As you design your products with graphics, you should know common tools and terminology. So I would like to share the graphic design terminology which I used often for creating digital planners and other digital products.
You’ve probably heard some terminology when you create images for your blog or social media. Also, you want to design patterns or do anything else related to graphic design products.
I commonly use tools for graphic design for my products are Procreate and Photoshop. Whichever design software you use, this terminology is should know and how to use for.
Let’s dive in
Graphic design terminology 1: Color mode
You may hear what type of color mode is best for digital products. So, the color mode can use for different uses for the products. It’s important to define the two different kinds of color that we see in the world as the first step in understanding color systems.
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key i.e. Black)
The color system is typically used by printers. As you notice that most printers come with 4 ink cartridges: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. In this mode, The primary colors are cyan, magenta, yellow and black. When you mix all the colors, the result is gray.
Image source: color matters
RGB (Red, Green, and Blue)
This color system is used to digitally represent colors. For example, this color mode is used in computer monitors, TV screens, and theaters.
Image source: color matters
For example,
The RGB color code for white is R = 255, G = 255 and B = 255.
The RGB code for black is R = 0, G = 0 and B = 0.
Hexadecimal Code (‘Hex code’)
This color mode consists of 6-digit code numbers and sometimes letters, usually used in web design and HTML. Pixels on back-lit screens are dark until lit by combinations of red, green, and blue. Hex numbers represent these combinations with a concise code.
In Details, the first character “#” represents that this is a hex number. The other six are really three sets of pairs: 0-9 and a-f. Each pair controls one primary additive color.
For example,
The hex code for white is ffffff (6 of the letter f)
The hex code for black is 000000 (6 zero’s)
As a digital planner and graphic designer, I mostly use RGB color mode. So when I design anything such as printable workbooks, digital planners, digital paper, and patterns, I always use RGB color mode.
However, if you want to create patterns to print onto fabric, some manufacturers prefer CMYK color mode. You can choose the color mode when you create a new file/template in a design software program such as Photoshop, Procreate, etc.
Graphic Design Terminology 2: File Format
PNG – This file format is the image or element with a transparent background. if you have a pattern template clip art or overlay with a transparent background, then save it as a png file format, as this ensures that the transparent background remains.
JPG -This file format is the image with white background. If you save the pattern as a JPG file format, you will lose the transparent background.
EPS (means encapsulated postscript) are Adobe Illustrator files – they can only be opened in Adobe Illustrator, not Adobe Photoshop.
PSD means a Photoshop document. It can only be opened in Photoshop. It allows all of the layers in the layers menu to be maintained. If you have planner layout templates in Photoshop for later use, it is very important to always save a copy of your designs in PSD file format.
TIFF (Tag Image File Format) keeps the layers of your PSD file and allows them to be opened in other graphic design software such as Gimp (which is free). You can only save raster images (Photoshop file format) as TIFF.
PAT means Photoshop pattern file format.
CSH means shape file format.
You can download free CSH files from numerous places online – a quick Google search will bring up plenty.
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) SVG images are defined in a vector graphics format and stored in XML text files. SVG images can thus be scaled in size without loss of quality. If you want to create 2D graphics with a vector image, you can use Adobe Illustrator.
Image quality: graphic design terminology
Dots per inch (DPI) – this is the image quality of the file. It is the number of ink dots your printer will put on each pixel of your image. You should always use 300DPI for your digital products. The higher the DPI, the higher the image quality.
Pixels per inch (PPI) – raster images are measured in PPI or the number of pixels per inch.
For example, you can select the Pixels/Inch when creating a new file in Photoshop. If you have a 300PPI image, this means it has 300 pixels per inch.
If you want to make patterns and then use them to create products such as fabric, stickers, stationery, etc., then the file needs to be created at the dimension and resolution required. So if you have a pattern tile swatch that is 2 inches wide and the fabric printer you want to use requires 300 PPI, you need to create the image at 600 pixels or more (2 inches x 300 PPI)
Other graphic design Terminology should know
You can use Vector images in Adobe Illustrator. you can resize up or down without loss of image quality. They use objects or lines (shapes) to display images. Some designers love vectors, but I hardly use illustrator/vector files for my products. Because it can be difficult to add colors or effects, such as gradients/ombre effects which you can do quickly and easily in Photoshop or Procreate. As you know already, our signature products are realistic-looking boutique-style images required.
You can use Raster images in Photoshop and Procreate. A raster image consists of pixels. If you increase the size of the shape or text that you have rasterized, the image quality may also reduce. The reason you need to rasterize the file is so you can turn the shape into a repeating pattern.
Dimension for graphic
It means the file size whichever you want to create your digital products.
For example,
If you want to create a printable page spread or book cover graphic, I recommend the dimension will be 8.5 x 11” is equivalent to US letter-size paper. This is different from an A4 size page. A4 size paper is 21cm x 29.7cm or 8.27 x 11.69”
If you want to create a digital pattern for scrapbooking or other use, I recommend a 12″ x 12″ canvas size. This is the standard page size for digital paper.
Basic graphic design terminology
Above is the terminology, I use for clients to understand digital products. There is much graphic design terminology, I recommend basic product details explain to make your digital products trustworthy.
So if you have digital products and shop already, add your description file size, dimension, file format, and color mood you used.
For a related post “GRAPHIC DESIGN RESOURCE SHOULD HAVE” so find out graphic design resource
If you want to know how I create a product image, please read this post
To learn about digital paper and overlay, please read this post.
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