Design Terms Explained Simply For Non-Designers
Getting thrown into the world of graphic design can sometimes feel like learning a new language. So, whether you’re a new designer yourself, are just a little curious, or are simply trying to decipher your designer’s emails, sit back and relax as we break down some common terms for you.
AI (file format) An AI file is a drawing created with Adobe Illustrator, a vector graphics editing program. It is composed of paths connected by points, rather than bitmap image data. AI files are commonly used for logos and print media because they can be resized without losing quality.
Ascender: noun [uh-sen-der] The part of a lowercase letter that extends above the x-height. Some common examples of this are 'b', 'd', 'f', etc.
Asymmetrical: When graphics and text are not equal on both sides of a central line, a design is said to be asymmetrical — though there can still be balance, with graphics on one side and text on the other.
Balance: In design, balance involves the placement of elements on the page so that the text and graphic elements are evenly distributed. There are three ways to achieve balance: symmetrically, asymmetrically, and radially.
Bleed: Bleed is when a design actually extends past its printed edge so there's no chance of white borders when it's trimmed down after printing.
Brand: noun [brand] A collection of concepts, ideas, and emotions that encapsulate your company's values and character. A brand is a mix of all the fine conceptual details that make up the company, from the content the brand promotes, the way employees talk, the words used, the values upheld, etc.
Brand Identity: The visualisation of your brand (see previous definition) in a way that represents the values, content and character of the company. This can include things like a logo, business cards, letterheads, uniforms, packaging design, etc.
Brandmark: A type of logo design where a symbol is used in place of the company name, i.e. the Apple logo. Brandmarks are commonly accompanied by a logotype, but not always.
CMYK: CMYK or 'Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key', is a color model that is used for print purposes. CMYK is a subtractive color — this means that we begin with white and end up with black. So, as we add more color, the result turns darker.
Descenders: noun [dih-sen-der] The part of a lowercase letter that extends below the x-height. Some common examples of this are 'g', 'j', 'p', etc.
Die Cut: The process of cutting areas of your printed design in various shapes to create unique effects. Die cuts are created after printing and are classed as a finishing process.
DPI: DPI stands for "dots per inch," which is a measure of a printer's quality. For high-quality printing, 300dpi is recommended. For example, a 300dpi image at 1200×1800 pixels will become a 4×6 inch print.
EPS: EPS stands for Encapsulated PostScript. This is a resizable file format that is commonly used for vector designs. Due to its high quality, it's commonly used with print elements such as logos, business cards, or brochures.
Favicon: A favicon is a small, iconic image that represents your website. Favicons are most often found in the address bar of your web browser, but they can also be used in lists of bookmarks in web browsers and feed aggregators. Well-designed favicons are styled to match the logo or theme of your website, so users have a quick and easy way to recognize your website at a glance.
Foil Stamping: The heat-pressing application of foil to certain parts of a design to give them a shiny, metallic finish.
Hierarchy: noun [hahy-uh-rahr-kee, hahy-rahr-] The visual arrangement of design elements in a way that signifies importance. For example, you might make a title big and bold to ensure it attracts more attention than a small, lightly colored image caption.
Kerning: noun [kur-ning] The adjustment of space between two characters in your type. Kerning usually aims to achieve a more proportional and pleasing balance of space between each character.
Legibility: The measure of how easy it is to distinguish one letter from the next. Legibility has a lot to do with your choice of typeface and how you use it — simpler serif or sans serif typefaces are generally better for smaller body copy.
Letterpressing: The process of using metal plates to press a design into the surface of paper to create dimensional indentations.
Logotype: noun [law-guh-tahyp, log-uh-] A type of logo where the name of the company is designed in a visual way. Think of brands like Google, Ikea, Disney, IBM, CNN.
Lorem Ipsum: Also known as 'dummy copy', lorem ipsum is a generic filler text used when the real text is not available. It's used as placeholder text to demonstrate how a design will look once the real body copy has been included.
Mockup: noun [mok-uhp] In manufacturing and design, a mockup, or mock-up, is a scale or full-size model of a design or device, used for teaching, demonstration, design evaluation, promotion, and other purposes. A mockup is a prototype if it provides at least part of the functionality of a system and enables testing of a design. Mockups are used by designers mainly to acquire feedback from users.
Orphans and Widows: The words or short lines that appear by themselves at the top or bottom of a column of type. It's always a good (and easy) idea to check over your body copy before finishing up, manually removing these when they appear.
Pantone (PMS) The 'Pantone Matching System' is a standardized system of colors for printing. Every Pantone shade is numbered, making it much easier for people to reference and identify exact shades of color.
PDF: A PDF is a Portable Document Format developed by Adobe that can be universally downloaded and viewed by any computer. PDFs are most suitable for sharing previews of work and are universally viewable.
PPI: PPI stands for "pixels per inch," which is a measure of pixel density used by electronic image devices. You'll likely see this used with scanners, cameras, TVs, or monitors.
PSD: A raster working file to be modified in Photoshop, used across everything from photo retouching and digital painting to web and app design. Great for highly detailed imagery and working within a specified pixel dimension. Main feature: pixel perfection. Common outputs: JPEG, PNG, GIF.
Radial: A radial design is one in which elements radiate from a central point, creating balance.
Resolution: noun [rez-uh-loo-shuh n] The amount of detail an image has, based on the number of pixels it contains. Generally speaking, the higher the resolution, the clearer and more detailed the image appears — while lower-resolution images or graphics tend to look blurry or pixelated, especially when enlarged.
RGB: RGB or 'Red, Green, Blue' is a color model that is used for on-screen purposes. RGB is an additive color, meaning that when mixing colors, we start with black and end up with white as more color is added.
Rule of Thirds: Rule of Thirds is a theory that if you divide your image with two vertical and two horizontal lines, the areas where your lines intersect will become focal points of your design.
Sans Serif Typeface: noun [san(z) 'seref] A typeface without the small decorative strokes. Sans serif typefaces tend to look more modern, stylish, and cleaner than their serif counterparts.
Serif Typeface: noun ['seref] A typeface with small decorative strokes (called serifs) found at the end of horizontal and vertical lines. Serif typefaces tend to look professional, authoritative, and traditional in appearance.
Stock Photo: A professionally shot photograph available online for licensing. Stock photos are usually used instead of hiring a photographer, or if a designer cannot access the images they need from their own inventory of photographs.
Symmetrical: Symmetry is achieved when all design elements are equal on both sides of a central line.
Trim: Trim size is the final size of a printed piece after it has been trimmed from its page. Trimming is executed along crop marks that show where to cut.
Typography: noun [tahy-pog-ruh-fee] The artistic arrangement of type in a readable and visually appealing way. Typography usually concerns the design and use of various typefaces in a way that helps to better visually communicate ideas.
Vector Graphics: Vector graphics are small graphics that use math to display images. They can be enlarged without losing quality and are essential for cross-platform designs (i.e. billboards, business cards, etc.).
White Space: Also called 'negative space', white space refers to the areas of a design that are not filled with content. White space is an important design element as it helps to let a design 'breathe', helps avoid overly complicated designs, and keeps designs looking clean.