A pick is a flaw on a printed sheet that occurs when the tack of the ink is stronger than the surface strength of the paper. As the paper separates from the inked blanket or type, small fragments of paper coating or loose fibers are torn away. These particles stick to the plate or blanket, leaving white, unprinted voids on subsequent sheets and forcing the pressman to stop and wash up the rollers.
Heard on the job
We're getting a bad pick on this coated stock, so we need to reduce the ink tack with a little varnish.
Insider tip
Picking is most common in cold pressrooms or when running heavy solid blocks of color on cheap coated paper.
Also heard as
- picking