Surprint

"Dropout" is obviously the opposite of surprint in that during the process of preparing the plate the "line" shape (type or drawing) is deleted from the halftone or screen film negative of any one color or combination of colors.

To use this chart to decide if type should be surprinted or reversed over a portion of a photograph or in a screened area, find the shade of gray that most closely matches the area and see if the surprint or reverse is more readable.

Pictured is a letterhead created by The Vast Agency on a very lightweight stock in which one half of the company's name is printed as a surprint while the other half is reversed out of the flood-coloured back.

Only lines and areas which are to print as blacks or solids can be surprinted.

Don't decide to "strip this" or "surprint that" unless you are sure of your ground, and even then you may well leave the decision to the engraver.

To use this chart to decide if type should be surprinted or reversed over a portion of a photograph or in a screened area, find the shade of gray that most closely matches the area and see if the surprint or reverse is more readable.