Visual Elements
The smallest unit of a digital image, typically a tiny dot or square or color.
Pixel
The 3 letter color made is used specifically for digital screens (Red, Green, & Blue).
RGB
The "empty" space around and between the subject of a design.
White/Negative Space
This common lossy image format is best for photographs but does not support transparency.
JPEG
The standard number of pixels per inch (PPI) for web/screen based designs.
72 PPI
This type of graphic is made of paths and curves defined by mathematical formulas, allowing it to be scaled infinitely without losing quality.
Vector
This category of fonts features small "feet" or strokes at the ends of the main character strokes.
Serif
This composition guideline suggests dividing an image into nine equal parts to place the subject at the intersections.
An image that supports "Alpha Channels" or transparency, often used for logos on websites.
PNG
The area outside the final trim size of a printed document that ensures colors run all the way to the edge.
Bleed
The principle refers to the lightness or darkness of a color.
Value
The adjustment of space between two specific characters to improve legibility.
Kerning
The arrangement of elements in a way that implies importance. guiding the ye from most to least important.
Hierarchy
This "standard" file format is used for sharing documents and graphics across different software while maintaining layout integrity.
This "rule" states that an image's resolution should be double the halftone screen frequency.
300 DPI
A mark with greater length than width. It can be static, dynamic, implied, or descriptive.
Line
Colors that sit opposite from each other on the color wheel, creating a high contrast. (e.g. blue and orange)
Complementary
A design principle that ensures a layout doesn't feel "heavy" on one side. Can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Balance
The native file extension for a project created in Adobe Photoshop.
PSD
The process of converting a vector or mathematical path in top a grid of pixels.
Rasterizing
The surface quality of design, either "tactile" or "visual".
Texture
The vertical space between lines of text, often referred to as "line spacing" in word processors.
Leading
The focal point for design. The part of the first catches the viewer's attention.
Emphasis
A specialized vector format used primarily for web graphics that can be animated or styled with CSS.
SVG
A non destructive way to hide or reveal parts of a layer without deleting the actual pixels.
Layer Mask