When we handle DTP projects, we will meet some special term used in this field besides the terms about all kinds of DTP tools. We need to know the meaning of these terms, thus it helps to get smooth communication with the clients and show us profession. Below are some common terminologies we can frequently meet in the DTP project.

Outline

Outline means to curve the texts. To put it simply, it becomes graphic after the text is outlined and doesn’t have the attribute of text anymore. It can be shown normally in the computer without the pertinent font, especially for some Middle East languages, such as Tamil, Hindi. But it cannot be edited again. Most of clients will ask for both outlined and non-outlined working file. The outlined one is mainly for correct display and checking and the non-outlined is for future update and medication.

Crop mark

The lines which are around the paper indicate the part of cut-off.

Bleed

Bleed is a common printing term; the bleed in printing refers to the pattern which enlarges the outside dimension of product. With the extension of the pattern in the crop mark, it is especially used in the different production working procedure which is within its process tolerance range and avoids the white edge or cut off the content in the product. During the production process, we use two kinds of size, design size and finished product size. The design size is larger than the finished product size. The edge which is beyond of the size will be cut off after printing. This part which will be printed and cut off is called “bleed”.

Vector Graph

Vector graph is based on the geometrical features, which could be a dot or a line. Vector graph is only obtained by software drawing and the generated file occupies small space. Its feature is that the graphic cannot be distorted after it is enlarged and is resolution independence. As for the biggest drawback, it is difficult to display the vivid image effect with rich colorful layer. The common drawing tool for vector graph is Illustrator (ai/eps format) and CorelDRAW (cdr format).

Bitmap

Bitmap is also called Bitmap graph or drawing graph, which is composed of single dot of pixel. These dots can make different permutation and colouration to make up different graph. When the bitmap is enlarged, there are countless boxes which make up the image.

The effect of expanding its size is to increase the individual pixels, so that the lines and shapes seem uneven. However, if to watch it from a little far, the color and shape of the bitmap appear consecutive. In general, bitmap is obtained by the shooting, such as the photo by digit camera. The image created by Photoshop is also a bitmap.

The difference between vector graph and bitmap

there are big differences between vector graph and bitmap. Vector graph can be enlarged indefinitely and cannot become blurry, bitmap is affected by resolution. So during the printing, you can arbitrarily enlarge or shrink the vector graph without affecting the clarity. But you should apply proper resolution for bitmaps.

Compound Font

“Compound font” is a kind of complex font which is composed of specific Chinese font, punctuation, sign and specific English font, numeral.