A slick is a crisp, high-contrast printout or proof that serves as the final master copy before plate production. Prepress operators photograph the slick to generate a film negative, which is then exposed onto a light-sensitive offset printing plate. The term comes from the glossy, coated paper traditionally used to ensure sharp edges and dense blacks, preventing any light leaks during the photographic step.
Heard on the job
Bring me the slick for the cover so I can shoot the negatives before lunch.
Insider tip
While digital prepress and computer-to-plate workflows have largely replaced them, operators still use the term for high-quality physical proofs.
Also heard as
- camera-ready copy
- repro