10 Key Graphic Design Terms Explained

Graphic design is a field filled with many terms and acronyms, which may seem confusing to up and coming graphic designers or graphic designers without formal training. However, it is essential to learn the key graphic design terms as they are vital to your development as a graphic designer. Understanding the terms will benefit your work as it will become easier to interact with other seasoned designers. It can also enhance your reputation as a designer. In this article, we’ll examine and explain ten key graphic design terms.

The concept of graphics design is founded on colors, lighting and creativity

1.    Color Modes

The most essential color modes you should know about are CMYK and RGB. There is the option to set the color mode to RGB or CMYK on design apps such as Photoshop and Illustrator. The RGB color mode stands for red, green, and blue. It is used for on-screen output like web-based and digital graphics. This color model combines red, green, and blue light to create various colors on the light spectrum. The RGB is light additive, which means the colors start as black and become lighter as more light is added. The colors are combined to produce lighter colors.

The CMYK mode is printing based; it is used for documents such as newspapers, flyers, or brochures. CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key. This model is subtractive rather than additive. This means the colors start off as white and turn darker as more colors are added. The absence of ink on the CYMK spectrum creates white while the sum of all ink on the CYMK spectrum generates black.

2.   Typography

Typography is the arrangements of letters in an appealing and legible way

Typography is one of the fundamentals of graphic design. It is the arrangement of letters and text in a manner that makes it legible and appealing to readers. Typography is one of the key terms used in UI vs UX discussions, though it is associated mainly with UI. It involves all texts that are displayed visually, both digitally and in print. There are terms such as ascender, baseline, descender, display type, font-weight, hierarchy, kerning, and tracking in typography.

Tracking is the uniform increase or decrease in the spacing between letters in a block of a text or a line. You can do this manually or through number inputs. Kerning refers to adjusting the spacing between specific characters in a font to create a proportional and aesthetically pleasing outlook. In some applications such as InDesign CC, you can apply kerning through the control panel using numerical entries or shortcut keys. Typefaces in typography refer to the family of related fonts while fonts refer to the styles, widths, and weights that constitute a typeface.

3.   Saturation

In graphic design, saturation refers to how intense or pure a color is. A color with high saturation will appear vivid and intense, while one with low saturation will appear muted or pale. A color with zero saturation will lead to a shade of grey. Through color saturation, you can add personality or feelings to photos or objects. For emphasis, you can use a saturated color palette to make the object stand out. To subdue or place an item in the background, you can desaturate the color palette.

Color saturation is determined by the combination of light intensity and its distribution across the spectrum of different wavelengths. In a subtractive system such as CYMK, you can desaturate a color by adding white, black, gray of the color’s complement. Color saturation is part of the three color properties; the other two are value and hue. In some cases, saturation is referred to as Chroma.

4.  Gradient

Gradients add dimension and depth to an image

A gradient is also referred to as color transition in graphic design. It involves a gradual change of colors and can happen in different ways. It can involve a change from one tone to another but with the same color, to a change from one color to another, or a fade into transparency. You can use gradients to blend or transition similar colors or contrasting colors like blue and yellow or purple and red.

The two common types of gradients are the radial and the linear gradient. A radial gradient is circular and has one color at the center and another color at the edge. This type of gradient is commonly applied to round shapes. A linear gradient has a color transition that moves linearly.  In graphic design, you can use gradients to create depth or dimension. It is used to add shadows in photo-editing or to create backgrounds with different colors.  It is used to add shadows in photo-editing or to create backgrounds with different colors. You can also use content aware fill if you want your gradient to be virtually undetectable.

5.   Color Theory

Color theory is the study of the effect colors have on people and how colors mix. This involves how colors can be used to communicate messages and the methods used to do so. In color theory, you learn how to use the best colors for different situations, such as using colors to create a soft feel or a bold outlook. Colors are organized on a color wheel in color theory and are placed into three categories: Primary colors, Secondary schools, and tertiary colors.

Understanding color theory is important as a graphic designer as color affects perception. It plays a huge part in how people perceive a product as they can easily decide whether they like a product or not in seconds based on the color in many cases. In color theory, you learn the color wheel, color harmonies, and the terms and processes associated with each color.

6.   Opacity

Opacity in graphic design refers to the degree of transparency.  The higher the opacity of an element, the less transparent it is. Transparency and opacity are often used interchangeably. It has to do with the amount of light that passes through an object. An object with low opacity has more light passing through it, while one with high opacity is more solid as lesser light passes through it. Opacity is an integral part of graphic design as it can be used to create depth as you can layer design elements like photos and shapes instead of keeping them separate. By adjusting the opacity, you can make the design elements interact in many ways to create marketable designs.

7.   Resolution

The higher the resolution of an image, the better the image appears

Resolution is the clarity or sharpness of an image or object. It refers to the detail and quality. The resolution of an image will determine the quality. The higher the resolution, the better the object appears. Also, a high-resolution image will render more details than a low-resolution image. An image with a low resolution will appear pixelated or blurry. The typical resolution format in print design is 300 DPI, while the default resolution in web design is 72 DPI. DPI stands for dots per inch. The higher the DPI, the more detail the image renders, and the better it looks. The DPI and the number of pixels are the two factors that govern image size and quality. Resolution can be used in graphic design for emphasis.

8.  Aspect Ratio

As a graphic designer, you have to convert content and make them fit a variety of displays. To do this effectively, you have to understand aspect ratios and how they work. In simple terms, an aspect ratio is the ratio of a rectangle or an image’s width and height. Most design projects have a horizontal orientation because most displays have more width than height. An aspect ratio has two numbers that are separated by a colon. The aspect ratio will determine how the design appears on different devices or screens. The most common aspect ratios are 16:9, 4:3, 3:2, and 8:5.

9.  The Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds in design is a theory that states that if you divide your canvas into three horizontal sections that are equally sized and three equally sized vertical sections, the places where the lines intersect to form the focal points of your design. This can be used to create a ‘map’ that will help you choose where to insert the design elements. Graphic design software such as Photoshop can automatically apply this type of grid to your canvas design and crop. Elements that are further away from the focal points in design will receive less attention. The rule of thirds helps to achieve symmetry and visual balance.

10. UI and UX

Both UI and UX are vital elements of design

These refer to the back and front-ends in digital design. UI stands for user interface, and it involves all the components used in site design and the function of each part. UX refers to user experience, and it means the emotion or feeling a person has when or after using a particular product or design. It includes aspects such as efficiency, ease, and utility. UI and UX go hand in hand as a good user interface can contribute to excellent user experience. A great example of intuitive UI can be found on this page on segregated funds

Conclusion

These are the standard terms you need to be familiar with as a graphic designer. These terms make your Graphic design journey more straightforward and less complicated. While it is important to study the basic terminology, you should also look-out for new ideas and concepts to stay at the top of your craft.