Graphic Designers Glossary
A
Alignment
The arrangement of elements in a design so that they line up with each other.
Analogous colors
Colors that are next to each other on the color wheel and share similar hues.
Artboard
The virtual canvas on which a design is created.
B
Balance
The even distribution of elements in a design to create a sense of stability.
Bleed
The extra area around the edges of a design that extends beyond the final trim size.
Bitmap
A digital image made up of tiny pixels that form a grid.
C
CMYK
A color model that uses four inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) to create a range of colors for printing.
Contrast
The difference in values, colors, and textures in a design that creates visual interest.
Crop
To remove unwanted parts of an image to focus on a specific area.
D
DPI
Dots per inch. The measurement of how many dots of ink or toner can be printed in a one-inch space.
Drop shadow
A visual effect that creates the illusion of a shadow behind an element.
Die-Cut
Die-cutting is a process of cutting paper, vinyl, or other materials into specific shapes using a die, which is a specialized tool made of sharp blades or a laser. The die is designed to cut through the material precisely to create a unique shape, often used in printing and packaging industries to create custom shapes for stickers, labels, boxes, and other promotional materials. Die-cutting allows for high precision, consistent quality, and the ability to cut intricate designs that would be difficult to achieve with a regular cutting tool.
E
Emboss
A design technique that creates a raised effect on a surface.
EPS
Encapsulated PostScript. A file format commonly used for vector graphics.
F
Font
The specific style and size of a typeface.
Focal point
The main point of interest in a design that draws the viewer's eye.
Foreground
The area of a design that appears closest to the viewer.
G
Gradient
A gradual blend of colors or shades from one to another.
Grid
A system of horizontal and vertical lines used to organize and align elements in a design.
Gutter
The space between columns in a layout.
H
Hierarchy
The organization of elements in a design based on their importance.
Hue
The color family to which a color belongs.
HSB
Stands for Hue Saturation and Brightness
I
Icon
A symbol or graphic used to represent a concept or action.
Illustrator
A graphic design software program by Adobe, used for creating vector graphics.
Image resolution
The amount of detail in an image, measured in pixels per inch (PPI).
J
Justified text
Text that is aligned to both the left and right margins of a column, creating even spacing between words.
K
Kerning
The adjustment of spacing between individual characters in a line of text.
Keyline
Keyline is a crucial element in design and layout, represented by a thin line that outlines the edge of a design. This boundary guides the placement of other design elements and ensures that the final product is printed accurately. Keylines are commonly used in graphic design and printing, and are an essential part of the pre-production process. Without a clear and precise keyline, the design could be misaligned or cut incorrectly, leading to a subpar final product.
L
Layout
The arrangement of elements in a design.
Leading
The spacing between lines of text.
Letterpress
A printing method that uses a raised surface to create an impression on paper.
M
Mockup
A visual representation of a design, typically created to show how it will look in its final form.
Monochromatic
A color scheme that uses variations of a single hue.
Mood board
A visual tool used to capture the overall aesthetic and feel of a design.
N
Negative space
The area around and between elements in a design.
Neutral colors
Colors that are not on the color wheel, such as black, white, and gray.
Node
A point on a vector path that can be manipulated to adjust the shape of the path.
O
Opacity
The degree to which an element is transparent or opaque.
Ornament
A decorative element added to a design for visual interest.
Outline
The edge or border of an element in a design.
P
PANTONE
A standardized color matching system used in printing and design.
Pixel
The smallest unit of a digital image that can be displayed or manipulated.
Point
A unit of measurement used in typography, equal to 1/72 of an inch.
Q
R
RGB
A color model that uses red, green, and blue light to create a range of colors for digital displays.
Resolution
The amount of detail in an image, measured in pixels per inch (PPI).
Raster
A digital image made up of a grid of pixels.
S
Sans-serif
A typeface without serifs, or small lines at the end of characters.
Saturation
The intensity or purity of a color.
Serif
A small line or stroke added to the end of characters in a typeface.
T
Texture
The surface quality of an element in a design.
Typography
The art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and appealing.
Template
A pre-designed layout used to create multiple designs with consistent formatting.
U
UI design
User interface design. The process of designing the visual elements of an interface, such as buttons, menus, and icons.
UX design
User experience design. The process of designing the overall experience and interaction of a user with a product or service.
Underline
A line added to the bottom of a line of text for emphasis.
V
Vector
A digital image made up of mathematical equations and lines that can be scaled to any size without losing resolution.
Value
The lightness or darkness of a color.
Visual hierarchy
The organization of elements in a design based on their importance and relationship to each other.
W
Watermark
A translucent design or pattern added to an image to protect it from unauthorized use or copying.
White space
The empty or negative space in a design.
Widows and orphans
Single lines of text that appear at the beginning or end of a paragraph, separated from the rest of the text.
X
X-height
The height of lowercase letters in a typeface, measured from the baseline to the top of the letter x.
XML
Extensible Markup Language. A markup language used for creating structured documents and data.
Y
Yield
The amount of usable material produced in a printing or manufacturing process.
Z
Zip File
A file compression format used to reduce the size of large files for storage or transfer.
Zigzag
A design element or pattern consisting of a series of connected diagonal lines.
Zoom
To enlarge or reduce the display size of an image or document.