or in correct positioning relative to each other.

Balance: The distribution of visual weight in a design, which can be symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial.

Compositing: Combining visual elements from different sources into a single image.

Contrast: The difference in luminance or color that makes an object distinguishable from others within the same view.

CMYK: A color model used in printing, representing cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

Gradient: A smooth transition between two or more colors.

Grid System: A layout system used to structure content in a balanced and organized way.

Hierarchy: The arrangement of elements to signify importance, often through size, color, or placement.

Kerning: The horizontal spacing between individual letters or characters.

Keyframe (Motion Graphics): A frame in an animation where a change occurs, marking the start or end of a transition.

Leading: The vertical spacing between lines of text.

Lorem Ipsum: Dummy text that is used as a placeholder in a design layout when the copy isn’t ready or finalized.

PMS (Pantone Matching System): A standardized color reproduction system for printing.

Proportion: The relative size and scale of the various elements in a design.

Raster Graphics: Images made up of pixels, which can lose quality when resized.

Rendering: The process of generating a photorealistic image from a 3D model.

RGB: A color model used for digital displays, representing red, green, and blue.

Space (White Space/Negative Space): The empty area around or between elements in a design.

User Experience (UX): How a user interacts with and experiences a completed project (e.g., a customer walking through a store’s retail display).‍

Vector Graphics: Graphics that can be scaled without losing quality.

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3D Modeling: The process of digitally creating a scale 3D model to demonstrate design intent.

Mechanical Drawing: A scale digital drawing of a dimensional structure created in CAD software.

Prototype: A physical, functioning representation of a product under development.

Research and Development: Shorthand phrase for the process of researching, testing, and developing new and better methods of building dimensional project components.

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Bleed: An area of your design that extends beyond the trim marks or final dimensions of your printed piece.

Butt Seam: Joining two pieces of material such as wood, metal, or vinyl, end-to-end or edge-to-edge without overlapping.

Color Fidelity: How accurately and consistently colors are reproduced across different materials and large-format printers.

Color Matching: The process of ensuring that the colors in a printed graphic closely resemble the colors intended in the digital design or reference material (e.g., a sample or color chip).

Color Profiling: The process of measuring the fingerprint of a real-life color, breaking it down, and recreating it on printed materials. 

Crop Marks: Printed lines showing where to cut the paper after printing, ensuring correct dimensions of the final product.

Cutline: The blue line in native graphic design files and our proofing system that indicates where the graphic will be cut after printing.

DPI (Dots Per Inch): A measurement of resolution, indicating how many dots of ink are printed per inch. Higher DPI results in better image quality.

Finishing Guides: Orange lines in our proofing system that indicate where pole pockets, panel breaks, and/or trim will be in the printed graphic.

Fold Lines: Lines in a native design file that indicate where the graphic will be folded after printing and cutting.

Links: The folder that includes all images included in a design document.

Museum Seam: Joining two pieces of material such as wood, metal, or vinyl, end-to-end or edge-to-edge with one piece overlapping the other.

Native Files: The original program file, such as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, or Illustrator, in which the designer created the artwork.

NP Guides (Non-Printing Guides): See definition of Finishing Guides.

Overlap Seam: See definition of Museum Seam.

Paneling: The process of dividing a large graphic into smaller, more manageable sections for printing. Once printed, these panels can be assembled to form the complete design.

PPI (Pixels Per Inch): The number of pixels in one inch of a digital image, relevant for determining print quality.

Proof: A preliminary digital mockup of a printed piece that printing companies send to clients for approval before printing.

Resolution: The level of detail contained in an image. A higher resolution indicates a high amount of detail and results in better image quality.

Transparency Blend Space: The color model or color space, RGB or CMYK, used to blend transparent objects in a design file. When multiple transparent elements overlap in an exported PDF, such as images, text, or shapes, the blend space determines how their colors are combined to produce the final appearance.

Variable Data: Pieces of information, such as text and images, within a print-ready file that can be automatically customized for individual outputs by a digital printer. We frequently use variable data printing (VDP) to create customized office name and title plates using a single design template and an employee list spreadsheet.

Wind Slits: Intentional small cuts through an outdoor vinyl banner that allow wind to flow through. Usually, the cuts are made in the shape of a half-circle or half-moon.

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Drop Size: The volume of ink dispensed by an inkjet printer's nozzles. The smaller the drop size, the more detailed the printed graphic.

Dual Surface Printing: Printing on both sides, front (first surface) and back (second surface), of a material.

Dye Sublimation: The process of printing directly to fabric materials using water-based ink. After the ink is printed onto the fabric, we then run the fabric through a heat source that opens the pores of the material, allowing the ink to penetrate and be sealed into the individual fabric fibers.

First Surface Printing: Printing directly on the front side of the material so that the ink is closest to the viewer.

Large-Format Printing: A type of printing that uses specialty industrial printers to print on large sheets or rolls of various materials and thicknesses in sizes too large for standard commercial printing presses. This includes large banners and signage, vehicle wraps, wall murals, floor graphics, trade show displays, and more.

Raised Printing: Requiring both a specialty flatbed printer and software, raised printing is the process of printing multiple layers of ink on top of each other to add height to the surface of an otherwise flat graphic. This printing capability enables us to achieve a 3D effect without a 3D printer.

Second Surfacing Printing: Printing on the back side of a transparent material, with the purpose of the image being seen through the substrate.

Silicone Edge Graphic (SEG): High-resolution fabric prints with a thin silicone strip sewn around the edges that fits snugly into a metal frame.

Varnish: A clear, transparent coating applied to a portion of a graphic that’s used to add emphasis or contrast to specific areas of a printed piece. There are four different types of varnish — gloss, semi-gloss, matte, and drop gloss — and each provides a unique effect.

Wide-Format Printing: See definition of Large-Format Printing.

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Cut: Completely severing a material to create shapes or outlines.

Die Cut: Using a sharp, pre-shaped steel blade, known as a die, to cut all the way through large quantities of printed materials. This process allows for custom contour cuts or intricate designs that standard digital cutting cannot achieve.

Engrave: Mechanically cutting away portions of the top of a material to inscribe designs or text into the surface. We utilize our Zünd and Biesse CNC to engrave.

Etch: Using a high heat beam to burn designs or text into the surface of a material. We utilize our Vytek laser machine to etch.

Kiss Cut: Cutting through the top layer of a material, such as vinyl, without cutting through the backing or liner underneath.

Route: Using a high-speed rotating tool (often similar to a drill bit) to cut or engrave materials that are incompatible with regular knife cutting. We utilize our Zünd and Biesse CNC to mechanically route.

Score: The process of making shallow cuts or creases into a material to facilitate folding or bending. This is often used in packaging and displays to create clean, precise folds without breaking the material.

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Flame Polish: A method of polishing a material, usually acrylic, by exposing it to a flame or heat in a controlled environment.

Heat Bending: The process of applying heat directly to a rigid material in order to soften it enough to mold it into a desired shape.

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Adhesive Application: The process of adhering a material with an adhesive backing to a secondary surface. This task may be performed by our finishing team, installers, or clients.

Butt Fit: Aligning printed elements so that their edges meet precisely without any overlap or gap.

Cladding: Changing the surface of a rigid substrate by adhering a graphic printed on a different material to the top.

Edge Band: The process of applying a strip of material, typically adhesive-backed, to the edges of a separate printed material. This technique is often used to enhance durability, provide a finished look, or conceal raw edges that may be susceptible to wear or damage.

Grommet: A metal eyelet inserted into a hole in a printed graphic to protect or reinforce it when a rope or cable is passed through for hanging purposes.

Lamination: A protective plastic film layer that’s added to printed materials to enhance durability, provide a glossy or matte finish, and/or protect against damage from moisture, UV rays, scratches, and fading. We use both hot and cold lamination methods.

Mounting: See definition of Cladding.

Pole Pocket: A hemmed or stitched sleeve that is created along the edge of a banner, flag, or similar printed material to allow a pole to be inserted for display purposes. This technique is commonly used for outdoor signage, banners, and event displays.

Powder Coating: A finishing process that involves applying a dry powder to a surface to create a protective and decorative layer. The powder is typically made from a mixture of resin and pigments, and it is electrostatically charged to adhere to the substrate (usually metal).

Release Liner: A backing material that serves as a protective barrier between a printed adhesive material and the external world during transport. When the printed adhesive material is ready for use, the release liner can be easily peeled away, exposing the sticky surface. This allows for clean and precise application onto the desired substrate, whether it’s a wall, vehicle, or another material.

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3M Certified: A prestigious certification that indicates a company has successfully undergone a detailed on-site evaluation, including a thorough check of its records and processes. A 3M Certified company also boasts at least one installer on their team who has demonstrated proficiency in applying products to fleet vehicles, windows, walls, and floors through practical exams at 3M's St. Paul facility.

Dry Application: A method of installing adhesive vinyl without the use of water or any wet solutions. This technique typically involves peeling the backing off the vinyl and applying it directly to the desired surface.

French Cleats: A type of mounting system used to securely hang items on walls. A French cleat consists of two interlocking pieces — one attached to the wall and the other to the item being hung.

Post Heating: Applying heat to materials after they have been installed or applied, typically to enhance adhesion, flexibility, or to activate certain properties of the materials.

Scissor Lift: A mobile work platform that's used to elevate people and materials vertically for work at different heights.

Wet Application: A method of installing adhesive vinyl that involves using a liquid solution — typically a mixture of water and a small amount of soap or an application fluid. This technique is often used for larger vinyl graphics or decals.