Vocabulary

01. Typography

Typography involves the artistic arrangement of type in a readable and visually appealing manner. It encompasses the design and use of various typefaces to enhance the visual communication of ideas.

02. Body Copy

Body Copy refers to the main body of text in a design or publication, encompassing written website content, book content, and even the text you're reading now.

03. Display Type

Display Type is designed to attract attention and is commonly used for movie titles, article titles, newspaper headlines, etc.

04. Hierarchy

Hierarchy is the visual arrangement of design elements to signify importance. It involves making certain aspects more prominent, such as enlarging a title to attract more attention.

05. Kerning

Kerning is the space adjustment between two characters in typography, aiming for a balanced and proportional space distribution.

06. Leading

Leading refers to the space between lines of type. Balancing leading is crucial to avoid tension or a disjointed appearance in the content.

07. Tracking

Tracking involves adjusting the space between letters in a word, affecting the density and appearance of a block of type. It differs from kerning, which adjusts space between individual pairs of letters.

08. X-Height

X-Height is the average height of lowercase letters, often exemplified by the height of the letter' x' in a typeface.

09. Ascender

Ascender is the part of a lowercase letter that extends above the x-height, as seen in letters like 'b,' 'd,' 'f,' etc.

10. Descenders

Descenders are the parts of lowercase letters that extend below the x-height, such as 'g,' 'j,' 'p,' etc.

11. Orphans and Widows

Orphans and Widows refer to isolated words or short lines appearing at the top or bottom of a column of type.

12. Serif Typeface

A Serif Typeface has small decorative strokes ('serifs') at the end of horizontal and vertical lines, conveying a professional and traditional appearance.

13. Sans Serif Typeface

A Sans Serif Typeface lacks small decorative serif strokes, offering a modern, stylish, and cleaner look.

14. Script Typeface

Script Typeface mimics cursive handwriting, exuding elegance, personalization, and varying degrees of formality.

15. Slab Serif Typeface

Slab Serif Typeface has thicker, blockier serifs commonly used in headlines for a sturdier and bolder appearance.

16. Legibility

Legibility measures how easy it is to distinguish one letter from the next, influenced by the choice of typeface and its use.

17. Alignment

Alignment involves lining up elements to achieve balance, order, and a logical layout, with common types being center, left, right, and justified.

18. Pull Quote

A Pull Quote is a short quote or excerpt from the main text used as a visual element to highlight important ideas and draw interest.

19. Palette

A Palette refers to the selection of colors chosen for a design.

20. Monochrome

A Monochrome color scheme consists of only one color, including lighter and darker tones of that color.

21. Analogous

An Analogous color scheme comprises three colors next to each other on the color wheel.

22. Complementary

A Complementary color scheme uses two colors opposite each other on the color wheel.

23. Triadic

A Triadic color scheme involves three colors equally spaced around the color wheel.

24. CMYK

CMYK, or 'Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key,' is a color model used for print purposes. It starts with white and ends with black as colors are added.

25. RGB

RGB, or 'Red, Green, Blue,' is a color model for on-screen purposes. It starts with black and ends with white as colors are added.

26. Pantone (PMS)

The Pantone Matching System is a standardized system of printing colors, with each shade numbered for easy reference.

27. Warm Colors

Warm colors, such as reds, yellows, oranges, evoke heat and warmth, creating a cozy and cheerful feel.

28. Cool Colors

Cool colors, like blues, greens, and violets, suggest colder temperatures, creating a calm and soothing atmosphere.

29. Color Theory

Color Theory studies how colors evoke emotions and responses in people, influencing design choices.

30. Gradient

A Gradient is a gradual change in color from one tone to another, with linear and radial gradients being common types.

31. Opacity

Opacity is the degree of transparency an element has, with lower opacity indicating greater transparency.

32. Resolution

Resolution is the amount of detail in an image, with higher resolution providing clearer and more detailed images.

33. Contrast

Contrast is the degree of difference between two juxtaposed elements, such as dark vs. light or thick vs. thin.

34. Saturation

Saturation refers to the intensity and vividness of a color, with lower saturation colors appearing pale and faded.

35. Stock Photo

A Stock Photo is a professionally shot photograph available online for licensing, commonly used instead of hiring a photographer.

36. Rule Of Thirds

Rule Of Thirds is a theory dividing an image with two vertical and two horizontal lines, with intersections becoming focal points.

The red lines adhere to the principle of the rule of thirds, establishing central horizontal and vertical divisions within the image.
The blue lines incorporate the golden ratio, a mathematical concept employed to achieve aesthetically pleasing proportions.

37. Brand

A Brand encapsulates concepts, ideas, and emotions representing a company's values and ethos.

38. Brand Identity

Brand Identity, including logo, business cards, and packaging design, visually represents the brand's values, content, and ethos.

39. Logotype

A Logotype is a type of logo where the company name is designed visually, as seen in brands like Google and Ikea.

40. Brandmark

A Brandmark is a logo design using a symbol instead of the company name, often accompanied by a logotype.

41. Thumbnail Sketch

Thumbnail Sketches are rough drawings of potential design concepts, serving as visualizations and idea development before digital work.

42. Grid

A Grid is a framework of evenly divided columns and rows that aids designers in aligning and arranging elements consistently.

43. Scale

Scale is the change in size of an object while maintaining its shape and proportions, with large scale creating drama and smaller scale providing fine detail.

44. Texture

Texture in design can refer to the tactile surface or visual tactility, achieved by layering textured images to create a visual appearance of tactility.

45. White Space

White Space, also called 'negative space,' is the unfilled area of a design. It offers breathing room and maintains a clean appearance.

46. Margins

Margins are the space around the edge of a page, with their size influencing the design's tension or calmness.

47. Die Cut

Die Cutting is the process of cutting areas of a printed design into various shapes after printing for unique effects.

48. Foil Stamping

Foil Stamping involves heat-pressing foil onto parts of a design to achieve a shiny, metallic finish.

49. Letterpressing

Letterpress uses metal plates to press a design into paper, creating dimensional indentations.

50. Lorem Ipsum

Lorem Ipsum, or 'dummy copy,' is a generic filler text used when real text is unavailable. It serves as a placeholder to demonstrate design appearance.

51. Comprehensive Design

The final rendering of a graphic idea, short for comprehensive.

52. Shape

The form of an object or its external boundary, outline, or external surface, as opposed to other properties such as color, texture, etc.

53. Composition

A complete work of art or design, seen in total, not as individual visual elements.

54. White Space

In design terminology, white space refers to the empty or unmarked areas within a layout or composition.

You might encounter common terms when working with or as a graphic designer. Whether you're a designer or not, remember that while terminology is essential, it's not the be-all and end-all. Definitions adapt, so stay open-minded, ask questions, and explore new concepts! Canva provides a variety of images to accompany the common design terms, enhancing the visual representation of design concepts.

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