Lacquer

A clear resin/solvent coating, usually glossy applied to a printed sheet for protection or appearance.

Laid Finish

Paper with a pattern of parallel lines at equal distances, giving a ribbed effect, simulating the surface of handmade paper.

Lamination

A plastic film bonded by heat and pressure to a printed sheet for protection or appearance.

Landscape (orientation)

Page or layout that is wider than it is tall.

Layout Proof

A physical representation of the final piece created for the purpose of checking the elements for errors and omissions. Usually an inexpensive digital print that may or may not be the size of the actual final printed piece. Higher quality digital proofs are available, at considerable cost, that more closely represent the final in size and color. None of these processes is capable of duplicating every aspect of the final unless it is to be done on the same piece of equipment.

Layout

An instruction set or "blueprint" for the actual work to be done. In prepress work this may be an electronic file with an assemblage of related parts (scanned photos, postscript art, fonts, and other related pieces).

Leading

(pronounced "led-ding") The space between lines of type, traditionally measured baseline-to-baseline, in points. Text type is generally set with one or two points of leading; for example, 10-point type with 2 points of leading. This is described as 10/12, read ten on twelve.

Letter spacing

The placing of additional space between each letter of a word.

Line art

Black-and-white artwork with no gray areas. Pen-and-ink drawings are line art, and most graphic images produced with desktop publishing graphics programs can be treated as line art. For printing purposes, positive halftones can be handled as line art.

Logo or Logotype

A distinctive design, symbol, or style of type associated with the company name. Specifically, a logo is a symbol or mark and a logotype is an alphabetical configuration.

Lower Case

The small letters in type, as distinguished from the capital letters.