{"id":10253,"date":"2017-07-10T13:04:33","date_gmt":"2017-07-10T13:04:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.designmantic.com\/blog\/?p=10253"},"modified":"2024-07-31T13:20:16","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T13:20:16","slug":"visual-design-glossary-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.designmantic.com\/blog\/visual-design-glossary-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"The Visual Design Glossary Explained For Aspiring Designers"},"content":{"rendered":"

A plethora of technical terms are thrown around in the world of graphic design, and most of them are enough to leave an aspiring designer biting their nails in apprehension. Working as a graphic designer without being drilled in its lingo is like drinking coffee without a cup or attempting to ride a bike without wheels. Littered with phrases and jargon, a career in graphic design might seem daunting to most people, but we are here to help you make sense of it all. Peruse through our glossary of graphic design terms for newbies and professional designers alike and learn the vernacular to survive the cut throat competition in the industry! From a handy color glossary for noobs<\/strong><\/a> to more technical terms for professionals, we have got you covered!<\/p>\n

Free Logo Design<\/a><\/div>\n
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\u2022 Color<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022 Typography<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022 Graphic Design Terms<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022 Graphic Design Techniques<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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Color<\/h2>\n

Choosing a color scheme for your design isn\u2019t as simple anymore as picking out a crayon from the Crayola set. The deeper you delve into the intricacies of the world of colors, the more confounded you\u2019d feel by the plethora of terms involved in it. This glossary would make it easier for you to understand key concepts and jargon pertaining to color when picking out a color scheme for designs.<\/p>\n

1. Color Theory<\/h3>\n

The color theory successfully arranges color into a logical structure. Color theories fall under three basic categories: color harmony, the color wheel, and the context of how colors are used. Comprehension of leveraging different colors to infuse meaning in your designs is an indispensable aspect of marketing.<\/p>\n

2. Hue<\/h3>\n

Hue denotes an object\u2019s color and is one of the most basic of color terminologies. Every time we say that an object is \u201cred\u201d, \u201cgreen\u201d, or \u201cblue\u201d, we are talking about its hue.<\/p>\n

3. Opacity<\/h3>\n

Opacity is the characteristic of a design element which defines its transparency. The higher the opacity, the less transparent a design object becomes. For instance, an object is solid at 100% opacity.<\/p>\n

4. Chroma<\/h3>\n

The purity of a hue is defined by its chroma. A color with high chroma has no gray, white, or black added to it. Adding these tints reduces its chroma. Chroma can be construed of as the brightness of a color when compared to white.<\/p>\n

5. Gradient<\/h3>\n

A gradient is a color fading into transparency or a gradual change of colors (such as blue slowly melting into green). The two most commonly used gradients are radial gradients where one color sits at the edge while the other protrudes outwards from the middle, and the linear gradients where different colors lie on the opposite ends of the frame.<\/p>\n

6. Saturation<\/h3>\n

Saturation refers to the appearance of a color under certain lighting conditions. Saturation can be thought of in terms of pale vs. pure or weak vs. strong hue. In order to ensure more cohesive-looking designs, always opt for hues with similar saturation levels.<\/p>\n

7. Tint<\/h3>\n

A variety of a color is known as its tint. In order to create a tint for any hue on the color wheel, add white to it. This de-saturates and lightens the hue, diminishing its intensity.<\/p>\n

\"Color<\/a><\/p>\n

8. Tones<\/h3>\n

Tones are softer looking or duller versions of purer colors, created by adding grey to a hue. Tones infused with a higher intensity of grey can give a particular vintage feel to websites, or even lend an elegant or sophisticated look, depending on the hue.<\/p>\n

9. Shades<\/h3>\n

A shade is created when a hue is made darker by the addition of black to it. While some designers erroneously use it to refer to tone or tint, shades only apply to the addition of black to a hue.<\/p>\n

10.\tCool Colors<\/h3>\n

Cool colors evoke memories of colder temperatures, such as violets, greens, and blues. Such hues create a soothing and calming ambience when used in a design. Cooler tones can be implemented within a photograph or an image by enhancing the blue tones in the design.<\/p>\n

11.\tWarm Colors<\/h3>\n

Warm colors, such as oranges, yellows, and reds, instigate feelings of warmth and heat. These colors tend to feel more cheerful, friendlier, and cozier than cool colors. Warm tones can be implemented within a photograph or an image by enhancing the orange tones in the design.<\/p>\n

12.\tContrast<\/h3>\n

Contrast refers to the degree of difference visible between juxtaposed elements, such as dark vs. light.<\/p>\n

13. Value<\/h3>\n

The relative degree of darkness or lightness is known as the value of a color. We know most colors in their wide gamut of ranges, for instance everything from the darkest maroon to the palest pink is identified by us as a form of pink. While different values are assigned a different name, they are recognized as a derivation of red.<\/p>\n

14.\tPantone (PMS)<\/h3>\n

When it comes to a standardized system of hues for printing, the Pantone Matching system is your go-to guide. Each Shade in the PMS is numbered, helping people to identify and reference precise shades of color without a confusion.<\/p>\n

15. RGB<\/h3>\n

The \u2018Red, Green, Blue\u2019 or more commonly known as RGB color model is best suited to on-screen purposes, such as viewing images or photos on websites and online\/onscreen. RGB follows an additive color process where in you start with black and add more color until it eventually transforms into white.<\/p>\n

\"Color<\/a><\/p>\n

16.\tCMYK<\/h3>\n

\u2018Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key\u2019 or more commonly known as the CMYK color model best caters to print purposes. As opposed to RGB, this is a subtractive color model, meaning that you start with the color white and eventually end up with black by removing color subsequently. Adding color to this model makes the design turn darker.<\/p>\n

17.\tAnalogous<\/h3>\n

Colors that are right next to each other on the color wheel are leveraged in the Analogous color schemes. They generally create comfortable and serene designs since they go together harmoniously.<\/p>\n

18. Complementary<\/h3>\n

Complementary colors are hues that sit opposite to each other on the color wheel.<\/p>\n

19. Triadic<\/h3>\n

Colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel, such as in a triangular formation around the wheel, are said to constitute a triadic color scheme.<\/p>\n

20.\tPalette<\/h3>\n

All the colors that have the potential to be utilized for any design work or illustration representing your brand are included in your brand\u2019s color palette. The chosen colors for your brand palette should work harmoniously with each other.<\/p>\n

Typography<\/h2>\n

The intricate world of typography is distinguished by its own language, replete with swashes, strokes, and serifs. Especially for aspiring designers or general typography enthusiasts, sorting out the terms or making sense of them can be confounding in itself, so a glossary that can guide you through the vernacular will make things a little easier. Getting to grips with these simple building blocks of typography<\/strong><\/a> would come in real handy when it comes to picking a suitable font and applying it effectually across your design projects.<\/p>\n

\"Effective<\/a><\/p>\n

21. Body Copy<\/h3>\n

Body copy includes the main part of text in your publication or design- the book contents, the written website content, or even the paragraph you are reading right now is included in the body copy.<\/p>\n

22.\tCharacter<\/h3>\n

A character is a symbol from the full set of characters that make up a typeface. It may be in the form of a punctuation mark, number, or letter.<\/p>\n

23.\tLeading<\/h3>\n

Leading (pronounced as \u2018Ledding\u2019) denotes the vertical space between subsequent lines of type. If you want to glean a legible body text, make sure that your leading value is greater than the font size; as a rule of thumb, somewhere between 1.25 to 1.5 times.<\/p>\n