Graphic Design Glossary

There are many technical and specialized terms in graphic design, that may not be familiar to everyone. This glossary aims to provide an introduction to some of the lesser-known terms used in graphic design, from typography to file formats to design concepts.

• Kerning: Kerning is the adjustment of space between individual letters or characters in a typeface to improve visual appeal and legibility.

• Hierarchy: In graphic design, hierarchy refers to the arrangement of visual elements in order of importance, with the most important elements being given the most prominence. Plus it will guide the eye to where the designer wants it to go.

• Bleed: Bleed is the area beyond the edge of a printed page that is intentionally left blank but is printed on to make sure that there are no unprinted edges once the page is trimmed.

• Rule of Thirds: The Rule of Thirds is a design principle that divides an image or design into nine equal parts using two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines. This guideline helps designers place key elements along the lines or at their intersections to create visually appealing and balanced compositions.

• Vector: A vector is a graphic file format that uses mathematical equations to represent images, allowing them to be scaled up or down without loss of quality. They come in formats like: .ai, .pdf, .eps, .svg. .ai and .eps cannot be opened without a professional design program like Adobe Illustrator.

• Raster: Raster graphics are made up of individual pixels that together form an image. They can lose quality when enlarged beyond their original size.

• Lorem Ipsum: Lorem Ipsum is dummy text used in the design process as a placeholder for actual content, allowing designers to focus on layout and design without getting distracted by the content itself.

• Typography: Typography refers to the art arranging type to make written language visually appealing and legible and nowadays it can even be part of brand story telling. It involves selecting typefaces, adjusting line spacing, and creating visual hierarchy.

• White Space (Negative Space): White space, also known as negative space, is the empty space around or between design elements. It helps create a clean, balanced design and improves readability. It makes a design more digestible and gives it space to breathe.

• Aspect Ratio: Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the width and height of an image or design. It’s often expressed as a ratio, such as 16:9 or 4:3.

• Pantone: Pantone is a standardized colour matching system used in design and printing. It guarantees colour consistency across different materials and mediums. Using Pantone colours can make print work more expensive.

• CMYK vs. RGB: CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) is a colour model used for print, while RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is used for digital screens. Designers choose the appropriate colour model based on the intended medium.

This glossary covers some (not all!) of the fundamental terms that designers and clients alike may encounter.

Hope that helps!