Graphic Design Vocabulary List
Anti-Aliasing: the smoothing of jagged pixel edges in an image or graphic.
Bevel: applying a beveled effect – giving a 3d appearance to an otherwise flat looking graphic. This is achieved by adding highlights and shadows to an object’s edges.
Bleed (bleed edge): when creating a design for print, a “bleed edge” needs to be added to the document’s page size. For example, a brochure with the dimensions 8″ x 10″ needs to be created at something like 8.5″ x 10.5″. This leaves room for the design to extend past the cut area.
CMYK: a very common color mode used for printing, also known as “process colors”. The CMYK stands for the colors cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. The letter K represents black as a way to not confuse with blue. When printing in CMYK, not all colors are achievable (ex: bright blues). For this reason, spot colors (pantone colors) can be used to add shots of necessary colors (see “spot colors” to learn more).
DPI (dots per inch): represents the resolution of an output device such as a printer. The higher the DPI, the more pixels (dots) fit into each inch of the image. In other words, the higher the DPI, the better an image will look in print. 300 dpi is sufficient for many print jobs, but it’s all dependent on the detail required and the material being printed on. DPI is often confused with the term “PPI” (see “ppi” to learn more).
Duotone: Just like the name implies, a duotone is simply an image consisting of 2 colors. Printing an image with 2 colors rather than 1 will result in an image that has more depth than a single monotone color print.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol): ability to transfer files from one computer to another using the internet. There are FTP software programs (ex: “CuteFTP” or “Transmit” for mac) that make the process of transferring large amounts of data possible and simple. FTP programs (also referred to FTP clients) are commonly used tools for uploading and updating sites on the web.
Gamut: basically a range of available color. There are color modes in graphic design. Each mode consists of a certain amount of colors. This range of available color is referred to as “gamut”. Any color that falls out of this range is called “out of gamut”.
GIF: one of the most widely used graphic image file formats on the web.
-web browser friendly
-small file size is great for web pages.
-support background transparency
-limited to only 256 colors
-photos don’t look good saved as GIF
-small file size is great for web pages.
-support background transparency
-limited to only 256 colors
-photos don’t look good saved as GIF
Gradient: a gradual transition of colors. The way the sky fades from one color to another during a sunset is an example of a gradient.
JPG: (also spelled “JPEG”) this image format is the most commonly used web format when it comes to photos or detailed imagery. JPGS are a “lossy” format, meaning some quality is lost to achieve their smaller file size.
-look great on a monitor, despite “lossy” format
-support a higher number colors than gifs, however larger file sizes
-web browser friendly
-ok for print if saved as highest quality
-Saving jpg images at high quality will result in better picture quality but longer loading times on the internet. Saving at low quality will result in lower picture quality but fast web page loading times.
-unlike “PNG” and “GIF” file formats, JPG’s don’t support background transparency
-support a higher number colors than gifs, however larger file sizes
-web browser friendly
-ok for print if saved as highest quality
-Saving jpg images at high quality will result in better picture quality but longer loading times on the internet. Saving at low quality will result in lower picture quality but fast web page loading times.
-unlike “PNG” and “GIF” file formats, JPG’s don’t support background transparency
Kerning: the horizontal spacing between a pair of letters in a word. Certain letter pairs look awkward together, so sometimes it’s necessary to move the letters closer together or further apart. Examples of how spacing varries with various letter combinations: AV, PA, AT, and AY. Kerning is often confused with the term “tracking” (see “tracking”). Tracking is used for spacing larger groups of letters or text.
Pantone matching system: a color matching system allowing designers and print shops to more easily match colors. This is accomplished by referencing Pantone swatch books (guides) for the proper recipe of colors. This Pantone system is not perfect, but it has become the industry standard for color matching.
-good way to select “out of gamut” (see “gamut”) spot colors (see “spot colors”) for print projects.
-spot colors can be expensive
-no two color guides are printed exactly the same
-spot colors can be expensive
-no two color guides are printed exactly the same
PDF (portable document format): a document format that allows for the reading and writing of multi-page documents or articles. It’s possible to keep the same format, layout, and fonts of a document across any computer setup. A free software program like Adobe Acrobat is needed to read PDF’s. PDF’s are a good way to write ebooks, articles, and also serve as a good way to show images.
Pixelation: raster images (see “raster”) are comprised of tiny dots. The more dots that fit into a certain area (1×1″ for example), the higher the resolution. Often times images with low resolution appear “blocky” or pixelated because of their lack of pixels per inch (see “ppi”). This blocky appearance is referred to as pixelation. Vector (see “vector”) image are void of pixelation.
To understand pixelation, think of the old Atari video games. Remember how the graphics were made up of tiny blocks. Each of these blocks are called pixels. Now look at today’s video games, monitors, and tv screens where the pixels are much less noticeable. The reason is because the pixels are smaller and more crammed. This results in a more detailed viewing image.
PNG: a common image format used for displaying images on the web.
-offers background transparency (great for web)
-larger in file size than a gif, but still reasonable for web use
-display many colors
-display text more crisp than jpg images.
-display many colors
-display text more crisp than jpg images.
PPI (pixels per inch): specifies the resolution of an input device (digital camera, scanner, monitor). Web pages run at a resolution of 72-96 PPI. PPI is often confused with the term “DPI” (see “dpi”).
Raster: a raster image is an image that is made up of pixels (tiny dots). Raster graphics or images are resolution dependent, meaning they cannot scale to arbitrary size without apparent loss in quality. Photographs are raster images. Vector (see “vector”) images on the other hand, can be scaled to any size, with no worries of pixelation (see “pixelation”) or quality loss associated with raster imagery.
Resolution: The detail of an image is based on how many pixels (dots) are included in 1 square inch of space. The more pixels (see “pixels”) included in that space, the higher the resolution. Computer monitors use no more than 72 pixels (dots) per inch, so going higher is pointless. However a minimum of 300 dots per inch is usually recommended for printing.
RGB: the color mode that is read by computer screens and the web. The RGB mode consists of red, green, and blue color combinations. Anything created for web use should be created in RGB color mode, while anything for print should be created in CMYK color mode.
San Serif: A kind of font type that is void of the strokes on the end of letters that can be found on a “serif” typeface (see “serif”).
Serif: A type of font that has exaggerated strokes or details at the end of it’s letters (unlike “san serif” typefaces).
Spot Color: When printing in CMYK color (see “cmyk”), often times certain colors can not be achieved. This is when “spot colors” are called upon. An extra printing plate with the spot color is added to the printing process (costing extra money). Spot colors are also used for limited color print jobs, since it’s sometime cheaper to print just the single or double spot colors rather than the entire 4 used in CMYK process printing. The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is the most widely recognized system for spot colors.
TIFF: (also spelled TIF) image format commonly used when printing of high quality is necessary. Unlike the “JPG” format that sacrifices quality for file size, TIFF’s sacrifice file size for quality.
-very large file sizes
-great format for printing (not “lossless” like JPG)
-not web friendly due to large file size
-great format for printing (not “lossless” like JPG)
-not web friendly due to large file size
Tracking: the adjustment of space between a group of letters or entire blocks of text. A change in tracking can result in easier to read text, making it feel more “airy” and open. Tracking is often confused with “kerning” (see “kerning”). Kerning is more the spacing between 2 letters that appear to close together.
Vector: a graphics format that uses shapes and paths (lines) to form graphic images. Vector graphics are resolution independent and regardless of how magnified, all edges will remain crisp, clear, and smooth. This ability to stay crisp at any size, means vector graphics are great for logos, line art, and other designs that don’t require complicated coloring or textures.
Vocabulary Fall
B
Bleed
Bleed is the part of a printed document that is outside the bounds of the final size of the piece. It is used to make sure images and other design elements print all the way to the edge of the paper. It is the designer’s responsibility to set up the bleed in a document and an accepted standard is 1p6, or 1/4 of an inch, outside the size of the paper. When placing objects in a document that must go all the way to the edge of the page, make sure they extend to at least this quarter inch mark. Photoshop and Illustrator do not have an automatic way to add bleed, so it must be taken into account when setting up the page size. In layout programs such asInDesign, the bleed is set up separately from the actual page size; in other words, the bleed is in addition to the defined page size.
Bleed
Bleed is the part of a printed document that is outside the bounds of the final size of the piece. It is used to make sure images and other design elements print all the way to the edge of the paper. It is the designer’s responsibility to set up the bleed in a document and an accepted standard is 1p6, or 1/4 of an inch, outside the size of the paper. When placing objects in a document that must go all the way to the edge of the page, make sure they extend to at least this quarter inch mark. Photoshop and Illustrator do not have an automatic way to add bleed, so it must be taken into account when setting up the page size. In layout programs such asInDesign, the bleed is set up separately from the actual page size; in other words, the bleed is in addition to the defined page size.
Bleedthrough
Areas with heavy ink coverage can soak through thin paper and show up on the other side. This is not the same as being able to see the printing on the other side just because the paper is thin. With bleedthrough, the ink actually soaks into the paper and appears in dark blotches on the other side. Check for this at the press check.
Areas with heavy ink coverage can soak through thin paper and show up on the other side. This is not the same as being able to see the printing on the other side just because the paper is thin. With bleedthrough, the ink actually soaks into the paper and appears in dark blotches on the other side. Check for this at the press check.
C
CMYK
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (or Key), the colors a printer works with, as opposed to the screen color space, RGB. This is also known as process color. CMYK is a subtractive color space; in other words, to make white, you take away all the colors. There is a good description of the correspondence of CMY and RGB in The Quick and Easy Guide to Color Correction Part 2.
CMYK
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (or Key), the colors a printer works with, as opposed to the screen color space, RGB. This is also known as process color. CMYK is a subtractive color space; in other words, to make white, you take away all the colors. There is a good description of the correspondence of CMY and RGB in The Quick and Easy Guide to Color Correction Part 2.
Compression
The process of an algorithm making file sizes smaller by combining similar data. Most of the time this is a good thing, but it can also cause severe loss of quality, especially in regards to images.
The process of an algorithm making file sizes smaller by combining similar data. Most of the time this is a good thing, but it can also cause severe loss of quality, especially in regards to images.
Comps
Also known as comprehensives, these are the step after thumbnails in the creative process. This is usually where the designs are taken into the computer and the details such as backgrounds, color schemes and images are more thoroughly worked out. Comps are the “first draft” of design. Many times designers show several different styles in comps to a client and let the client decide on a look and feel that he or she desires. Then the comps go back to the designer with some feedback and changes from the client and usually several rounds of this feedback process occur. Sometimes the client may ask (or the designer may want to present)mock-ups.
Also known as comprehensives, these are the step after thumbnails in the creative process. This is usually where the designs are taken into the computer and the details such as backgrounds, color schemes and images are more thoroughly worked out. Comps are the “first draft” of design. Many times designers show several different styles in comps to a client and let the client decide on a look and feel that he or she desires. Then the comps go back to the designer with some feedback and changes from the client and usually several rounds of this feedback process occur. Sometimes the client may ask (or the designer may want to present)mock-ups.
Crossover
Images and/or text running across two or more pages. Look to see that they line up when you go to a press check.
Images and/or text running across two or more pages. Look to see that they line up when you go to a press check.
D
DPI
Dots per inch is the more exact way to define the resolution for a file that is to be printed. Some use DPI and PPI interchangeably, though this is technically incorrect.
DPI
Dots per inch is the more exact way to define the resolution for a file that is to be printed. Some use DPI and PPI interchangeably, though this is technically incorrect.
EPS
EPS stands for Encapsulated PostScript (not to be confused with ESP: Extra Sensory Perception). A common file format for exporting Illustrator files, it contains a bitmap preview of the image as well as instructions written in the PostScript language that describe how the object is to be printed. An EPS file is usually a vector, but sometimes people place photos in Illustrator and export them as an EPS, though I’m not sure why. Images for print should ideally be exported asTIFFs.
EPS stands for Encapsulated PostScript (not to be confused with ESP: Extra Sensory Perception). A common file format for exporting Illustrator files, it contains a bitmap preview of the image as well as instructions written in the PostScript language that describe how the object is to be printed. An EPS file is usually a vector, but sometimes people place photos in Illustrator and export them as an EPS, though I’m not sure why. Images for print should ideally be exported asTIFFs.
F
Font
Technically, a font is the complete collection of characters and glyphs, including numbers, symbols, accented characters, punctuation marks, etc. in a given face design. A font also includes the design in various weights, such as bold or italic; it is more comprehensive and complicated to design than a typeface.
Font
Technically, a font is the complete collection of characters and glyphs, including numbers, symbols, accented characters, punctuation marks, etc. in a given face design. A font also includes the design in various weights, such as bold or italic; it is more comprehensive and complicated to design than a typeface.
G
Ghosting
Also known as screening back, it is where an image is made transparent so that the background shows through. Sometimes this can be an undesired effect in the printing process due to too little ink being transfered to the paper. Be sure to check for unwanted ghosting on thepress check.
Ghosting
Also known as screening back, it is where an image is made transparent so that the background shows through. Sometimes this can be an undesired effect in the printing process due to too little ink being transfered to the paper. Be sure to check for unwanted ghosting on thepress check.
GIF
A proprietary file format from CompuServe. It is used in web graphics and is best for images that are made of solid colors, like logos. GIFs support transparency (however, pixels are either transparent or opaque, nothing in between) and they can be animated. GIFs are also considered alossless format–meaning they do not suffer compression artifacts–as long as they do not exceed 256 colors.
A proprietary file format from CompuServe. It is used in web graphics and is best for images that are made of solid colors, like logos. GIFs support transparency (however, pixels are either transparent or opaque, nothing in between) and they can be animated. GIFs are also considered alossless format–meaning they do not suffer compression artifacts–as long as they do not exceed 256 colors.
Gradient
A gradient is a fade from one color to another. There are many shapes a gradient can take, but generally it is either linear (straight) or radial (round, where it fades from the center outwards). Gradients can also be highly customized with many different color patterns so that it is difficult to tell if an object actually has a gradient. Generally gradients are used to add depth, or sometimes a shiny or metallic look, to a design element, but they can also be used simply to color an object.
A gradient is a fade from one color to another. There are many shapes a gradient can take, but generally it is either linear (straight) or radial (round, where it fades from the center outwards). Gradients can also be highly customized with many different color patterns so that it is difficult to tell if an object actually has a gradient. Generally gradients are used to add depth, or sometimes a shiny or metallic look, to a design element, but they can also be used simply to color an object.
H
Hickey
Yes, this is a real term in graphic design! Hickeys happen when foreign matter like dust, blobs of ink or bits of paper make marks on a print piece. You should look for them at the press check.
Hickey
Yes, this is a real term in graphic design! Hickeys happen when foreign matter like dust, blobs of ink or bits of paper make marks on a print piece. You should look for them at the press check.
HSB
Hue, Saturation, Brightness is a color space that you can use when dealing with images in graphics programs. It separates the hue—what you think of as color—from the saturation—how much white is mixed with the hue—and the brightness—how much black is mixed with the hue.
Hue, Saturation, Brightness is a color space that you can use when dealing with images in graphics programs. It separates the hue—what you think of as color—from the saturation—how much white is mixed with the hue—and the brightness—how much black is mixed with the hue.
I
Illustrator
A vector program often used by designers to create logos and work with or manipulate type.
Illustrator
A vector program often used by designers to create logos and work with or manipulate type.
Imposition
The process of setting up pages in their correct order for print. This order is sometimes referred to as a Printer Spread.
The process of setting up pages in their correct order for print. This order is sometimes referred to as a Printer Spread.
INDD
InDesign Document extension. InDesign is used for page layout—assembling images and text—and is the Adobe version of Quark. It is capable of much more intricate and precise control over text.
InDesign Document extension. InDesign is used for page layout—assembling images and text—and is the Adobe version of Quark. It is capable of much more intricate and precise control over text.
InDesign
A page layout or desktop publishing program used by designers to combine text and images. There was a series of InDesign articles published on Creative Curio: You Still Use Quark?!, Making Changes Easier with Master Pages, Avoiding Disaster with Paragraph Styles, Avoiding Disaster with Character Styles, Understanding InDesign Layers and a reference guide for InDesign Shortcuts.
A page layout or desktop publishing program used by designers to combine text and images. There was a series of InDesign articles published on Creative Curio: You Still Use Quark?!, Making Changes Easier with Master Pages, Avoiding Disaster with Paragraph Styles, Avoiding Disaster with Character Styles, Understanding InDesign Layers and a reference guide for InDesign Shortcuts.
J
JPEG
An abbreviation for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the committee that created this file type. The file extension is .jpg. It is best used for photographs or images that have gradients. JPEGs do not support transparency, unlike GIF and PNG, and cannot be animated, unlike GIF.
JPEG
An abbreviation for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the committee that created this file type. The file extension is .jpg. It is best used for photographs or images that have gradients. JPEGs do not support transparency, unlike GIF and PNG, and cannot be animated, unlike GIF.
L
Lab
Stands for Luminance, a, b, where a is the amount of green/red in an image and b is the amount of blue/yellow. An L of 0 (zero) would be seen as black, 100 would be white. a and bare measured on positive/negative scales, with negative a being green and positive being red (or magenta) and negative b representing blue while a positive value indicates yellow. Lab issupposed to simulate more scientifically and accurately how people view colors and which colors humans can actually interpret. It was developed by Commission Internationale d’Eclairage (translation: International Commission on Illumination), or CIE and is sometimes referred to as CIELAB.
Lab
Stands for Luminance, a, b, where a is the amount of green/red in an image and b is the amount of blue/yellow. An L of 0 (zero) would be seen as black, 100 would be white. a and bare measured on positive/negative scales, with negative a being green and positive being red (or magenta) and negative b representing blue while a positive value indicates yellow. Lab issupposed to simulate more scientifically and accurately how people view colors and which colors humans can actually interpret. It was developed by Commission Internationale d’Eclairage (translation: International Commission on Illumination), or CIE and is sometimes referred to as CIELAB.
Loupe
A little magnifying glass just like jewelers use to examine gems (pronounced loop). Pressmen use this to check the registration on a print job and make sure all the little ink dots are lining up on top of each other like they should. Designers can use this tool at the press check.
A little magnifying glass just like jewelers use to examine gems (pronounced loop). Pressmen use this to check the registration on a print job and make sure all the little ink dots are lining up on top of each other like they should. Designers can use this tool at the press check.
Lossless
The opposite of lossy, lossless describes file types where there is no image data deleted or erased when that data is stored. Image formats like GIF, PNG and TIFF (without compression) are considered lossless.
The opposite of lossy, lossless describes file types where there is no image data deleted or erased when that data is stored. Image formats like GIF, PNG and TIFF (without compression) are considered lossless.
Lossy
Describes file types where compression is applied and image data is deleted or erased in order to decrease the files size. If done properly, this loss is not critical and it makes the image much smaller, which helps to speed up download time and saves hard drive space. JPG is a file format that is lossy. See also lossless
Describes file types where compression is applied and image data is deleted or erased in order to decrease the files size. If done properly, this loss is not critical and it makes the image much smaller, which helps to speed up download time and saves hard drive space. JPG is a file format that is lossy. See also lossless
M
Mock (or Mock-up)
A close-to-reality rendition of a project. This is often used in packaging design to show how a proposed design would look on a box or other type of package. It is used to give the client/stakeholders a better idea of the final product. It can also be used in web design to show a rough approximation of what the final website would look like in a screen shot of a browser.
Mock (or Mock-up)
A close-to-reality rendition of a project. This is often used in packaging design to show how a proposed design would look on a box or other type of package. It is used to give the client/stakeholders a better idea of the final product. It can also be used in web design to show a rough approximation of what the final website would look like in a screen shot of a browser.
P
PDF
Portable Document Format. This file type is often used to send print materials to a print shop. It is also very useful for web, when there are multi-paged documents, reports, forms, etc. that have been designed in a specific format, which cannot be easily translated into HTML. Note: PDF is an Acrobat file, not an “Adobe” file. Adobe is a company and the manufacturer of Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and many other programs related to media design and production.
Portable Document Format. This file type is often used to send print materials to a print shop. It is also very useful for web, when there are multi-paged documents, reports, forms, etc. that have been designed in a specific format, which cannot be easily translated into HTML. Note: PDF is an Acrobat file, not an “Adobe” file. Adobe is a company and the manufacturer of Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and many other programs related to media design and production.
Picking
When ink is too sticky, it can take bits of the paper with it as the paper travels through the press. This is the opposite of slurring and both should be looked for at a press check.
When ink is too sticky, it can take bits of the paper with it as the paper travels through the press. This is the opposite of slurring and both should be looked for at a press check.
PNG (PNG-24)
Portable Network Graphics are the ideal web graphic file types. They are completely losslessand they support alpha transparency. PNG-8 is essentially a GIF.
Portable Network Graphics are the ideal web graphic file types. They are completely losslessand they support alpha transparency. PNG-8 is essentially a GIF.
Press Check
A press check is where the designer goes to the print shop while the job is being set up to print. The printer will give you a press sheet to look at and this is the final time to check color and print quality, not the time to check for typos; that should be done with the proofs! When you go to a press check, in addition to accurate color, look for crossovers, slurring, picking, ink smearing, hickeys, bleedthrough and registration (ask to use a loupe). Circle any problems you see and ask for another press sheet. It’s ok to ask for the pressman’s advice on fixing color (sincere flattery will do wonders for getting what you want!) and don’t be afraid to go back several times and ask for adjustments and a new press sheet.
A press check is where the designer goes to the print shop while the job is being set up to print. The printer will give you a press sheet to look at and this is the final time to check color and print quality, not the time to check for typos; that should be done with the proofs! When you go to a press check, in addition to accurate color, look for crossovers, slurring, picking, ink smearing, hickeys, bleedthrough and registration (ask to use a loupe). Circle any problems you see and ask for another press sheet. It’s ok to ask for the pressman’s advice on fixing color (sincere flattery will do wonders for getting what you want!) and don’t be afraid to go back several times and ask for adjustments and a new press sheet.
Principles of Design
The Principles of Design are Unity, Balance, Contrast, Economy, Direction, Emphasis, Proportion and Rhythm
The Principles of Design are Unity, Balance, Contrast, Economy, Direction, Emphasis, Proportion and Rhythm
PPI
Pixels per inch is part of how you would define the resolution of an object that is screen-based. Some use DPI and PPI interchangeably, though this is technically incorrect.
Pixels per inch is part of how you would define the resolution of an object that is screen-based. Some use DPI and PPI interchangeably, though this is technically incorrect.
Print
Print encompasses all design that is not on a screen in its finished state. Print can include brochures, reports, postcards, menus, billboards or identity systems (letterheads, envelopes, business cards).
Print encompasses all design that is not on a screen in its finished state. Print can include brochures, reports, postcards, menus, billboards or identity systems (letterheads, envelopes, business cards).
Printer Spreads
The order in which the printing company will lay out pages, generally for a multiple page composition. The pages are not printed in the order that they appear in the final book. For example, in a 16 page book–assuming the front cover is page 1 and the back cover is page 16–page 2 and page 15 would be printed on the same sheet of paper next to each other. Pages 3 and 14 would be on the next sheet, on the other side of that same sheet goes pages 4 and 13, etc, so that when the pages are nested in the final book, they appear in the correct order. The process of setting pages up in this order is called imposition. Compare this with Reader Spreads.
The order in which the printing company will lay out pages, generally for a multiple page composition. The pages are not printed in the order that they appear in the final book. For example, in a 16 page book–assuming the front cover is page 1 and the back cover is page 16–page 2 and page 15 would be printed on the same sheet of paper next to each other. Pages 3 and 14 would be on the next sheet, on the other side of that same sheet goes pages 4 and 13, etc, so that when the pages are nested in the final book, they appear in the correct order. The process of setting pages up in this order is called imposition. Compare this with Reader Spreads.
Q
QuarkXPress
QuarkXPress, or just Quark for short, is a page layout or desktop publishing program similar to Adobe InDesign that is used by designers to combine text and images.
QuarkXPress
QuarkXPress, or just Quark for short, is a page layout or desktop publishing program similar to Adobe InDesign that is used by designers to combine text and images.
R
Raster
A raster or bitmap image is made out of pixels. Raster images are typically photos, but they can also be illustrations that have been turned from vectors into pixels.
Raster
A raster or bitmap image is made out of pixels. Raster images are typically photos, but they can also be illustrations that have been turned from vectors into pixels.
Reader Spreads
The pages of a composition set up in the order a reader would see them, page 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Compare this to Printer Spreads.
The pages of a composition set up in the order a reader would see them, page 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Compare this to Printer Spreads.
Render
A render is a rendition or draft of a project. When someone talks about render, it can mean the project’s appearance: “It’s a pencil render” means it’s a sketch. A render can also be a draft: “I’m waiting for the 3D model to render” means the computer is calculating the appearance of the model, which can include textures, lighting, transparency, etc. A “final render” is the finished project, ready to be presented, printed or shipped.
A render is a rendition or draft of a project. When someone talks about render, it can mean the project’s appearance: “It’s a pencil render” means it’s a sketch. A render can also be a draft: “I’m waiting for the 3D model to render” means the computer is calculating the appearance of the model, which can include textures, lighting, transparency, etc. A “final render” is the finished project, ready to be presented, printed or shipped.
Resolution
There are so many different meanings for “resolution” depending on who you are and what you do. The best definition I’ve read is from Real World Photoshop. The authors define resolution as “the number of pixels in each unit of measure.” There are two main ways to discuss resolution: you can talk about resolution in terms of image size: “The document is 5×7 inches at 300 ppi,” or you can talk about resolution as dimensions: “The document is 1500×2100 pixels.” Some people talk about resolution and want to know the file size, but then you have to start becoming familiar with a new way to measure things. Remember the image size dialog box in Photoshop? There is an input field for Resolution (the pixels per unit), and also a drop down box for the unit of measure, which is separate from the fields for the width and height of the image. In reality, these are all just different ways of talking about the same thing: the amount of image information. So if someone asks you the resolution of an image and you merely reply, “300 ppi,” you’re not telling the whole story.
There are so many different meanings for “resolution” depending on who you are and what you do. The best definition I’ve read is from Real World Photoshop. The authors define resolution as “the number of pixels in each unit of measure.” There are two main ways to discuss resolution: you can talk about resolution in terms of image size: “The document is 5×7 inches at 300 ppi,” or you can talk about resolution as dimensions: “The document is 1500×2100 pixels.” Some people talk about resolution and want to know the file size, but then you have to start becoming familiar with a new way to measure things. Remember the image size dialog box in Photoshop? There is an input field for Resolution (the pixels per unit), and also a drop down box for the unit of measure, which is separate from the fields for the width and height of the image. In reality, these are all just different ways of talking about the same thing: the amount of image information. So if someone asks you the resolution of an image and you merely reply, “300 ppi,” you’re not telling the whole story.
RGB
Red, Green and Blue are a monitor’s color space. RGB is considered an additive color space, meaning to make white you add all the colors together. You view the world in RBG, not CMYK. There is a good description of the correspondence of CMY and RGB in The Quick and Easy Guide to Color Correction Part 2.
Red, Green and Blue are a monitor’s color space. RGB is considered an additive color space, meaning to make white you add all the colors together. You view the world in RBG, not CMYK. There is a good description of the correspondence of CMY and RGB in The Quick and Easy Guide to Color Correction Part 2.
S
Slurring
If ink has a low “stickiness,” it can create a soft or blurry look. Look for slurring, which is the opposite of picking, on press checks.
Slurring
If ink has a low “stickiness,” it can create a soft or blurry look. Look for slurring, which is the opposite of picking, on press checks.
Spot Color
Inks that are not mixed from the four process colors. They are used for items, like logos, that need to be a consistent color no matter how or where they are printed. Any time you add an extra ink to a print job, it increases the price. Metallic inks are also spot colors.
Inks that are not mixed from the four process colors. They are used for items, like logos, that need to be a consistent color no matter how or where they are printed. Any time you add an extra ink to a print job, it increases the price. Metallic inks are also spot colors.
Stock
You often hear terms like “stock photography” in a graphic design environment. Stock refers to something that is pre-made–photos that have already been taken in a variety of general scenarios with a general selection of smiling people, illustrations or icons with a general or abstract theme. Notice the term general here; you probably won’t ever find that perfect artwork you need, but it’ll be close enough and cheaper than, say, staging your own photo shoot. (Stock can also refer to the paper a project is printed on)
You often hear terms like “stock photography” in a graphic design environment. Stock refers to something that is pre-made–photos that have already been taken in a variety of general scenarios with a general selection of smiling people, illustrations or icons with a general or abstract theme. Notice the term general here; you probably won’t ever find that perfect artwork you need, but it’ll be close enough and cheaper than, say, staging your own photo shoot. (Stock can also refer to the paper a project is printed on)
T
TIFF
Basically, the raster version of EPS. TIFF stands for Tagged Image File Format and like EPS it is a common way to move files between raster programs like Photoshop and Fireworks. It can also be used for images in InDesign or Quark. It can be a lossless format if you choose the No Compression option, which is the default in Photoshop. TIFF supports percentages of opacity like PNG and is ideal for the final file type of pixel-based images for print. You can also have layers in the TIFF format, but this will increase the file size.
TIFF
Basically, the raster version of EPS. TIFF stands for Tagged Image File Format and like EPS it is a common way to move files between raster programs like Photoshop and Fireworks. It can also be used for images in InDesign or Quark. It can be a lossless format if you choose the No Compression option, which is the default in Photoshop. TIFF supports percentages of opacity like PNG and is ideal for the final file type of pixel-based images for print. You can also have layers in the TIFF format, but this will increase the file size.
Thumbnails
Small scale rough sketches of a design concept. They are among the first stages of the creative process. Before thumbnails, designers often collect a design or creative brief, do research and/or word associations and sometimes wire frames as a separate step. Thumbnailing is a process that designers use to quickly illustrate ideas for a design. The longer a designer spends in the thumbnail stage, the more detail that is put into these sketches, the faster the next stage, comps, goes. Thumbnails are to design what an outline is to writing a paper.
Small scale rough sketches of a design concept. They are among the first stages of the creative process. Before thumbnails, designers often collect a design or creative brief, do research and/or word associations and sometimes wire frames as a separate step. Thumbnailing is a process that designers use to quickly illustrate ideas for a design. The longer a designer spends in the thumbnail stage, the more detail that is put into these sketches, the faster the next stage, comps, goes. Thumbnails are to design what an outline is to writing a paper.
Typeface
A typeface is simply a design or look of letters and maybe numbers. It does not include glyph and character variations or weights like bold (think display or ornamental faces such as Grave Ornamental or Willow), and may not even include numbers or upper or lower case letters (obviously it would have to include either upper or lower case letters, but not necessarily both). A typeface also does not mean that a design is complete; many movie title treatments are merely typefaces (only the letters in the title have been created), though some have been developed further into fonts.
A typeface is simply a design or look of letters and maybe numbers. It does not include glyph and character variations or weights like bold (think display or ornamental faces such as Grave Ornamental or Willow), and may not even include numbers or upper or lower case letters (obviously it would have to include either upper or lower case letters, but not necessarily both). A typeface also does not mean that a design is complete; many movie title treatments are merely typefaces (only the letters in the title have been created), though some have been developed further into fonts.
V
Vector
Vectors can most readily be recognized as illustrations, particularly from programs like Illustratoror Freehand. But not all illustrations are necessarily vector-based. Vectors work by defining points and what fills the space between those points in a document and they are stored as mathematical formulas. Vector files (like Illustrator files) are fractions the size of raster files because there is less data needed to create the images.
Vector
Vectors can most readily be recognized as illustrations, particularly from programs like Illustratoror Freehand. But not all illustrations are necessarily vector-based. Vectors work by defining points and what fills the space between those points in a document and they are stored as mathematical formulas. Vector files (like Illustrator files) are fractions the size of raster files because there is less data needed to create the images.
W
Wire frame
A wire frame is a basic layout without design elements. It is generally used in web design as a means to plan where navigation and content will sit on the page.
Wire frame
A wire frame is a basic layout without design elements. It is generally used in web design as a means to plan where navigation and content will sit on the page.
