Overprint: meaning, definitions and examples

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overprint

 

[ ˈoʊvərˌprɪnt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

printing process

Overprint refers to the printing technique where one color is printed over another color on a substrate. This process is commonly used in graphic design and production printing to create special effects, enhance color richness, or achieve specific aesthetic outcomes. Care must be taken with overprint to ensure that colors blend well and do not appear muddy or out of place. It can be used in various applications, including packaging, marketing materials, and fine art prints.

Synonyms

layer, print over, superimpose.

Examples of usage

  • The design team decided to overprint the logo to achieve a bolder look.
  • He used overprint to combine two colors for a unique background effect.
  • In offset printing, overprinting can help to ensure that the colors are precisely aligned.

Translations

Translations of the word "overprint" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sobreimprimir

🇮🇳 ओवरप्रिंट

🇩🇪 Überdruck

🇮🇩 overprint

🇺🇦 друк на друку

🇵🇱 przezdruk

🇯🇵 オーバープリント

🇫🇷 surimpression

🇪🇸 sobreimpresión

🇹🇷 üzerine basma

🇰🇷 오버프린트

🇸🇦 طباعة فوقية

🇨🇿 nátisk

🇸🇰 prepress

🇨🇳 叠印

🇸🇮 overprint

🇮🇸 ofurprentun

🇰🇿 қосымша басып шығару

🇬🇪 ზედბეჭდვა

🇦🇿 üst-üstə çap

🇲🇽 sobreimpresión

Etymology

The term 'overprint' originates from the field of printmaking and graphic design, where techniques involving layering inks date back centuries. The concept of overprinting emerged as printers sought to enhance the visual appeal of their printed materials by applying additional colors atop existing ones. Traditionally, printmakers and lithographers developed methods to achieve overprinted effects, often experimenting with transparency and opacity of different inks. As technology evolved, particularly with the advent of offset and digital printing, the practice of overprinting became more accessible and widely used in commercial printing. The term combines 'over,' meaning on top of or above, and 'print,' which pertains to the act of transferring ink onto a substrate. Overprint has now become a fundamental aspect of graphic design, contributing significantly to color mixing and artistic expression in print media.