Negative

See Film.

Pantone Matching System

A system of colour that ensures repeatable mixing of specific spot colour inks no matter where or on what stock the job is printed. Typically a printer will show a customer a PMS book in order to choose a specific spot colour, identified by a number, which is to be used in their print job. The book also contains information on the the exact measurements of component inks required to reproduce that colour. This way the customer and printer knows exactly which colour is to be achieved.

PDF

Portable Document Format. An electronic document format from Adobe that allows the distribution of digital files across any operating system or platform. Displays a document as originally designed and formatted without having the original software application or fonts on the viewing computer.

Perfect Binding

A common method of binding paperback books. After the printed sections have been collated, the spines will be ground off and the cover glued on. The finished product is then trimmed flush with the cover.

Pixel

The smallest unit of data in a digital image. Together, the small discrete elements constitute an image that can be seen on a monitor or printed on a substrate. A pixel's code contains information relating to color and placement within the larger image.

Pixelated

An undesirable effect caused by images or lines being rendered at too low a resolution. Produces a stair stepped effect giving lines or edges a rough appearance.

Pixels Per Inch (PPI)

A measure of the density of scanned pixel information in an image. The finer the optics of the scanner, the higher the scan resolution.

Point

A unit of measurement used in the graphic arts industry. There are 12 points to a Pica. One point equals approximately 1/72 inch.

Portrait

The orientation of a page so that the longest edge is vertical.

Postscript

A digital page description language used by laser printers and some inkjet printers and colour copiers. When you print to a postscript printer, the printer turns the page layout into a series of commands which the printer translates into toner on paper. Only postscript printers can print EPS graphics and Postscript fonts. Most consumer printing devices do not support Postscript as it is really only necessary for use with printing industry applications.