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Graphic Design vocabulary · Image Formats & Resolution

Compression

Meaning in graphic design, with examples

/kəmˈprɛʃən/nounCommon term

In graphic design, compression means: 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.

In Turkish: sıkıştırma

How it is used

Used when preparing images for web, email and PDFs. You apply, reduce or avoid compression; too much compression causes blocky patterns called compression artefacts.

Example sentences

  1. The photo looks blocky around the text because of heavy JPEG compression.

  2. Turn off image compression when you export the PDF for print.

Common collocations

  • lossy compression
  • lossless compression
  • image compression
  • compression artefacts
  • JPEGA 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.
  • PNGPortable Network Graphics: a raster image format that keeps full quality and supports transparent backgrounds, often used for logos, icons and screen graphics.
  • exportTo 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.
  • resolutionThe 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.

More terms: Image Formats & Resolution

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