08/09/2025
Some graphic design terms and their meanings
1. PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
Meaning: A raster image format that supports transparency. This simply means an image that has no background. Png images also retain quality.
2. JPEG / JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
Meaning: A compressed image format that reduces file size while maintaining decent quality. Jpg usually have backgrounds.
3. PDF (Portable Document Format)
Meaning: A file format developed by Adobe for sharing documents while preserving design elements. It is best for sending your work for printing and sharing designs without losing quality.
4. PSD (Photoshop Document)
Meaning: The editable file format created in Adobe Photoshop.
5. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)
Meaning: A vector file format that can be scaled infinitely without losing quality. It is perfect for web graphics, logos, and icons.
6. AI (Adobe Illustrator File)
Meaning: The native file format for Adobe Illustrator. It is used for creating and editing vector designs
7. CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black)
A color mode used for print design.
8. RGB (Red, Green, Blue)
A color mode used for digital screens.
9. DPI (Dots Per Inch)
This is a measurement of image resolution in print. High DPI (300) is used for print, while lower DPI (72) is common for web graphics.
10. Vector file
A vector is a type of image made from shapes, lines, and math. When a vector file is increased or strinked. It doesn't affect the quality. It still remains sharp and clear.
11. White Space (Negative Space)
Negative space is the empty space around or between the main things in a design.
It’s not “nothing” it actually helps the main design stand out and breathe.
12. Bleed
Bleed is the extra space you add around your design so that when the printer cuts the paper, no important part gets chopped off.
13. Color Palette
A group of colors chosen for a design.
14. Raster Graphics
These are images made up of pixels (e.g., JPEG, PNG). It is great for detailed photos but lose quality when scaled up.
15. Mockup
A realistic preview of how a design will look in real-world settings. It is used to present logo designs on t-shirts, business cards, billboards, etc.
16. Opacity
The transparency level of an element.
Reducing the opacity of an element can make the element transparent.
17. Gradient
Meaning: A gradual blend between two or more colors.
18. Resolution
The detail an image holds, usually measured in pixels. The higher the image resolution the sharper the image will look.
19. Typography
It’s the art and practice of arranging text so it looks good and is easy to read.
20. Typeface
This is the family of letters.
It’s the design of the letters themselves. For example Poppins is a typeface
21. Font
This is the style/variation inside a typeface.
Think of it as the “clothes” a typeface wears. For example Poppins is a typeface but Poppins regular, Poppins bold, Poppins medium etc. are all fonts..
22. Pixel
A pixel is the tiny dot (or square) that makes up every picture you see on a screen.
Think of it like: Pixels = building blocks of an image. When you put millions of tiny pixels together, they form the full picture.
