The Jargon Buster Directory is your central resource for locating
an explanation to typical terms found for within all industries , professions
and governments.
Use our directory to locate and decipher jargon that you would like an
explanation for.
Keeping our directory up to date and to include all the spheres where jargon
is used is a never ending task for us. We have started with what we can locate
but but it is a vast subject and can be very niche specific.
Are you in a profession or industry that uses jargon that is NOT included
here? Then why not send us your own jargon buster text and we will include
it within our database. to say thank you we will provide you with a return
link back to your web site.
Designers are well versed at creating jargon. Creativity is often a critical
factor in the creation of design jargon.
Simply take a look at the flamboyant use of language within this design
jargon section of our directory and you will see a real fun use of terms.
This media section covers design jargon, printing jargon and
advertising jargon. All three trade elements go hand in hand with
media and are great fun to read.
Many designers are the 'luvvies' of the industry with colourful characters
and often gay. Dealing with such people can often be frustrating unless you
understand their own design jargon.
Media - Design
ADVERTISING JARGON
Consumer Advertising aimed at the general public - the 'consumer' of food,
fashion, furniture etc.
Trade Press business to business and special interest newspapers and
publications.
Media general term for all publications, television, radio, posters and
electronic publishing.
BRAD industry directory which lists all UK media with advertising sizes,
prices, technical requirements etc. Updated monthly.
Press Packs listings and dates of special interest features and articles
published by newspapers and magazines in addition to their regular editorial
content.
Deadline last possible time to get your advert to the media for inclusion
in the slot you booked.
Above the Line advertising for inclusion in any media.
Below the Line packaging, promotions, sponsorship, point of sale, mail order,
etc. .
DESIGN JARGON
Visualiser a designer.
Scamp or Visual rough pencil drawing/layout.
Desk Space station for a visiting freelancer to work.
Text/Copy wording (see Copy Writing).
Copy Writing NEW writing text for advert/design. Not to be confused with
Copyrighting.
Graphics photographs, illustrations, drawings, computer images etc.
Work Station computer (Usually an Apple Mac, though not always).
Mock-up/dummy prototype model of brochure advert or other design.
Pitch an agency or design consultancy is invited to submit a creative
presentation of designs, with costings, in competition with other agencies
to win a prospective client's business.
Open Line Work black and white artwork with no grey areas
Halftones photographs or drawings with graduated tones. They can be single
(spot) colour or black/white. They are produced with a high resolution dot
pattern for printing.
Duotones as halftones but using two colours.
Strapline / Tagline throwaway line under a logo (e.g. "The future's bright,
the future's orange"). It is almost a signature for a company.
Stock paper or board for printing etc.
Origination material prepared for printing, usually supplied on disk.
Bromides high quality black/white photographic prints for reproducing.
A-sizes standard paper sizes in the UK. Most letters are printed on A4 size
paper (210mm x 297mm). A3 is twice the size, A2 is twice the size of A3,
A5 is half the size of A4.
gsm NEW standard measurement of paper density or weight (grammes per square
metre). Photocopier paper is around 80gsm.
PRINTING JARGON
Press general term for any machine used for printing (hence "going to press").
Separations (or Seps) films used to make printing plates for colour printing
in two or more colours.
4 Colour Sets as Seps, but for printing a full range of colours using the
four process colours (CMYK).
CMYK the four process colours used as standard for full colour printing:
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (known as the Key, hence "K").
Cromalin a full colour proof to see before the job is printed. It is
photographically prepared from the film seps (see above) and is the last
chance to make changes before the job is printed.
"put the job to bed" print the job
Saddle Stitched stapled together
Bleed NEW area of colour beyond the crop marks of a printed job, ensuring
a continued print covering right to the edge of the final cropped output
(usually about 5mm is sufficient).
Authors Amends client's mistakes or revisions. These can be expensive if
made at a late date and designers usually exclude the cost of 'authors amends'
from their quotations.
Laminate a protective plastic covering to printed work. Comes in a range
of thicknesses with a gloss or matt finish. A4 folding to A5, 4pp an A4 sheet
folded to A5 resulting in four surfaces on which to print
Reverse Type white letters looking as if they are printed on black or a solid
colour. In actual fact, the letters have been 'knocked out' of a solid background
and the white paper is showing through.
Gather to put the printed pages in sequence (e.g. "gather & saddle stitch").
Printers quite often charge separately for this.