Graphic design is an international profession, and much of its everyday language is English: briefs, feedback emails, printer specifications and software menus are full of words like kerning, bleed, CMYK and mockup. This glossary explains the core vocabulary of typography, colour, layout, branding, print production and image files in plain English and Turkish, with examples from real studio and client work. It is written for graphic designers, design students and anyone who works with agencies, printers or international clients.
100 terms
9 topics
46 core terms
200 example sentences
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Typography
typography
noun
Meaning
The art and skill of choosing and arranging letters so that text is easy to read and looks right: the choice of typefaces, sizes, spacing and line length.
Where you use it
One of the most common words in design reviews, courses and portfolios. People talk about good, clean, bold or expressive typography, and about the typography of a poster, book or website. The adjective is typographic.
Examples
The illustration is lovely, but the typography feels crowded. Can we give the headline more room?
Strong typography is what makes this book cover stand out on the shelf.
Usage note
Stress falls on the second syllable: ty-PO-gra-phy. Turkish speakers often stress the last syllable, as in the Turkish word tipografi.
A particular design of letters, numbers and symbols that share the same style, such as Helvetica, Garamond or Futura, usually available in several weights and styles.
Where you use it
Used by designers, type foundries and in typography classes when talking about the design itself. You choose, pair, license or design a typeface. In casual talk many people simply say font instead.
Examples
For the annual report we paired a classic serif typeface with a simple sans-serif for the tables.
Which typeface did you use for the logo? The client wants to use it on their website too.
Usage note
Strictly, a typeface is the design and a font is one file or style of it (for example Garamond Bold). Many professionals use the two words loosely.
One specific style and weight of a typeface, such as Arial Bold, usually stored as a file you install on your computer. In everyday speech it often means the typeface itself.
Where you use it
Extremely common in studios and in file handover. You install, embed, license, replace or outline fonts; printers ask whether fonts are embedded, and software warns about missing fonts.
Examples
InDesign says two fonts are missing. Can you send me the font files with the package?
Please check the font licence before we use it in the client's app.
Usage note
Fonts are software and need a licence. A font that is free for personal use may not be free for a client's logo, website or app.
Common phrases
install a font · embed fonts · missing font · font licence · font size
Adjusting the space between two particular letters so that the gaps look even, for example pulling the A and V closer together in the word ‘AVENUE’.
Where you use it
Very common in logo work, headlines and type-heavy designs. You adjust, fix or tighten the kerning; bad kerning is a classic critique comment. The verb is to kern.
Examples
The kerning between the ‘r’ and the ‘n’ is too tight; from a distance it reads as an ‘m’.
I always fix the kerning by hand in a logo instead of trusting the font's default settings.
Usage note
Kerning changes the space between one pair of letters; tracking changes the spacing evenly across a whole word or block of text.
Common phrases
adjust the kerning · tighten the kerning · bad kerning · optical kerning · kerning pairs
The vertical distance between lines of text, measured from one baseline to the next. The name comes from strips of lead that printers once placed between lines of metal type.
Where you use it
Used in typography classes, design reviews and software, where it is often written like ‘10/14’ (10 pt type on 14 pt leading). You increase, reduce, tighten or open up the leading. Web developers call the same thing line height.
Examples
The body text is hard to read; try increasing the leading to about 140% of the font size.
Large headlines usually need tighter leading than paragraphs.
Usage note
Pronounced like ‘ledding’, from the metal lead, not like the verb ‘lead’ (‘leeding’). Saying ‘leeding’ is a common mistake.
Common phrases
increase the leading · tight leading · open leading · auto leading
A small line or foot at the end of the strokes of a letter, as in Times or Garamond. A typeface with these details is also called a serif.
Where you use it
Used to describe and choose typefaces. People say a serif, a serif font or a serif typeface, and often link serifs with tradition, books and trust. Turkish designers say tırnaklı.
Examples
For a law firm, a serif feels more established than a rounded sans.
The headline uses an elegant serif, and the body text is set in a simple sans-serif.
Describes letters without serifs, the small feet at the ends of strokes, as in Helvetica, Arial or Futura. Such typefaces often look clean and modern.
Where you use it
Used as an adjective (a sans-serif typeface) and as a noun (a clean sans-serif); designers often shorten it to sans. Very common in screen design, signage and modern brands.
Examples
Signage in airports usually uses a sans-serif typeface because it is clear from far away.
Let's try a geometric sans-serif for the app; the current font feels too old-fashioned.
Usage note
‘Sans’ comes from French and means ‘without’. In English it is usually pronounced /sænz/, like ‘sands’ without the d.
The overall spacing between letters across a whole word, line or paragraph, adjusted evenly to make text look looser or tighter.
Where you use it
Used in typography and software. You increase, reduce, open up or tighten the tracking; all-caps text and small labels often need extra tracking. In CSS the same idea is called letter-spacing.
Examples
Add a little tracking to the all-caps subtitle so it's easier to read.
Don't use negative tracking just to fit the text on one line; edit the copy instead.
Usage note
In Turkish, harf aralığı is used for both kerning and tracking. In English, keep them separate: kerning is one pair, tracking is a whole range.
How thick or thin the strokes of a font are, from thin and light through regular and medium to bold and black.
Where you use it
Used when building type hierarchy and in CSS, where weights are also numbers from 100 to 900 (400 is regular, 700 is bold). Designers talk about a font with many weights or about using too many weights.
Examples
Use only two font weights on this page: medium for headings and regular for text.
The light font weight disappears when it's printed small on coloured paper.
The main line of large text at the top of an advert, article, poster or web page, written and designed to catch attention first.
Where you use it
Used by designers, copywriters and editors. A headline is written by the copywriter and set, styled or sized by the designer; smaller supporting lines are subheadings or subheads.
Examples
The headline is too long for the billboard; can the copywriter cut it to five words?
Make the headline bigger and move the logo to the bottom corner.
Common phrases
write a headline · headline font · catchy headline · headline and subhead
The main, longer text of a design, such as paragraphs in a brochure or article, as opposed to headlines, captions and other short text.
Where you use it
Used in agencies and studios, especially by designers and copywriters. Body copy is set at a readable size, often 9–12 pt in print. Also called body text; ‘copy’ alone means any written text in a design.
Examples
We're still waiting for the final body copy, so I've used placeholder text in the layout.
The body copy is set in 10 pt on 14 pt leading.
Usage note
In this sense copy means written text, not a duplicate. A copywriter writes copy; a designer sets it.
Common phrases
set the body copy · body copy size · final copy · write body copy
A group of related fonts that share the same design but differ in weight, width or style, for example Roboto Light, Roboto Regular, Roboto Bold and Roboto Italic.
Where you use it
Used when choosing typefaces for a brand or a long document. A large font family gives many options while keeping a consistent look; in CSS, font-family is the property that sets the typeface.
Examples
We chose one font family with eight weights, so we don't need a second typeface.
Make sure the whole font family is licensed, not just the regular and bold.
Common phrases
a large font family · variable font family · license the font family · superfamily
The height of the lowercase letters in a typeface, such as x, measured from the baseline and not counting the parts that go above or below, like in ‘h’ or ‘p’.
Where you use it
Used when comparing typefaces and choosing text sizes. A typeface with a large x-height looks bigger and is often easier to read at small sizes, on screens and in signage.
Examples
This typeface has a large x-height, so 9 pt looks like 10 pt in other fonts.
For the medicine labels, choose a font with a generous x-height.
Common phrases
large x-height · small x-height · generous x-height · compare x-heights
The invisible line on which most letters sit. Letters like ‘g’ and ‘p’ go below it, and leading is measured from one baseline to the next.
Where you use it
Used in typesetting and layout. You align text to the baseline or to a baseline grid, so lines in neighbouring columns sit at the same height; you can also shift a character's baseline in software.
Examples
The two columns don't line up because the text isn't locked to the baseline grid.
Lower the ® symbol slightly so it sits closer to the baseline.
Common phrases
baseline grid · align to the baseline · baseline shift · sit on the baseline
How easily individual letters and words can be recognised, which depends on the typeface design, size, contrast and viewing conditions.
Where you use it
Used in critiques, signage, packaging and accessibility checks. Designers improve, test or worry about legibility, especially at small sizes, on coloured backgrounds or from a distance.
Examples
The thin script font looks beautiful, but its legibility on the menu board is poor.
We tested the legibility of the signs from ten metres away.
Usage note
Legibility is about recognising letters; readability is about how comfortable a whole text is to read (line length, spacing, layout). Many people mix them up.
Common phrases
improve legibility · poor legibility · legibility at small sizes · test legibility
A very short last line of a paragraph left alone, especially at the top of a new column or page, which looks untidy and breaks the reading flow.
Where you use it
Used in typesetting, editorial design and proofreading. Designers fix, avoid or remove widows and orphans by editing the text, adjusting tracking slightly or changing line breaks.
Examples
There's a widow at the top of page 12; can we lose a few words from that paragraph?
Before sending the book to print, I checked every spread for widows and orphans.
Usage note
Designers do not all agree on the difference between a widow and an orphan, and some call a single word on the last line a widow too. If unsure, describe the problem.
Common phrases
widows and orphans · fix a widow · avoid widows · widow control
Cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black): the four ink colours used in most colour printing. Mixing them in small dots creates the full range of printed colours.
Where you use it
Used every day with printers and in print files. You set a document to CMYK, convert images to CMYK, or give a colour's CMYK values (for example C0 M90 Y85 K0). Brand guidelines list CMYK values next to RGB and HEX.
Examples
The printer sent the file back because the images were RGB, not CMYK.
That bright turquoise from the website looks dull in CMYK, so let's test a spot colour.
Usage note
K stands for ‘key’, the black printing plate, not for the letter K of ‘black’. Say the letters one by one: C-M-Y-K.
Red, green and blue: the three colours of light that screens mix to show every colour. It is the colour mode for websites, apps, social media and video.
Where you use it
Used whenever work is made for screens. You design in RGB, export RGB files and list RGB values in brand guidelines, written like R230 G57 B70. Said letter by letter.
Examples
Keep the social media visuals in RGB; there's no need to convert them for print.
The guidelines give the RGB values for screen and the CMYK values for print.
Usage note
RGB is additive (mixing all three lights gives white); CMYK is subtractive (mixing inks makes colours darker).
Common phrases
RGB colour mode · RGB values · convert from RGB · in RGB
The limited set of colours chosen for a project or brand, usually with main colours, supporting colours and neutrals, so that all designs look consistent.
Where you use it
Used in branding, presentations and brand guidelines. You choose, define, limit or expand a colour palette; people speak of a primary and secondary palette or a muted, bold or earthy palette.
Examples
The new colour palette has two main colours and four neutrals for backgrounds and text.
Let's stick to the brand's color palette; the client didn't approve any new colours.
Usage note
British English writes colour, American English color. Software menus use the American spelling, so you will see both.
A six-character code starting with #, such as #E63946, that defines an exact screen colour using hexadecimal numbers for its red, green and blue values.
Where you use it
Used when sharing colours with developers, in brand guidelines and in design tools. You copy, send or check a HEX code; people also say hex value or just ‘the hex’.
Examples
Can you send me the HEX code for the brand blue? The developer is using a slightly different shade.
The guidelines list a HEX code, RGB and CMYK values for every brand colour.
Usage note
HEX codes describe screen colours. For print, use the CMYK values or spot colour given in the brand guidelines.
Common phrases
send the HEX code · copy the HEX code · HEX value · brand colour codes
The basic colour family of a colour, such as red, blue or green, without considering how light, dark or strong it is.
Where you use it
Used in colour theory and in software, where colours are often described with hue, saturation and brightness (HSB). You shift, adjust or change the hue; in general English, hue often just means colour.
Examples
Shift the hue slightly towards green so the blue matches the packaging.
All the icons use the same hue but different levels of brightness.
Common phrases
shift the hue · hue and saturation · warm hue · adjust the hue
How strong or pure a colour is. High saturation gives bright, intense colours; low saturation makes colours look softer, greyer or more muted.
Where you use it
Used in photo editing, colour discussions and critiques. You increase, reduce or boost the saturation; colours are described as saturated, oversaturated, desaturated or muted.
Examples
The food photos look fake; can you bring the saturation down a little?
Low saturation and lots of white space give the skincare brand a calm feel.
Common phrases
high saturation · reduce the saturation · boost the saturation · hue and saturation
Two colours that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, such as blue and orange or red and green. Side by side they create strong contrast and energy.
Where you use it
Used in colour theory, critiques and when building palettes. Designers use a complementary colour scheme for impact, or use one complementary colour as an accent to make a button or price stand out.
Examples
The poster uses complementary colours, deep blue and bright orange, so it's visible from across the street.
Complementary colours can seem to vibrate if you put text in one on a background of the other.
Usage note
Do not confuse complementary (opposite colours that complete each other) with complimentary (free, or praising).
A circle that shows colours in order around it, such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, used to explain how colours relate and to build colour schemes.
Where you use it
Used in colour theory classes and palette tools. Designers describe schemes by their position on the colour wheel: complementary (opposite), analogous (next to each other) or triadic (three at equal distances).
Examples
Pick two colours that sit next to each other on the colour wheel for a calm, harmonious look.
In the first week of the course, students paint their own color wheel.
Common phrases
on the colour wheel · opposite on the colour wheel · analogous colours · triadic colour scheme
A lighter version of a colour made by adding white, or in print by using a percentage of the ink, for example a 20% tint of the brand blue.
Where you use it
Used in colour theory and print. Brand guidelines often allow tints of the main colours for backgrounds and tables; you apply, use or specify a tint. A shade is the opposite: a colour with black added.
Examples
Use a 10% tint of the brand green as the background of the table.
Very light tints can disappear on uncoated paper, so test them on a proof.
Common phrases
a 20% tint · apply a tint · tints and shades · colour tint
A smooth change from one colour to another, or from a colour to transparent, across a shape or background.
Where you use it
Used in software and in discussions about style and trends. You apply, create or adjust a gradient; gradients can be linear or radial. In print, long, subtle gradients can show visible steps called banding.
Examples
The app icon uses a purple-to-pink gradient.
Add a soft black gradient behind the text so it stays readable on the photo.
Common phrases
linear gradient · radial gradient · apply a gradient · subtle gradient · gradient background
A specially mixed ink printed as a single solid colour instead of being built from CMYK dots, used for exact brand colours, metallics and neons. Pantone is the best-known system.
Where you use it
Used in branding, packaging and print quotes. You specify, use or print a spot colour; brand guidelines give codes like ‘Pantone 485 C’ (C means coated paper, U uncoated). Each spot colour usually adds cost.
Examples
The logo is printed in one spot colour so the orange is exactly the same on every product.
Adding a metallic gold spot color will increase the print cost.
Usage note
In design software, a spot colour must be set up as a spot swatch. If it is converted to CMYK by mistake, the printer will not print it as a separate ink.
Common phrases
spot colour printing · specify a spot colour · Pantone colour · two spot colours
A small data set attached to a file or device that describes how its colours should be shown or printed, helping colours stay consistent between screens, software and presses.
Where you use it
Used in colour management and printer specifications. You assign, embed or convert to a colour profile; sRGB is standard for screens, and printers may ask for a profile such as Coated FOGRA39 for coated paper in Europe.
Examples
Ask the printer which colour profile they use before converting the images to CMYK.
The colors looked different on my laptop because the file had no embedded color profile.
Common phrases
embed a colour profile · convert to profile · ICC profile · colour management
The way text, images and other elements are arranged on a page, screen or poster, including their size, position and the space between them.
Where you use it
Used all the time by designers, art directors and clients. You create, work on, revise or present a layout; magazine and book designers talk about page layout. Turkish print professionals often say mizanpaj.
Examples
I've sent you two layout options for the brochure cover: one photo-led and one type-led.
The layout works on desktop, but the text block is too long on mobile.
Common phrases
page layout · create a layout · layout options · rough layout · final layout
A hidden structure of columns, rows and margins that designers use to place elements consistently, so that pages in a book, website or campaign feel organised and related.
Where you use it
A basic concept in editorial, web and brand design. You set up, follow, break or align to a grid; designers talk about a 12-column grid, a modular grid or a baseline grid.
Examples
We used a 12-column grid for the website so the layouts adapt easily to tablets.
This image breaks the grid on purpose to create some tension on the page.
Common phrases
set up a grid · 12-column grid · modular grid · break the grid · grid system
The empty space between the content and the edges of a page or screen. It frames the content and keeps important text away from where the paper is cut or bound.
Where you use it
Used in page setup, printing and web design. You set, increase or reduce the margins; books have inner and outer margins, and printers often ask for a safe margin of a few millimetres inside the trim.
Examples
The page number is too close to the edge; keep everything inside a 5 mm margin.
Wider margins would make this report look less crowded.
Common phrases
set the margins · inner margin · outer margin · safe margin · wide margins
A ready-made file with a fixed layout, styles and placeholders that people reuse to create new designs quickly and consistently, such as a presentation or social media template.
Where you use it
Common in brand work, where designers build templates for clients' teams. You create, set up, use or customise a template; printers also provide templates for packaging and labels with cut lines.
Examples
We built a set of social media templates so the client's team can make posts without breaking the brand.
Download the box template from the printer's website before you start the packaging design.
Usage note
British speakers also say /ˈtɛmpleɪt/. Both pronunciations are correct.
Common phrases
create a template · presentation template · social media template · editable template
The space between two columns of a grid, or the inner margin of a book or magazine where the pages meet at the binding.
Where you use it
Used in editorial design, web grids and printing. You set, widen or reduce the gutter; designers warn that text or faces placed near the gutter of a spread may disappear into the binding.
Examples
Increase the gutter between the columns to 5 mm; the text looks squeezed.
Don't put the CEO's face across the gutter; it'll be lost in the binding.
Common phrases
column gutter · set the gutter · wide gutter · across the gutter
The overall arrangement of shapes, images, text and space in a design or picture, and how they work together to lead the eye and create a feeling.
Where you use it
Used in critiques, art direction and photography. A composition can be strong, dynamic, static, busy or balanced; you work on, rethink or simplify the composition.
Examples
The composition feels static; try cropping the photo tighter and moving the headline off-centre.
Her poster series won an award for its bold composition.
Two pages that face each other when a book, magazine or brochure is open, designed and viewed together as one wide layout.
Where you use it
Used in editorial and book design. Designers lay out, design or present spreads; a double-page spread is often used for big photos. Note that printers may need single pages, not spreads, in the final PDF.
Examples
The opening spread of each chapter has a full-bleed photo on the left and the title on the right.
Please export single pages, not spreads, for the printer.
Common phrases
double-page spread · opening spread · design a spread · export as spreads
A composition guideline that divides an image or layout into a three-by-three grid and places important elements on the lines or where they cross, rather than in the centre.
Where you use it
Used in photography, layout and video. You use, follow or break the rule of thirds; many cameras and cropping tools can show a thirds grid. It is a guideline, not a strict law.
Examples
Crop the photo using the rule of thirds so the model's eyes sit on the top line.
This cover breaks the rule of thirds on purpose: everything is perfectly centred.
Common phrases
follow the rule of thirds · break the rule of thirds · rule of thirds grid · crop to the rule of thirds
The empty areas around and between elements in a design. It does not have to be white; it is any space left free so the design can breathe and the content is easier to read.
Where you use it
Common in critiques and in discussions with clients who want to fill every corner. Designers add, keep or use white space; clients sometimes see it as wasted space. Also called negative space, also written whitespace.
Examples
The client asked us to add more products, but without white space the page will look like a discount flyer.
Generous white space around the logo makes the brand feel premium.
Common phrases
use white space · generous white space · add more white space · lack of white space
The order in which people notice and read the parts of a design, created with size, colour, contrast, position and spacing, so the most important message is seen first.
Where you use it
A key term in critiques, briefs and design rationales. A layout has a clear, strong, weak or confusing visual hierarchy; you establish or improve it. People often just say hierarchy.
Examples
Right now the date and the headline are the same size, so the visual hierarchy is unclear.
Good visual hierarchy guides the reader from the headline to the offer and then to the button.
Common phrases
clear visual hierarchy · establish a visual hierarchy · improve the hierarchy · typographic hierarchy
A clear difference between elements, for example dark and light, big and small or thick and thin, used to attract attention and make text and shapes easy to see.
Where you use it
Used in critiques and in accessibility checks. A design has high, low, strong or not enough contrast; you increase the contrast or check colour contrast for readability. The verb is stressed on the second syllable: to con-TRAST.
Examples
Grey text on a beige background doesn't have enough contrast for older readers.
I like the contrast between the heavy headline and the light body text.
Common phrases
high contrast · low contrast · increase the contrast · colour contrast · not enough contrast
The way elements line up with each other or with an edge, for example text set flush left, centred or justified, which helps a design look neat and connected.
Where you use it
Used in critiques, software and typesetting. You check, fix or change the alignment; text alignment can be left, right, centred or justified. The verb is align, and elements are aligned to a grid or to each other.
Examples
The alignment is slightly off: the caption starts two millimetres to the right of the image.
For long paragraphs, left alignment is usually easier to read than centred text.
Common phrases
left alignment · check the alignment · text alignment · alignment is off
The way the visual weight of elements is spread across a design so that it feels stable. Balance can be symmetrical, with mirror-like halves, or asymmetrical.
Where you use it
Used in critiques and design classes. A layout feels balanced, unbalanced, heavy on one side or off; you improve or restore the balance. Visual weight comes from size, colour, darkness and position.
Examples
The big photo on the left makes the page feel heavy; add some text on the right to improve the balance.
Asymmetrical balance often looks more dynamic than a perfectly centred layout.
The part of a design that attracts the eye first and holds attention, often created with size, colour, contrast or position.
Where you use it
Used in critiques and art direction. A design has a clear focal point or none; you create, strengthen or change the focal point. Too many focal points make a layout feel confusing.
Examples
The product should be the focal point, but the bright background steals all the attention.
This flyer has four focal points fighting each other; pick one.
Common phrases
clear focal point · create a focal point · main focal point · strong focal point
The design principle that related items should be placed close together and unrelated items further apart, so readers understand at a glance what belongs together.
Where you use it
Used in design classes and critiques, often together with alignment, repetition and contrast. Designers group items by proximity, for example a caption close to its photo or a label close to its form field.
Examples
The price is closer to the next product than to its own, so proximity is sending the wrong message.
Use proximity to group the contact details instead of drawing boxes around them.
Common phrases
principle of proximity · group by proximity · proximity and alignment · close proximity
The size of an element compared with other elements or with the whole design. Changing scale creates contrast, drama and a clear order of importance.
Where you use it
Used in critiques and art direction (‘play with scale’). As a verb, you scale an image up or down; designers warn that scaling raster images up reduces quality, while vectors scale freely.
Examples
Play with scale: make the number huge and keep everything else small.
Don't scale the photo up past 120%; it'll start to look soft.
Common phrases
play with scale · sense of scale · scale up · scale down · change of scale
A designed symbol, word or combination of both that identifies a company, product or organisation and appears on everything it produces.
Where you use it
The most common branding word for clients and designers. You design, redesign, refresh, place or resize a logo; designers deliver logo files in several versions (full colour, one colour, reversed) and formats.
Examples
Could you send the logo as a vector file? The one on the website is too small for the banner.
We presented three logo concepts, and the client chose the simplest one.
Usage note
In English, logo is a general word; designers distinguish a wordmark (only letters) from a logomark or symbol (only an image).
Common phrases
design a logo · logo concepts · logo files · reversed logo · logo placement
All the visual elements that make a brand recognisable, such as its logo, colours, typefaces, images and graphic style, used together in a consistent way.
Where you use it
A common project type in studios and agencies. You develop, create, refresh or roll out a brand identity; a designer might specialise in brand identity design. Also called visual identity.
Examples
The brand identity includes the logo, two typefaces, a colour palette and a set of icons.
We're refreshing the brand identity, not changing the company name.
Usage note
In marketing, brand identity can also include values and tone of voice. In graphic design it usually means the visual system.
Common phrases
develop a brand identity · brand identity design · refresh the brand identity · consistent brand identity
A document that explains how to use a brand's logo, colours, typefaces, images and tone correctly, so that everyone who works with the brand produces consistent designs.
Where you use it
Delivered at the end of identity projects and used by agencies, printers and in-house teams. You create, follow, update or break the brand guidelines. Also called a brand book, style guide or brand manual.
Examples
According to the brand guidelines, the logo can't be placed on busy photos.
Please send us the brand guidelines and logo files before we start the exhibition stand.
Common phrases
follow the brand guidelines · brand guidelines document · update the guidelines · brand book
A logo made only of the brand name written in a distinctive way, without a separate symbol, as with many fashion, tech and media brands.
Where you use it
Used in branding projects and logo presentations. You design, customise or redraw a wordmark; a good wordmark usually needs careful kerning and custom letter details. Also called a logotype.
Examples
We kept the wordmark but redrew the ‘g’ to make it more distinctive.
The client's name is short, so a wordmark on its own works well.
Common phrases
custom wordmark · design a wordmark · wordmark and symbol · redraw the wordmark
The symbol or graphic part of a logo, without the brand name, which can be used alone once people recognise it, for example as an app icon.
Where you use it
Used in identity projects and brand guidelines. A logomark is used with or without the wordmark; guidelines explain when each version may appear. Also called a brand mark, symbol or icon.
Examples
On small screens we'll show only the logomark, without the company name.
The logomark is a simple leaf drawn with a single line.
Common phrases
logomark and wordmark · standalone logomark · use the logomark alone · simplify the logomark
To change a company's or product's brand identity, such as its logo, colours, name or style, so that people see it in a new way.
Where you use it
Used by agencies, clients and in design news. A company rebrands or is rebranded; the noun is rebrand or rebranding (‘a full rebrand’). A smaller update is often called a brand refresh.
Examples
The bank rebranded last year with a new logo and a much brighter colour palette.
They don't need a full rebrand; a refresh of the logo and fonts would be enough.
Usage note
As a noun, rebrand is often stressed on the first syllable (RE-brand); as a verb, on the second (re-BRAND).
Common phrases
full rebrand · rebrand a company · go through a rebrand · brand refresh
The minimum empty area that must be kept around a logo so that text, images and page edges do not crowd it. Guidelines often measure it with a part of the logo itself.
Where you use it
Found in every set of brand guidelines. You respect, keep or define the clear space; a guide might say ‘keep a clear space equal to the height of the letter O on all sides’. Also called exclusion zone or safe zone.
Examples
The sponsor's logo is inside our clear space; please move it at least 10 mm away.
The guidelines define the clear space as the height of the symbol.
Common phrases
minimum clear space · respect the clear space · clear space around the logo · exclusion zone
Fitting the look, tone and rules of a brand. A design that does not match the brand is described as off-brand.
Where you use it
Common in agency and in-house meetings, often informal. People ask ‘Is this on-brand?’ or say a colour or photo feels off-brand. Used before a noun it is hyphenated (an on-brand visual); after a verb it is often written without a hyphen.
Examples
The illustration is nice, but it's not on-brand; our style is much simpler.
We built templates so the regional teams can create on-brand posts without a designer.
Extra image or background that extends past the edge of the final page, usually 3 mm, so that no white edge appears when the printed sheet is trimmed.
Where you use it
Used in every print job and printer specification. You add, include or set up bleed; files are sent ‘with 3 mm bleed’. Images that run to the edge are said to bleed off the page. In the US 0.125 inch is standard.
Examples
Please resend the flyer with 3 mm bleed on all sides; the background stops exactly at the edge.
The photo bleeds off the right side of the spread.
Common phrases
add bleed · 3 mm bleed · bleed area · with bleed · full bleed
A trial version of a design, on paper or as a PDF, that the designer and client check carefully for mistakes and colour before the full print run starts.
Where you use it
Used with printers and clients at the end of a project. Printers send a digital proof or a hard-copy proof; you check, approve or sign off a proof. To proofread means checking the text for spelling errors.
Examples
The printer will send a PDF proof tomorrow, and we need the client's approval by Thursday.
On the colour proof the red looked too orange, so we adjusted the CMYK values.
Common phrases
digital proof · colour proof · hard-copy proof · approve the proof · final proof
Describes a final file that meets the printer's requirements and can go straight to press, with correct size, bleed, colour mode, image resolution and fonts.
Where you use it
Used in quotes, printer emails and file handover. Clients and printers ask for a print-ready PDF or print-ready artwork; preparing it is part of the designer's job, often called artworking.
Examples
Please supply a print-ready PDF in CMYK with 3 mm bleed and crop marks.
The files aren't print-ready yet; two images are still in RGB.
Common phrases
print-ready PDF · print-ready artwork · print-ready files · make files print-ready
Thin lines printed at the corners of a sheet, outside the design, that show the printer exactly where to cut the paper to the final size.
Where you use it
Used in printer specifications and PDF export settings. You add, include or turn on crop marks when exporting; they should sit outside the bleed. In American English they are also called trim marks.
Examples
Export the PDF with crop marks and 3 mm bleed, as the printer requested.
The crop marks are touching the artwork; increase the offset in the export settings.
Common phrases
add crop marks · with crop marks · crop marks and bleed · trim marks
A common commercial printing method in which ink is transferred from metal plates to a rubber blanket and then onto paper. It is cost-effective for large quantities.
Where you use it
Used when choosing a print method and in quotes. Offset is used for books, magazines, catalogues and large runs; for small quantities, digital printing is usually faster and cheaper. People often just say offset.
Examples
For 20,000 catalogues offset printing is much cheaper per copy than digital.
Because this job needs offset printing, we need the final files a week before delivery.
Common phrases
offset press · offset printer · offset vs digital · long print run
The type of paper or card used for a printed piece, described by its weight, thickness, surface (coated or uncoated) and colour.
Where you use it
Used with printers and in print quotes. You choose, specify or sample a paper stock; designers ask printers for samples and talk about coated, uncoated, recycled or textured stock. People often just say stock.
Examples
Which paper stock do you recommend for a business card that feels premium?
Colours look softer on uncoated paper stock, so we adjusted the photos.
Common phrases
choose a paper stock · coated stock · uncoated stock · heavy stock · paper samples
The final size of a printed piece after it has been cut, for example 148 × 210 mm for an A5 flyer, not counting the bleed.
Where you use it
Used in printer specifications and when setting up documents. You confirm, set or check the trim size; the document is set to the trim size and the bleed is added outside it. The cutting line is called the trim line.
Examples
The trim size is 210 × 297 mm, so the PDF with bleed should be 216 × 303 mm.
Can you confirm the trim size before I set up the book file?
Common phrases
final trim size · confirm the trim size · trim line · trim and bleed
A deeper printed black made by adding some cyan, magenta and yellow to 100% black ink, used for large dark areas rather than small text.
Where you use it
Used with printers and in prepress. Printers often recommend a specific rich black mix; designers avoid it for small text and thin lines, where slight misregistration of plates can create coloured edges.
Examples
Use rich black for the cover background, but keep the body text in 100% K.
The black area looks grey on the proof; ask the printer which rich black mix they recommend.
Usage note
Do not use ‘registration black’ (100% of all four inks) for design elements; it is meant only for printer's marks and puts too much ink on the paper.
Common phrases
rich black mix · use rich black · 100% K · registration black
To print one ink directly on top of another, instead of leaving a gap in the colour below. Black text is often set to overprint to avoid white gaps around it.
Where you use it
Used in prepress and printer checks. You set an object to overprint or check overprint settings with Overprint Preview; the opposite is knock out. Turkish prepress staff usually say overprint.
Examples
Set the small black text to overprint so it doesn't show white edges if the plates move.
The white logo disappeared because it was accidentally set to overprint.
Usage note
White should never be set to overprint: white is no ink at all, so it simply vanishes in print.
Common phrases
set to overprint · overprint preview · overprint black · knock out
A custom shape cut out of paper or card with a sharp steel blade called a die, used for packaging, unusual business cards, windows in covers and stickers.
Where you use it
Used in packaging and special print jobs. Designers supply a die line (cutting guide) on a separate layer in a spot colour; the adjective is die-cut, as in a die-cut sticker. Turkish printers call the guide bıçak izi.
Examples
The box has a die cut window so you can see the product inside.
Please put the die line on its own layer; no text should cross the die cut.
Common phrases
die cut shape · die line · die-cut sticker · custom die cut
A treatment added to a printed piece to change how it looks or feels, such as matt or gloss lamination, spot UV varnish, foil or embossing.
Where you use it
Used with printers and in packaging and stationery projects. You choose, add or specify a finish; designers talk about a matt finish, a soft-touch finish or special finishes. The plural finishes is common.
Examples
We chose a matt finish with spot UV on the logo for the business cards.
Special finishes like gold foil add a few days to the print schedule.
Usage note
British English writes matt, American English matte. Both mean not shiny.
Common phrases
matt finish · gloss finish · soft-touch finish · special finishes · spot UV
Grams per square metre: the weight of paper or card. Higher numbers usually mean thicker paper, for example 80 gsm for office paper and 350 gsm for business cards.
Where you use it
Used in print quotes and paper discussions outside North America. You specify, ask for or compare GSM; people say ‘a 300 gsm card’ or ‘170 gsm silk’. Also written g/m² or gsm.
Examples
The flyers are printed on 170 gsm silk, and the covers on 350 gsm.
A higher GSM will make the brochure feel more premium but also heavier to post.
Usage note
In the US, paper weight is usually given in pounds (lb), such as 100 lb text, which does not convert simply to gsm.
The amount of detail in a digital image, shown by how many pixels it has or how many pixels or dots fit into one inch. Print usually needs about 300 dpi at final size.
Where you use it
Used with printers, photographers and clients who send small images. Images have high or low resolution; you check, increase or reduce the resolution. People say high-res and low-res in everyday talk.
Examples
This photo's resolution is too low for an A3 poster; do you have the original file from the photographer?
Please send high-resolution images, at least 300 dpi at the printed size.
Usage note
Increasing the resolution in software does not add real detail. If the original image is small, enlarging it will still look soft or pixelated.
Common phrases
high resolution · low resolution · image resolution · check the resolution · high-res files
An image made of points, lines and curves defined by mathematics rather than pixels, so it can be scaled to any size without losing quality. Logos and icons are usually vector graphics.
Where you use it
Common when clients, printers and sign makers ask for files. People ask for a vector file, a vector logo or a version ‘in vector’; common vector formats are AI, EPS, SVG and vector PDF.
Examples
The sign maker needs the logo as a vector graphic so it stays sharp at three metres wide.
I redrew the old logo as vector graphics because the client only had a blurry JPEG.
Common phrases
vector file · vector logo · vector format · redraw in vector
A digital image made of a grid of tiny coloured squares called pixels, such as a photo. It has a fixed resolution, so it loses quality when enlarged too much.
Where you use it
Used when comparing file types or explaining why a logo looks blurry. JPEG, PNG, TIFF and PSD files are raster formats; people also say bitmap or pixel-based image.
Examples
A raster image is fine for the website, but for the vehicle wrap we need the vector logo.
Photos are always raster images, so check their size before you place them in the layout.
Usage note
To rasterise (US: rasterize) means to turn vector shapes or live text into pixels, which cannot easily be undone.
Common phrases
raster file · raster format · raster graphics · rasterise a layer
Dots per inch: a measure of print resolution showing how many dots of ink fit into one inch. About 300 dpi at final size is the usual standard for sharp printed images.
Where you use it
Used with printers and when checking images. People ask for ‘300 dpi images’ and say a photo is ‘only 72 dpi’. In everyday studio talk DPI is often used where PPI would be more exact.
Examples
The printer asked for all images at 300 dpi at their final size.
This logo is a 72 dpi screenshot; it will look terrible on the roll-up banner.
Usage note
Strictly, PPI (pixels per inch) describes a digital image and DPI describes a printer's output, but many people use DPI for both.
Portable Network Graphics: a raster image format that keeps full quality and supports transparent backgrounds, often used for logos, icons and screen graphics.
Where you use it
Used when exporting for web, presentations and social media. People ask for ‘a PNG with a transparent background’ or ‘the logo as a PNG’. Large photos as PNGs can be very heavy files.
Examples
Can you export the logo as a PNG with a transparent background for the slides?
Save the photos as JPEGs; as PNGs they are ten times bigger.
Usage note
The official pronunciation is ‘ping’, but most people simply say the letters P-N-G. Both are understood.
Common phrases
export as PNG · transparent PNG · PNG file · PNG with a transparent background
A very common raster image format for photos that makes files small by removing some detail. It does not support transparency and loses quality if saved again and again.
Where you use it
Used for photos on websites, email and social media. You save, export or compress a JPEG; the file extension is .jpg or .jpeg. Designers avoid JPEGs for logos and text-heavy graphics.
Examples
The client sent their logo as a tiny JPEG with a white box around it.
Export the product photos as high-quality JPEGs under 500 KB for the website.
Usage note
Pronounced ‘jay-peg’. JPG and JPEG are the same format; the shorter extension comes from old systems that allowed only three letters.
Common phrases
save as JPEG · high-quality JPEG · JPEG compression · JPEG file
The smallest single point of colour in a digital image or on a screen. Raster images are made of thousands or millions of pixels arranged in a grid.
Where you use it
Used for image sizes and screen design. Sizes for web and social media are given in pixels (1080 × 1080 px); designers say something is ‘a few pixels off’ when it is slightly misaligned.
Examples
The banner needs to be 1200 by 628 pixels for the ad platform.
The icon is two pixels lower than the text; can you nudge it up?
Common phrases
pixel dimensions · in pixels · pixel-perfect · a few pixels off
Describes an image that shows visible square pixels and jagged edges, usually because a low-resolution file has been enlarged too much.
Where you use it
Very common in client and printer feedback. Images look pixelated, come out pixelated in print, or become pixelated when scaled up. Also spelled pixellated in British English.
Examples
The logo on the banner came out pixelated because it was taken from the website.
If you scale this photo up to A2 it will look pixelated.
Common phrases
look pixelated · come out pixelated · pixelated image · slightly pixelated
Scalable Vector Graphics: a vector file format for the web that stays sharp at any size and is often used for logos, icons and simple illustrations on websites and apps.
Where you use it
Used mostly with web developers. You export, optimise or hand over SVGs; developers can change their colours with code. They are not ideal for photos or complex textures.
Examples
The developer asked for the icons as SVGs so they stay sharp on every screen.
Clean up the SVG before you export it; there are lots of empty groups in the file.
Common phrases
export as SVG · SVG icons · optimise an SVG · inline SVG
A ready-made photograph that you license from an online library instead of organising your own photo shoot. The licence controls how and where it can be used.
Where you use it
Common in everyday studio work. You buy, license, search for or use stock photos; images can be royalty-free or rights-managed. Clients sometimes complain that stock images look generic.
Examples
We don't have a budget for a shoot, so let's use stock photos for the first version.
Check the stock photo licence; we can't use that image on packaging.
Usage note
Royalty-free does not mean free of charge. It means you pay once and do not pay again for each use.
Common phrases
license a stock photo · stock photo site · royalty-free stock photos · generic stock photos
Making an image or other file smaller in size. Lossy compression removes some detail, as in JPEG; lossless compression keeps all of it, as in PNG.
Where you use it
Used when preparing images for web, email and PDFs. You apply, reduce or avoid compression; too much compression causes blocky patterns called compression artefacts.
Examples
The photo looks blocky around the text because of heavy JPEG compression.
Turn off image compression when you export the PDF for print.
The relationship between the width and height of an image or screen, written as two numbers such as 16:9, 1:1 or 4:5.
Where you use it
Used in video, social media and web work. You keep, change or lock the aspect ratio; social platforms need different ratios for feed posts, stories and covers. Say ‘sixteen by nine’ or ‘sixteen to nine’.
Examples
The video is 16:9, but stories need a 9:16 aspect ratio, so we'll recompose it.
Hold Shift while resizing to keep the aspect ratio; the logo looks stretched.
Common phrases
keep the aspect ratio · lock the aspect ratio · square aspect ratio · 16:9 aspect ratio
One level in a design file that holds its own elements, stacked on top of others like transparent sheets, so each part can be edited, hidden or moved separately.
Where you use it
Used in all major design software. You create, name, lock, hide, group, merge or flatten layers; tidy, well-named layers are expected when you hand over source files.
Examples
Please name your layers before you send the PSD; I can't find anything in ‘Layer 47 copy’.
Lock the background layer so you don't move it by accident.
Common phrases
name the layers · lock a layer · hide a layer · flatten layers · adjustment layer
To save a copy of a design from your software in another file format, such as PDF, PNG or JPEG, so it can be printed, shared or used online.
Where you use it
Used every day in studios. You export a file as a PDF, export assets for developers, or export at 2x for retina screens. The noun is export, as in ‘the PDF export’.
Examples
Export the brochure as a high-quality PDF for the printer and a smaller one for email.
I exported all the icons as SVGs and put them in the shared folder.
Usage note
The verb is stressed on the second syllable (ex-PORT); the noun is usually stressed on the first (EX-port).
Common phrases
export as PDF · export settings · export assets · export at 2x
A separate page-like area inside a design file, especially in Illustrator and similar tools, so one file can hold several sizes or versions of a design.
Where you use it
Used in daily software work. You add, resize, rename or export artboards; for example, one file can have an artboard for each social media size. In Figma the same idea is called a frame.
Examples
I've put each banner size on its own artboard so you can export them all at once.
Resize the artboard to fit the artwork before you export the icon.
Common phrases
add an artboard · resize the artboard · export artboards · multiple artboards
A drawing tool in design software that creates precise straight lines and smooth curves by placing anchor points and dragging handles to shape them.
Where you use it
Used in vector drawing, logo design and cutting out photos. Learning the pen tool is a basic skill for designers; you draw, trace or cut something out with the pen tool.
Examples
I traced the hand-drawn logo with the pen tool to get clean vector curves.
Use the pen tool to cut out the bottle; the automatic selection leaves rough edges.
Common phrases
use the pen tool · draw with the pen tool · master the pen tool · pen tool path
A software feature that uses one shape or layer to show only part of another image or object, hiding everything outside the shape without deleting it.
Where you use it
Used in Photoshop, Illustrator and similar tools. You create, make, apply or release a clipping mask, for example to put a photo inside a circle or inside letters.
Examples
Put the team photos in circles with a clipping mask so you can still move them inside the frame.
Release the clipping mask; part of the image is hidden outside the shape.
Common phrases
create a clipping mask · make a clipping mask · release the clipping mask · layer mask
How solid or see-through an element is, usually set as a percentage: 100% is completely solid and 0% is invisible.
Where you use it
Used in all design software and in CSS. You lower, reduce or set the opacity of a layer or object; designers also say transparency. In print, low-opacity effects should be checked on a proof.
Examples
Set the pattern to 15% opacity so it doesn't compete with the text.
Lower the opacity of the black overlay; the photo is too dark now.
Common phrases
lower the opacity · 50% opacity · opacity setting · full opacity
The outline or line drawn along the edge of a shape, path or text, with its own colour and thickness. The colour inside the shape is called the fill.
Where you use it
Used in vector software, icon design and CSS. You add, remove or change the stroke; stroke weight is often given in points or pixels. Icon sets usually keep the same stroke weight everywhere.
Examples
All the icons use a 2 px stroke with rounded ends.
Remove the stroke around the photo; it makes the layout look dated.
Usage note
In typography, stroke also means the lines that form a letter, as in ‘thick and thin strokes’.
Common phrases
stroke weight · add a stroke · fill and stroke · outline stroke
One of the points along a vector path that define its shape. Handles attached to an anchor point control how the curve bends.
Where you use it
Used when drawing and cleaning up vector shapes. You add, delete, move or convert anchor points; designers aim for as few anchor points as possible to keep curves smooth and files clean.
Examples
The auto-traced logo has hundreds of anchor points; redraw it by hand with the pen tool.
Delete the extra anchor point on the curve and the bump will disappear.
Common phrases
add an anchor point · delete anchor points · smooth anchor point · corner anchor point
To turn live, editable text into vector shapes, so the file looks correct even on a computer that does not have the font. The text can no longer be edited as type.
Where you use it
Used when sending logos and print files. Printers may ask you to convert text to outlines; in Illustrator the command is Create Outlines, and people also say outline the text. Always keep a copy with live text.
Examples
Please convert all fonts to outlines before you send the logo file to the sign maker.
I converted the headline to outlines and then couldn't fix the typo; luckily I'd kept a backup.
Common phrases
convert text to outlines · create outlines · outline the fonts · outlined text
To collect a layout file together with all its linked images and fonts into one folder, so another designer or printer can open and print it without missing files.
Where you use it
Used with InDesign and Illustrator, which have a Package command, and in handover emails. You package a file or send ‘the packaged files’; this is usually the last step before archiving a project.
Examples
Package the catalogue and upload the folder; the printer needs the links and fonts too.
I opened the packaged files, but two images are still missing.
Common phrases
package the file · packaged files · package for print · package and archive
A short document that explains what a design project must achieve: the goal, audience, message, deliverables, budget, deadline and any rules the designer must follow.
Where you use it
The starting point of almost every project. A client or account manager writes, sends or presents a brief; the designer reads, questions and responds to it. People usually just say the brief.
Examples
The design brief says the audience is students, but the examples they sent are very corporate.
Before we start sketching, let's go through the design brief and list our questions for the client.
Common phrases
write a brief · creative brief · go through the brief · stick to the brief · off-brief
A realistic image or model that shows how a design will look in real life, for example a logo on a shop sign or a label on a bottle, used mainly in presentations.
Where you use it
Used in client presentations and portfolios. You create, make or put a design into a mockup; many designers use ready-made mockup templates. Also written mock-up.
Examples
Let's show the packaging in a mockup so the client can imagine it on the shelf.
The mock-ups look great, but remember the real paper will be less glossy.
Usage note
In UX design, a mockup means a static, detailed screen design, which is different from a wireframe or a prototype.
Comments and opinions from a client, art director or colleague about a design, telling the designer what works and what should change.
Where you use it
Part of every design job. You ask for, get, give, collect or act on feedback; feedback can be clear, vague, positive or contradictory. It is uncountable: say some feedback or a piece of feedback, never a feedback.
Examples
We got feedback from the client this morning: they like the layout but want a warmer colour.
Could you put all your feedback in one email so we don't miss anything?
Usage note
Feedback is uncountable in English, so ‘feedbacks’ is wrong. Use ‘comments’ if you need a plural.
Common phrases
give feedback · get feedback · client feedback · act on feedback · consolidated feedback
A change made to a design after feedback, or a new version of the design that includes those changes. Contracts often limit the number of revision rounds.
Where you use it
Used in emails, quotes and contracts. You make, request or send revisions; quotes say things like ‘includes two rounds of revisions’, and extra revisions are often charged. The verb is revise.
Examples
The quote includes two rounds of revisions; any further changes will be charged by the hour.
I've attached the revision with the new photo and the shorter headline.
Usage note
Turkish office slang says ‘revize’ as a noun (‘revize geldi’). In English, revise is only a verb; the noun is revision.
Common phrases
round of revisions · make revisions · request a revision · minor revisions · final revision
A collection of images, colours, textures and type samples put together at the start of a project to show the visual direction and feeling of the design.
Where you use it
Used in the early stage of branding, campaign and packaging projects. You create, put together or present a moodboard, and the client reacts to it before real design work begins. Also written mood board.
Examples
I've put together two moodboards: one warm and handmade, one minimal and technical.
The client loved the colours on the moodboard but not the photography style.
Common phrases
create a moodboard · present a moodboard · moodboard direction · digital moodboard
The main idea behind a design and one early version of it shown to the client, explaining how the design answers the brief.
Where you use it
Used in agencies and studios at the presentation stage. You develop, present or pitch concepts; clients choose a concept to develop further. A quote may say ‘three initial concepts’.
Examples
We'll present three logo concepts next Tuesday and develop the one you choose.
The concept is simple: every poster uses one object photographed from above.
The specific files and items a designer has agreed to hand over at the end of a project, such as logo files, a print-ready PDF or a set of social media posts.
Where you use it
Used in briefs, quotes, contracts and project meetings. You define, list, agree on or hand over deliverables; it is usually plural. Clear deliverables help prevent scope creep.
Examples
The deliverables are a logo in four formats, a business card and a one-page style guide.
Let's agree on the deliverables before we talk about the timeline.
Common phrases
list of deliverables · final deliverables · agree on deliverables · hand over deliverables
To give final approval to a design, proof or stage of a project, so that the work can move on to production or the next step.
Where you use it
Very common in agency and client emails. A client signs off a design or signs off on it; the noun is sign-off (‘We need sign-off by Friday’). After sign-off, changes usually cost extra.
Examples
The marketing director signed off the final artwork this morning, so it's going to the printer today.
We can't book the press time until the client signs off on the proof.
Usage note
In emails, sign off can also mean ending a message (‘she signed off with Best regards’). In projects it almost always means approval.
Common phrases
sign off the design · sign off on the proof · get sign-off · final sign-off
A selected collection of a designer's best work, often with short project descriptions, used to apply for jobs, win clients or enter design schools.
Where you use it
Essential for job applications and freelancing. You build, update, curate or present a portfolio; it can be a website, a PDF or a printed book. Recruiters often ask for a portfolio link with a CV.
Examples
Please send your CV and a link to your portfolio, with no more than ten projects.
I'd add the packaging project to your portfolio and explain the brief in two sentences.
Usage note
In finance, portfolio means a group of investments. In design it always means a collection of work.
Common phrases
build a portfolio · online portfolio · portfolio review · update your portfolio
A senior creative person who decides the visual style of a project or campaign, guides designers, photographers and illustrators, and makes sure the work fits the idea.
Where you use it
A common job title in agencies, magazines and in-house teams, often shortened to AD. An art director usually works in a pair with a copywriter and reports to a creative director.
Examples
The art director wants the photos to feel more natural, with less retouching.
After five years as a designer, she was promoted to art director.
Common phrases
senior art director · work with the art director · art director and copywriter · art direction
The original, editable working files of a design, such as AI, PSD, INDD or Figma files, as opposed to final exported files like PDFs or PNGs.
Where you use it
Common in contracts and handover emails. Clients ask for source files so they can edit later; some designers include them in the price, others charge extra. Turkish designers often say açık dosya.
Examples
Our quote doesn't include the source files; we deliver print-ready PDFs and PNGs only.
Can you send the source files for the brochure? We need to update the prices next year.
Common phrases
hand over source files · editable source files · source files included · package the source files
A presentation of ideas made to win a new client or project, often in competition with other agencies or studios.
Where you use it
Used in agencies and by freelancers. You prepare for, win or lose a pitch; as a verb, you pitch an idea or pitch for a project. Some designers refuse unpaid pitches that ask for finished creative work.
Examples
We won the pitch for the museum's new identity!
Three agencies were invited to pitch, and each had 30 minutes to present.
Common phrases
win a pitch · pitch for a project · pitch deck · creative pitch · unpaid pitch
The slow growth of a project beyond what was originally agreed, as the client keeps adding small requests, without extra time or budget.
Where you use it
Used by freelancers, studios and project managers. You avoid, manage or deal with scope creep, usually with a clear brief, a list of deliverables and a limit on revisions.
Examples
First it was a logo, then business cards, now a website: that's classic scope creep.
To avoid scope creep, list exactly what's included in the quote.
Common phrases
avoid scope creep · manage scope creep · classic scope creep · out of scope
A vague but very common request to make a design or element more eye-catching, usually without saying exactly what should change.
Where you use it
Heard from clients and managers, often a running joke among designers. A good response is to ask questions: should it be bigger, brighter, higher in contrast or less cluttered?
Examples
The client likes the banner but wants us to make it pop a bit more.
When they say ‘make it pop’, I usually increase the contrast and remove some clutter.
Usage note
It is informal. In your own emails, explain what you changed instead: ‘I increased the contrast and enlarged the headline.’
Common phrases
make the logo pop · make the colours pop · really pop · needs to pop
Ten questions from this glossary. Pick the right meaning for each term and see your score.
How to learn graphic design vocabulary
Learn the terms that are easy to confuse in pairs: typeface and font, kerning and tracking, RGB and CMYK, vector and raster, DPI and PPI. Clients and printers notice quickly when these are mixed up.
Read real English design texts: printers' file specifications, the published brand guidelines of large companies, type specimens and design case studies. Notice the verbs that go with each term: tighten the kerning, add bleed, export a PDF, sign off a proof.
Try using your design software in English for a few weeks. Menu names such as Layers, Stroke, Opacity, Create Outlines and Package are the same words you will meet in English feedback and tutorials.
Practise the pronunciation traps out loud: leading rhymes with ‘wedding’, JPEG is ‘jay-peg’, typography is stressed on the second syllable, and the verb export is stressed on the second syllable.
Keep a phrase bank for client emails, with sentences like “Please find attached the revised layout”, “This price includes two rounds of revisions” and “Could you sign off the final proof by Friday?”
Frequently asked questions
Do Turkish graphic designers use the English terms or the Turkish ones?
Both. In studios and agencies, many English words are used inside Turkish sentences: brief, mockup, kerning, layout, feedback. Printers in Turkey have their own long-established Turkish vocabulary, such as taşma payı (bleed), prova (proof), gramaj (paper weight) and selefon (lamination). Knowing both sets helps you talk to clients, colleagues and print shops without misunderstandings.
What is the difference between a typeface and a font?
A typeface is the design of the letters, for example Helvetica or Garamond. A font is one specific version of that design, such as Helvetica Bold Italic, usually as a file you install. In everyday studio talk many people use ‘font’ for both, but in typography classes, type foundries and job interviews the difference matters.
Should I design in RGB or CMYK?
It depends on where the design will be seen. Screens show colour with light, so web, social media and app graphics use RGB. Printing presses use cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks, so printed work is prepared in CMYK, or with spot colours. Some bright RGB colours cannot be printed, so check print colours early and ask the printer which colour profile they want.
Why do printers and clients keep asking for vector files?
A vector file stores shapes as mathematical paths, so it can be enlarged to any size, from a business card to a billboard, without losing quality. A raster image is made of pixels and becomes blurry or pixelated when you enlarge it too much. That is why logos and icons should always be delivered as vector files (AI, EPS, SVG or vector PDF), while photos stay raster.
What does a printer mean by “print-ready PDF with 3 mm bleed”?
The printer wants a final PDF that can go to press without changes: CMYK or agreed spot colours, images at about 300 dpi, fonts embedded or converted to outlines, and any background or image that touches the edge extended 3 mm beyond the trim line. That extra 3 mm is the bleed. It is cut off after printing, so no thin white line appears at the edge. In the US the usual bleed is 0.125 inch.
