I

ideogram

Pictures used to symbolize an idea. (e.g., using "?" to represent "Need help?" or "Have a question?")

illuminating

1. The use of light on a subject. 2. The medieval art of decorating book pages with colorful ornamental figures or applying gold leaf to the edges of books.

illustrations

Line art, photos, and other graphic images used in printed material.

image

Line art, paintings, sketches, photos, and other visual representations of a subject matter.

Image assembly

Aggregating the film negatives or film positives to create a film negative. The result is used to produce a printing plate. Other Term: stripping. See also film image assembly; imposition.

imagesetter

The equipment used to produce a high resolution image on paper, film and other substrates. See also: PostScript; raster image processor; typsetting, digital; vectors.

imposition

Collecting and positioning page elements so that when printed and folded the page elements are in proper alignment. Other Term: image assembly. See also: film image assembly; stripping.

indirect letterpress

See dry offset. letterset; relief offset.

ink spread

See: dot gain; dot spread.

inserting

1. Nesting signatures inside each other in proper order. 2. In publishing, binding a separately printed page into the book or publication. See also: assembling; collate; gathering.

intaglio

An incised, etched, carved or sunken image. In printing, an intaglio is created on the surface of plates or cylinders. The etched areas hold ink, the non-etched areas remain ink free. When the inked plate or cylinder is then applied to the substrate to be printed, the ink adheres and is transferred to the substrate reproducing the original image.

italic

A type style in which the letters are slanted 8 to 20 degrees from the vertical. Italics are often used for special emphasis. See also: oblique.