Jargon A-Z

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A-Z of commonly used printing terminology

Click on a letter  below to view details.

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Varnish
A transparent solution mixed with ink or printed over ink to produce a
glossy or matt surface finish.

Varnishing   
Varnish effects can be created on uncoated stock but, to be effective,
they need to be carried out on top of emulsion sealing due to the natural
absorbency of the sheet. Machine varnishes can be enhanced by
adding small percentages of coloured ink to effect a subtle tint. In order
to achieve the highly effective contrast of high gloss UV varnish against
a textured surface, it is advisable to seal, then apply UV matt and UV
gloss varnishes in that order.