Back - The back of a book is the binding edge. To back a book is to shape the back of a previously rounded book, so as to make a shoulder on either side against which the front and back covers fit closely.

Backing up - to print the second side of printed sheet.

Bank - a lightweight writing paper.

Base artwork - artwork requiring additional components such as halftones or line drawings to be added before the reproduction stage.

Baseline - the line on which the bases of capital letters sit.

Bed - the base on which the Form is held when printing by Letterpress.

Binding - the various methods used to secure loose leaves or sections in a book; eg saddle-stitch, perfect bound.

Bimetallic Plate - Plate in lithography used for long runs. The printing image base is usually copper and the non­printing area is aluminium or stainless steel, giving a harder wearing plate than the conventional aluminium litho plate

Bitmap - an image arranged accordingly to bit location in columns. Resolution of a PostScript file processed through a RIP will have a bitmap image with the characteristics and resolution of the particular output device (for example, laser printer at 300 upto 1200dpi, imagesetters at 1270dpi upto 5080dpi).

Black and White - Originals or reproductions in single colour, also known as monotone or mono.

Blanket cylinder - the cylinder via which the inked litho plate transfers the image to the paper. The cylinder is covered with a rubber sheet which prevents wear to the litho plate coming into contact with the paper.

Bleed - layout, type or pictures that extend beyond the trim marks on a page. Illustrations that spread to the edge of the paper without margins are referred to as 'bled off'.

Blind - term applied to a litho plate which has lost its image; also to book covers which are blocked or stamped without the use of ink or metallic effect.

Blind emboss - a raised impression made without using ink or foil.

Blister packaging - method of packaging in which an object is placed in a pre-formed, clear plastic tray and backed by a printed card.

Block - in binding, to impress or stamp a design upon the cover. The design can be blocked in coloured inks, gold leaf or metal foil (see blind). In printing, a letterpress block is the etched copper or zinc plate, mounted on wood or metal from which an illustration is printed
.
Block in - to sketch in the main areas of an image prior to the design.

Blurb - a short description or commentary of a book or author on a book jacket.

Board - paper of more than 200gsm.

Body (US) - the main text of the work but not including headlines.

Body size - the height of the type measured from the top of the tallest ascender to the bottom of the lowest descender. Normally given in points, the standard unit of type size.

Bond - a sized finished writing paper of 50gsm or more. Can also be used for printing upon.

Bound Book - a book in which the boards of the cover have first been attached to it, the covering of leather, cloth, or other materials being then affixed to the boards. Bound books are more expensive to produce and much stronger than cased books.

Box - a section of text marked off by rules or white space and presented separately from the main text and illustrations. Longer boxed sections in magazines are sometimes referred to as sidebars.

Bristol board - a fine board made in various qualities for drawing.

Broadsheet - any sheet in its basic size (not folded or cut); also denotes a newspaper size.

Broadside - an original term for work printed on one side of a large sheet of paper.

Bromide - a photographic paper used in graphic reproduction, phototypesetting on which a photographic image is created.

Bronzing - an effect produced by dusting wet ink after printing with a metallic powder.

Bulk - relative thickness of a sheet or sheets, for example, a bulky paper and a thin paper both of the same weight display different "bulk".

Burst binding - a type of adhesive binding in which the back of the book block is not sawn off but is slit in place to allow glue to penetrate.