ISO 12637-2:2008
(Main)Graphic technology — Vocabulary — Part 2: Prepress terms
Graphic technology — Vocabulary — Part 2: Prepress terms
ISO 12637-2:2008 defines a set of prepress terms which may be used in the drafting of other International Standards for graphic technology. In order to facilitate their translation into other languages, the definitions are worded so as to avoid, where possible, any peculiarity attached to one language.
Technologie graphique — Vocabulaire — Partie 2: Termes de préimpression
Grafična tehnologija - Slovar - 2. del: Izrazi za grafično pripravo
Ta del ISO 12637 opredeljuje sklop izrazov za grafično pripravo, ki se lahko uporabljajo pri pripravi osnutkov drugih mednarodnih standardov za grafično tehnologijo. Z namenom olajšati njihove prevode v druge jezike, se definicije glasijo tako, da se, kjer je to mogoče, izogne kakršni koli posebnosti, ki velja za posamezni jezik.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-maj-2010
*UDILþQDWHKQRORJLMD6ORYDUGHO ,]UD]L]DJUDILþQRSULSUDYR
Graphic technology - Vocabulary - Part 2: Prepress terms
Technologie graphique - Vocabulaire - Partie 2: Termes de préimpression
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: ISO 12637-2:2008
ICS:
01.040.37 Slikovna tehnologija (Slovarji) Image technology
(Vocabularies)
37.100.01 *UDILþQDWHKQRORJLMDQD Graphic technology in
VSORãQR general
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 12637-2
First edition
2008-12-15
Graphic technology — Vocabulary —
Part 2:
Prepress terms
Technologie graphique — Vocabulaire —
Partie 2: Termes de préimpression
Reference number
©
ISO 2008
PDF disclaimer
This PDF file may contain embedded typefaces. In accordance with Adobe's licensing policy, this file may be printed or viewed but
shall not be edited unless the typefaces which are embedded are licensed to and installed on the computer performing the editing. In
downloading this file, parties accept therein the responsibility of not infringing Adobe's licensing policy. The ISO Central Secretariat
accepts no liability in this area.
Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Details of the software products used to create this PDF file can be found in the General Info relative to the file; the PDF-creation
parameters were optimized for printing. Every care has been taken to ensure that the file is suitable for use by ISO member bodies. In
the unlikely event that a problem relating to it is found, please inform the Central Secretariat at the address given below.
© ISO 2008
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or
ISO's member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail copyright@iso.org
Web www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope. 1
2 Terms and definitions. 1
Bibliography . 15
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 12637-2 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 130, Graphic technology.
ISO 12637 consists of the following parts, under the general title Graphic technology — Vocabulary:
⎯ Part 1: Fundamental terms
⎯ Part 2: Prepress terms
⎯ Part 3: Printing terms
⎯ Part 4: Postpress terms
⎯ Part 5: Screen printing terms
iv © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
Introduction
Documentation gives rise to numerous international exchanges of both intellectual and material nature. These
exchanges often become difficult, either because of the great variety of terms used in various fields or
languages to express the same concept, or because of the absence of, or the imprecision of, useful concepts.
To avoid misunderstandings due to this situation and to facilitate such exchanges, it is advisable to select
terms to be used in various languages or in various countries to express the same concept, and to establish
definitions providing satisfactory equivalents for the various terms in different languages.
This part of ISO 12637 contains terms and definitions associated with the prepress stage of printing.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 12637-2:2008(E)
Graphic technology — Vocabulary —
Part 2:
Prepress terms
1 Scope
This part of ISO 12637 defines a set of prepress terms which may be used in the drafting of other International
Standards for graphic technology. In order to facilitate their translation into other languages, the definitions are
worded so as to avoid, where possible, any peculiarity attached to one language.
2 Terms and definitions
2.1
aliasing
jagged or staircase effect in a raster image, caused by an insufficient number of image elements
NOTE See also ISO 12651:1999, definition 4.38.
2.2
assembly
placing digital, film or paper elements together in order on a suitable substrate or file
NOTE See also ISO 12637-1:2006, definitions 2 and 3.
2.3
bit-mapped image
image represented by an array of picture elements, each of which is encoded as a single binary element
NOTE 1 See also ISO 12651:1999, definition 4.02.
NOTE 2 This is representation of characters or graphics by individual pixels, or points of colour/no-colour arranged in a
row and column order (analogous to a graph paper grid). Each pixel is represented by either one bit (black and white
printing) or up to 32 bits (higher quality colour printing). Physically the bit map exists only as digital information in the
computer memory until transformed into an image on a monitor or print output device.
2.4
bleed
additional printing area outside the nominal printing area necessary for the allowance of mechanical tolerance
in the trimming process
[ISO 15930-3:2002, definition 3.1]
2.5
blind exchange
exchange of compound entities that requires no exchange of technical information between sender and
receiver in order to render the printed page as intended by the sender
2.6
colour electronic prepress system
CEPS
electronic, computer-based, image manipulation system used to prepare digital data files of material for
graphic arts printing production
NOTE This term is used by the printing industry to describe a class of equipment, used from 1980 to approximately
1995, which ushered in the electronic revolution in the printing and publishing industry.
2.7
characterization
relationship between input/output device-dependent and device-independent values
2.8
characterized printing condition
characterization of tone values in relation to colour definition in the various printing processes
2.9
choke
process whereby background colour is expanded to overlap image perimeter to ensure that there is no visible
gap between the two
NOTE See also trapping (2.138).
2.10
chromaticity diagram
graphical representation of two of the three dimensions of colour
2.11
CIE chromaticity coordinates
trichromatic coefficients
ratios of each of the tristimulus values of a colour to the sum of the tristimulus values
NOTE In CIE (Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage) systems, these coordinates are designated X, Y and Z. See
also CIE chromaticity diagram (2.12).
2.12
CIE chromaticity diagram
two-dimensional diagram representing visible colours in terms of the CIE chromaticity coordinates, which are
derived from the standard 1931 CIE XYZ tristimulus values
2.13
CIELAB colour space
rectangular opponent-type colour space derived from non-linear transformations of the 1931 CIE XYZ system
and expressed by the colour coordinates L*, a*, b* approximately uniform with respect to colour differences,
where L* represents relative lightness, a* represents redness or greenness and b* represents yellowness or
blueness
2.14
CIELUV colour space
rectangular opponent-type colour space derived from non-linear transformations of the 1931 CIE XYZ system
expressed by the colour coordinates L*, u*, v* approximately uniform with respect to the perception of colour
differences, where L* represents relative lightness, u* represents redness or greenness, and v* represents
yellowness or blueness
2.15
CIE standard illuminants
illuminants A, D50, D65, etc., defined by the CIE in terms of relative spectral power distribution
2 © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
2.16
CIEXYZ tristimulus values
values of x, y, z components of a colour obtained by multiplying the relative power of a CIE standard illuminant,
the reflectance or transmittance of the object, and the CIE standard observer functions x , y and z
2.17
CMYK
abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and black process colours
2.18
colorimeter
instrument for measuring colour values, such as the tristimulus values of a colour stimulus
2.19
colour characterization target
standard colour reference used for establishing the relationship between a printed image and the input values
of that image
2.20
colour correction
photographic, electronic or manual procedure used to enhance original colour and to compensate for the
deficiencies of the process inks, colour separation and defects in the original
2.21
colour difference
distinction between two colours observed or measured under standard conditions
2.22
colour encoding
generic term for a quantized digital encoding of a colour space, encompassing both colour space encodings
and colour image encodings
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.7]
2.23
colour gamut
solid in a colour space, consisting of all those colours that are either present in a specific scene, artwork,
photograph, photomechanical or other reproduction; or capable of being created using a particular output
device and/or medium
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.8]
2.24
colour image encoding
digital encoding of the colour values for a digital image, including the specification of a colour space encoding,
together with any information necessary to properly interpret the colour values such as the image state, the
intended image viewing environment and the reference medium
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.9]
2.25
colour profile
data file that provides colour management systems with the information necessary to convert colour data
between native device colour spaces and device-independent colour spaces
2.26
colour rendering
mapping of image data representing the colorimetric coordinates of the elements of a scene to output-referred
image data representing the colorimetric coordinates of the elements of a reproduction
NOTE Adapted from ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.11.
2.27
colour separation
〈process〉 act of separation by which a multi-coloured original is split into the separate colour files or films
associated with the printing colorants for process colour printing
2.28
colour separation
〈product〉 set of data files or films created by the process of colour separation (2.27)
2.29
colour sequence
order in which the colours are stored in a data file
2.30
colour space
geometric representation of colours in space, usually of three dimensions
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.13]
2.31
colour space encoding
digital encoding of a colour space (2.30), including the specification of a digital encoding method, and an
encoding range
NOTE Adapted from ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.14.
2.32
colour value
set of numeric values associated with each of the pixels in one of the colour spaces
2.33
complementary colours
two colours that, when mixed in appropriate ratios, produce an achromatic colour
NOTE In graphic arts processes the complementary pairs are yellow and blue; magenta and green; cyan and red.
2.34
complete exchange
exchange of compound entities in which all elements and element resources are present as part of a single
exchange and all of the information needed to process the composite entity is either in the composite entity or
is specified within the applicable standard and its normative references
[ISO 15930-1:2001, definition 3.5]
2.35
composite
unit of work with all text, graphics and image elements prepared for final print reproduction
2.36
compound entity
unit of work with all text, graphic and image elements prepared for final print reproduction and that may
represent a single page for printing, a portion of a page or a combination of pages
[ISO 15930-1:2001, definition 3.6]
2.37
continuous tone
image that has not been screened and has infinite tone gradations between the lightest highlights and t
...
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 12637-2
First edition
2008-12-15
Graphic technology — Vocabulary —
Part 2:
Prepress terms
Technologie graphique — Vocabulaire —
Partie 2: Termes de préimpression
Reference number
©
ISO 2008
PDF disclaimer
This PDF file may contain embedded typefaces. In accordance with Adobe's licensing policy, this file may be printed or viewed but
shall not be edited unless the typefaces which are embedded are licensed to and installed on the computer performing the editing. In
downloading this file, parties accept therein the responsibility of not infringing Adobe's licensing policy. The ISO Central Secretariat
accepts no liability in this area.
Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Details of the software products used to create this PDF file can be found in the General Info relative to the file; the PDF-creation
parameters were optimized for printing. Every care has been taken to ensure that the file is suitable for use by ISO member bodies. In
the unlikely event that a problem relating to it is found, please inform the Central Secretariat at the address given below.
© ISO 2008
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or
ISO's member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail copyright@iso.org
Web www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope. 1
2 Terms and definitions. 1
Bibliography . 15
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 12637-2 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 130, Graphic technology.
ISO 12637 consists of the following parts, under the general title Graphic technology — Vocabulary:
⎯ Part 1: Fundamental terms
⎯ Part 2: Prepress terms
⎯ Part 3: Printing terms
⎯ Part 4: Postpress terms
⎯ Part 5: Screen printing terms
iv © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
Introduction
Documentation gives rise to numerous international exchanges of both intellectual and material nature. These
exchanges often become difficult, either because of the great variety of terms used in various fields or
languages to express the same concept, or because of the absence of, or the imprecision of, useful concepts.
To avoid misunderstandings due to this situation and to facilitate such exchanges, it is advisable to select
terms to be used in various languages or in various countries to express the same concept, and to establish
definitions providing satisfactory equivalents for the various terms in different languages.
This part of ISO 12637 contains terms and definitions associated with the prepress stage of printing.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 12637-2:2008(E)
Graphic technology — Vocabulary —
Part 2:
Prepress terms
1 Scope
This part of ISO 12637 defines a set of prepress terms which may be used in the drafting of other International
Standards for graphic technology. In order to facilitate their translation into other languages, the definitions are
worded so as to avoid, where possible, any peculiarity attached to one language.
2 Terms and definitions
2.1
aliasing
jagged or staircase effect in a raster image, caused by an insufficient number of image elements
NOTE See also ISO 12651:1999, definition 4.38.
2.2
assembly
placing digital, film or paper elements together in order on a suitable substrate or file
NOTE See also ISO 12637-1:2006, definitions 2 and 3.
2.3
bit-mapped image
image represented by an array of picture elements, each of which is encoded as a single binary element
NOTE 1 See also ISO 12651:1999, definition 4.02.
NOTE 2 This is representation of characters or graphics by individual pixels, or points of colour/no-colour arranged in a
row and column order (analogous to a graph paper grid). Each pixel is represented by either one bit (black and white
printing) or up to 32 bits (higher quality colour printing). Physically the bit map exists only as digital information in the
computer memory until transformed into an image on a monitor or print output device.
2.4
bleed
additional printing area outside the nominal printing area necessary for the allowance of mechanical tolerance
in the trimming process
[ISO 15930-3:2002, definition 3.1]
2.5
blind exchange
exchange of compound entities that requires no exchange of technical information between sender and
receiver in order to render the printed page as intended by the sender
2.6
colour electronic prepress system
CEPS
electronic, computer-based, image manipulation system used to prepare digital data files of material for
graphic arts printing production
NOTE This term is used by the printing industry to describe a class of equipment, used from 1980 to approximately
1995, which ushered in the electronic revolution in the printing and publishing industry.
2.7
characterization
relationship between input/output device-dependent and device-independent values
2.8
characterized printing condition
characterization of tone values in relation to colour definition in the various printing processes
2.9
choke
process whereby background colour is expanded to overlap image perimeter to ensure that there is no visible
gap between the two
NOTE See also trapping (2.138).
2.10
chromaticity diagram
graphical representation of two of the three dimensions of colour
2.11
CIE chromaticity coordinates
trichromatic coefficients
ratios of each of the tristimulus values of a colour to the sum of the tristimulus values
NOTE In CIE (Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage) systems, these coordinates are designated X, Y and Z. See
also CIE chromaticity diagram (2.12).
2.12
CIE chromaticity diagram
two-dimensional diagram representing visible colours in terms of the CIE chromaticity coordinates, which are
derived from the standard 1931 CIE XYZ tristimulus values
2.13
CIELAB colour space
rectangular opponent-type colour space derived from non-linear transformations of the 1931 CIE XYZ system
and expressed by the colour coordinates L*, a*, b* approximately uniform with respect to colour differences,
where L* represents relative lightness, a* represents redness or greenness and b* represents yellowness or
blueness
2.14
CIELUV colour space
rectangular opponent-type colour space derived from non-linear transformations of the 1931 CIE XYZ system
expressed by the colour coordinates L*, u*, v* approximately uniform with respect to the perception of colour
differences, where L* represents relative lightness, u* represents redness or greenness, and v* represents
yellowness or blueness
2.15
CIE standard illuminants
illuminants A, D50, D65, etc., defined by the CIE in terms of relative spectral power distribution
2 © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
2.16
CIEXYZ tristimulus values
values of x, y, z components of a colour obtained by multiplying the relative power of a CIE standard illuminant,
the reflectance or transmittance of the object, and the CIE standard observer functions x , y and z
2.17
CMYK
abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and black process colours
2.18
colorimeter
instrument for measuring colour values, such as the tristimulus values of a colour stimulus
2.19
colour characterization target
standard colour reference used for establishing the relationship between a printed image and the input values
of that image
2.20
colour correction
photographic, electronic or manual procedure used to enhance original colour and to compensate for the
deficiencies of the process inks, colour separation and defects in the original
2.21
colour difference
distinction between two colours observed or measured under standard conditions
2.22
colour encoding
generic term for a quantized digital encoding of a colour space, encompassing both colour space encodings
and colour image encodings
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.7]
2.23
colour gamut
solid in a colour space, consisting of all those colours that are either present in a specific scene, artwork,
photograph, photomechanical or other reproduction; or capable of being created using a particular output
device and/or medium
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.8]
2.24
colour image encoding
digital encoding of the colour values for a digital image, including the specification of a colour space encoding,
together with any information necessary to properly interpret the colour values such as the image state, the
intended image viewing environment and the reference medium
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.9]
2.25
colour profile
data file that provides colour management systems with the information necessary to convert colour data
between native device colour spaces and device-independent colour spaces
2.26
colour rendering
mapping of image data representing the colorimetric coordinates of the elements of a scene to output-referred
image data representing the colorimetric coordinates of the elements of a reproduction
NOTE Adapted from ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.11.
2.27
colour separation
〈process〉 act of separation by which a multi-coloured original is split into the separate colour files or films
associated with the printing colorants for process colour printing
2.28
colour separation
〈product〉 set of data files or films created by the process of colour separation (2.27)
2.29
colour sequence
order in which the colours are stored in a data file
2.30
colour space
geometric representation of colours in space, usually of three dimensions
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.13]
2.31
colour space encoding
digital encoding of a colour space (2.30), including the specification of a digital encoding method, and an
encoding range
NOTE Adapted from ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.14.
2.32
colour value
set of numeric values associated with each of the pixels in one of the colour spaces
2.33
complementary colours
two colours that, when mixed in appropriate ratios, produce an achromatic colour
NOTE In graphic arts processes the complementary pairs are yellow and blue; magenta and green; cyan and red.
2.34
complete exchange
exchange of compound entities in which all elements and element resources are present as part of a single
exchange and all of the information needed to process the composite entity is either in the composite entity or
is specified within the applicable standard and its normative references
[ISO 15930-1:2001, definition 3.5]
2.35
composite
unit of work with all text, graphics and image elements prepared for final print reproduction
2.36
compound entity
unit of work with all text, graphic and image elements prepared for final print reproduction and that may
represent a single page for printing, a portion of a page or a combination of pages
[ISO 15930-1:2001, definition 3.6]
2.37
continuous tone
image that has not been screened and has infinite tone gradations between the lightest highlights and the
deepest shadows
4 © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
2.38
contrast
〈image〉 relationship or degree of tonal gradation between the lightest and darkest areas in an original or
reproduction
2.39
control patch
area produced for control measurement purposes
[ISO 12647-1:2004, definition 3.8]
2.40
control strip
array of control patches
NOTE Adapted from ISO 12647-1:2004, definition 3.9.
2.41
copperplate engraving
generic term of intaglio printing where plate making occurs without using a photomechanical process
NOTE An engraving process using steel instead of copper is known as steel plate engraving.
2.42
copy
any graphic material provided for reproduction including text, images and line art
2.43
core density
〈half-tone film〉 transmittance density in the centre of an isolated opaque image element such as a half-tone
dot or line
[ISO 12647-1:2004, definition 3.10]
2.44
CtP
abbreviation for computer to plate, the method
...
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 12637-2
First edition
2008-12-15
Graphic technology — Vocabulary —
Part 2:
Prepress terms
Technologie graphique — Vocabulaire —
Partie 2: Termes de préimpression
Reference number
©
ISO 2008
PDF disclaimer
This PDF file may contain embedded typefaces. In accordance with Adobe's licensing policy, this file may be printed or viewed but
shall not be edited unless the typefaces which are embedded are licensed to and installed on the computer performing the editing. In
downloading this file, parties accept therein the responsibility of not infringing Adobe's licensing policy. The ISO Central Secretariat
accepts no liability in this area.
Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Details of the software products used to create this PDF file can be found in the General Info relative to the file; the PDF-creation
parameters were optimized for printing. Every care has been taken to ensure that the file is suitable for use by ISO member bodies. In
the unlikely event that a problem relating to it is found, please inform the Central Secretariat at the address given below.
© ISO 2008
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or
ISO's member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail copyright@iso.org
Web www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope. 1
2 Terms and definitions. 1
Bibliography . 15
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 12637-2 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 130, Graphic technology.
ISO 12637 consists of the following parts, under the general title Graphic technology — Vocabulary:
⎯ Part 1: Fundamental terms
⎯ Part 2: Prepress terms
⎯ Part 3: Printing terms
⎯ Part 4: Postpress terms
⎯ Part 5: Screen printing terms
iv © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
Introduction
Documentation gives rise to numerous international exchanges of both intellectual and material nature. These
exchanges often become difficult, either because of the great variety of terms used in various fields or
languages to express the same concept, or because of the absence of, or the imprecision of, useful concepts.
To avoid misunderstandings due to this situation and to facilitate such exchanges, it is advisable to select
terms to be used in various languages or in various countries to express the same concept, and to establish
definitions providing satisfactory equivalents for the various terms in different languages.
This part of ISO 12637 contains terms and definitions associated with the prepress stage of printing.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 12637-2:2008(E)
Graphic technology — Vocabulary —
Part 2:
Prepress terms
1 Scope
This part of ISO 12637 defines a set of prepress terms which may be used in the drafting of other International
Standards for graphic technology. In order to facilitate their translation into other languages, the definitions are
worded so as to avoid, where possible, any peculiarity attached to one language.
2 Terms and definitions
2.1
aliasing
jagged or staircase effect in a raster image, caused by an insufficient number of image elements
NOTE See also ISO 12651:1999, definition 4.38.
2.2
assembly
placing digital, film or paper elements together in order on a suitable substrate or file
NOTE See also ISO 12637-1:2006, definitions 2 and 3.
2.3
bit-mapped image
image represented by an array of picture elements, each of which is encoded as a single binary element
NOTE 1 See also ISO 12651:1999, definition 4.02.
NOTE 2 This is representation of characters or graphics by individual pixels, or points of colour/no-colour arranged in a
row and column order (analogous to a graph paper grid). Each pixel is represented by either one bit (black and white
printing) or up to 32 bits (higher quality colour printing). Physically the bit map exists only as digital information in the
computer memory until transformed into an image on a monitor or print output device.
2.4
bleed
additional printing area outside the nominal printing area necessary for the allowance of mechanical tolerance
in the trimming process
[ISO 15930-3:2002, definition 3.1]
2.5
blind exchange
exchange of compound entities that requires no exchange of technical information between sender and
receiver in order to render the printed page as intended by the sender
2.6
colour electronic prepress system
CEPS
electronic, computer-based, image manipulation system used to prepare digital data files of material for
graphic arts printing production
NOTE This term is used by the printing industry to describe a class of equipment, used from 1980 to approximately
1995, which ushered in the electronic revolution in the printing and publishing industry.
2.7
characterization
relationship between input/output device-dependent and device-independent values
2.8
characterized printing condition
characterization of tone values in relation to colour definition in the various printing processes
2.9
choke
process whereby background colour is expanded to overlap image perimeter to ensure that there is no visible
gap between the two
NOTE See also trapping (2.138).
2.10
chromaticity diagram
graphical representation of two of the three dimensions of colour
2.11
CIE chromaticity coordinates
trichromatic coefficients
ratios of each of the tristimulus values of a colour to the sum of the tristimulus values
NOTE In CIE (Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage) systems, these coordinates are designated X, Y and Z. See
also CIE chromaticity diagram (2.12).
2.12
CIE chromaticity diagram
two-dimensional diagram representing visible colours in terms of the CIE chromaticity coordinates, which are
derived from the standard 1931 CIE XYZ tristimulus values
2.13
CIELAB colour space
rectangular opponent-type colour space derived from non-linear transformations of the 1931 CIE XYZ system
and expressed by the colour coordinates L*, a*, b* approximately uniform with respect to colour differences,
where L* represents relative lightness, a* represents redness or greenness and b* represents yellowness or
blueness
2.14
CIELUV colour space
rectangular opponent-type colour space derived from non-linear transformations of the 1931 CIE XYZ system
expressed by the colour coordinates L*, u*, v* approximately uniform with respect to the perception of colour
differences, where L* represents relative lightness, u* represents redness or greenness, and v* represents
yellowness or blueness
2.15
CIE standard illuminants
illuminants A, D50, D65, etc., defined by the CIE in terms of relative spectral power distribution
2 © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
2.16
CIEXYZ tristimulus values
values of x, y, z components of a colour obtained by multiplying the relative power of a CIE standard illuminant,
the reflectance or transmittance of the object, and the CIE standard observer functions x , y and z
2.17
CMYK
abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and black process colours
2.18
colorimeter
instrument for measuring colour values, such as the tristimulus values of a colour stimulus
2.19
colour characterization target
standard colour reference used for establishing the relationship between a printed image and the input values
of that image
2.20
colour correction
photographic, electronic or manual procedure used to enhance original colour and to compensate for the
deficiencies of the process inks, colour separation and defects in the original
2.21
colour difference
distinction between two colours observed or measured under standard conditions
2.22
colour encoding
generic term for a quantized digital encoding of a colour space, encompassing both colour space encodings
and colour image encodings
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.7]
2.23
colour gamut
solid in a colour space, consisting of all those colours that are either present in a specific scene, artwork,
photograph, photomechanical or other reproduction; or capable of being created using a particular output
device and/or medium
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.8]
2.24
colour image encoding
digital encoding of the colour values for a digital image, including the specification of a colour space encoding,
together with any information necessary to properly interpret the colour values such as the image state, the
intended image viewing environment and the reference medium
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.9]
2.25
colour profile
data file that provides colour management systems with the information necessary to convert colour data
between native device colour spaces and device-independent colour spaces
2.26
colour rendering
mapping of image data representing the colorimetric coordinates of the elements of a scene to output-referred
image data representing the colorimetric coordinates of the elements of a reproduction
NOTE Adapted from ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.11.
2.27
colour separation
〈process〉 act of separation by which a multi-coloured original is split into the separate colour files or films
associated with the printing colorants for process colour printing
2.28
colour separation
〈product〉 set of data files or films created by the process of colour separation (2.27)
2.29
colour sequence
order in which the colours are stored in a data file
2.30
colour space
geometric representation of colours in space, usually of three dimensions
[ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.13]
2.31
colour space encoding
digital encoding of a colour space (2.30), including the specification of a digital encoding method, and an
encoding range
NOTE Adapted from ISO 22028-1:2004, definition 3.14.
2.32
colour value
set of numeric values associated with each of the pixels in one of the colour spaces
2.33
complementary colours
two colours that, when mixed in appropriate ratios, produce an achromatic colour
NOTE In graphic arts processes the complementary pairs are yellow and blue; magenta and green; cyan and red.
2.34
complete exchange
exchange of compound entities in which all elements and element resources are present as part of a single
exchange and all of the information needed to process the composite entity is either in the composite entity or
is specified within the applicable standard and its normative references
[ISO 15930-1:2001, definition 3.5]
2.35
composite
unit of work with all text, graphics and image elements prepared for final print reproduction
2.36
compound entity
unit of work with all text, graphic and image elements prepared for final print reproduction and that may
represent a single page for printing, a portion of a page or a combination of pages
[ISO 15930-1:2001, definition 3.6]
2.37
continuous tone
image that has not been screened and has infinite tone gradations between the lightest highlights and the
deepest shadows
4 © ISO 2008 – All rights reserved
2.38
contrast
〈image〉 relationship or degree of tonal gradation between the lightest and darkest areas in an original or
reproduction
2.39
control patch
area produced for control measurement purposes
[ISO 12647-1:2004, definition 3.8]
2.40
control strip
array of control patches
NOTE Adapted from ISO 12647-1:2004, definition 3.9.
2.41
copperplate engraving
generic term of intaglio printing where plate making occurs without using a photomechanical process
NOTE An engraving process using steel instead of copper is known as steel plate engraving.
2.42
copy
any graphic material provided for reproduction including text, images and line art
2.43
core density
〈half-tone film〉 transmittance density in the centre of an isolated opaque image element such as a half-tone
dot or line
[ISO 12647-1:2004, definition 3.10]
2.44
CtP
abbreviation for computer to plate, the method
...
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