TSA Vocab Review 2024 Flashcards
A3 sheet of paper
A large sheet of paper used by printers and designers for posters and imagery that needs more visual impact. 11.7”x16.5”
A4 sheet of paper
A common and versatile paper size frequently used by printers and designers. 8.3”x11.7”
Accordion Fold in relation to printing
A three panel folding technique that bends each panel of paper in the opposite direction. (Like an accordion)
Additive Color
A color mode (RGB) that is mainly used for digital-based media using back-lit screens.
Adjustment Layer (Photoshop)
A non-destructive editing layer in PSD that allows you to edit the value and color of an image.
Alignment
The placement of graphics and text in relation to each other or to the edges of a composition
Analogous Color Scheme
Colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel.
(Ex. Red, Orange, Yellow)
Art vs. Design
Art is the expression of what is beautiful or appealing based on personal taste. Design is the development of visual graphics with the intention of communicating a message.
Aperture (In relation to Photography)
The adjustable opening in a camera lens
Art Movement
Period of time in history that is marked by a specific style of art
Ascender (In relation to typography)
The upper stem of a lowercase letter (Ex. b, d, k)
Asymmetrical
A design or object NOT identical on both sides of a center line
Background
The part of a image or design that is farthest back in terms of depth
Backlit
Illuminated from behind
Balance (Principle of Design)
Refers to the relationship of visual weight shared between objects within a composition.
Bleed (In relation to printing)
Describes a design or document that has graphics or color extend to the edge of the page.
Baseline (In terms of typography)
The horizontal imaginary line on which characters in a typeface or font sit.
BMP (In terms of file formatting)
A raster or bitmap image file
Body Copy (In terms of typography)
The main “meat and potatoes” text of any design. Usually
Border
The edge of a document or page that forms the outer boundary of a design
Brand Identity
A collection of all assets (logo, typeface, color, package design, stationary, etc.) that a company creates to identity itself with consumers
Cap Height (In terms of typography)
The height of a capital letter in a typeface.
Cardstock (In relation to printing)
Strong, thick, and sturdy paper that is typically used for business cards, notecards, etc.
Cloud-Based Storage
Storage method where data is stored on remote servers that can be accessed via the internet on any device
CMYK
Subtractive color mode that is commonly used for printed materials. (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black))
Color Psychology
The study of color as it relates to human behavior
Complimentary Color Scheme
Colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel. (Orange/Blue, Red/Green, Purple/Yellow)
Composition
The arrangement of subjects or objects in a piece of art or design
Constructive Criticism
Feedback that is meant to provide insight and help
Counter (In relation to typography)
The part of a letter that is fully or partially closed in. (Ex. O, B, D)
Contrast (Principle of Design)
The differentiation of elements within a design. (Can be applied to color, value, and texture)
Creative Commons (In relation to copyright)
A legal license that enables free distribution of otherwise copyrighted work.
Design Brief
A document or collection of information provided by a client that provides insight or direction for a design project.
Crossbar (In relation to typography)
The straight, horizontal part of a letter. (ex. H, T)
Curate
To analyze, select, and organize a body of graphic works.
Descender (In relation to typography)
The part of a lowercase letter that extends below the baseline. (Ex. p, y)
Depth of Field (In relation to composition)
The distance between the nearest and farthest objects in an image while still maintaining focus.
Diagonals (In terms of Line)
The use of diagonal lines to create tension and movement in a design
Digital Printing
Best printing format for short-run printing. Employs the use of static printheads to apply toner to paper.
Display (In terms of typography)
Typefaces or fonts that are more decorative, often to represent a specific mood or theme. Mainly used for headers.
DPI (In terms of image resolution)
Dots per Inch
DSLR (In terms of Photography)
Digital Single Lens Reflex. A camera that combines a digital image sensor with a single lens.
Elements of Design (Hint: There are seven)
Line, Shape, Color, Space, Form, Value, and Texture
Emphasis (Principle of Design)
The amount of importance given to visual elements in a composition.
EPS (In terms of file formatting)
Encapsulated Post Script. An older file format mainly used for vector graphics.
Fair Use (In terms of copyright)
Allows for a small use of copyrighted material without permission. Circumstances include: Education, Press, Satire, and Commentary
Figure/Ground Relationship (In terms of composition)
The contrast between the background and foreground in a composition
Flexography (In terms of printing)
Printing process used for printing on non-porous materials, such as plastic or metal. Uses flexible rubber plates.
Font Style (In terms of typography
Refers to the different weight or appearences of different fonts with a typeface (Ex. Bold, Italic, Extra Bold)
Footnote
A clarifying note at the bottom of an article or document
Framing (In terms of photography composition)
Using windows, doors, or other objects to “frame” your subject.
Gravure (In terms of printing)
A form of printing in which an image is applied to a substrate by use of a metal plate mounted on a cylinder.
Grayscale Color Scheme
Composed of various shades of grey, from black, all the way to white.
Gutter (In terms of formatting)
The measured space in between columns of text within a design
Half-Fold (In terms of printing)
A single fold that folds a sheet of paper in half.
Hangline
Horizontal lines from which text and graphics are hung in a grid design.
Header and Subheader (In terms of typography)
Header is the most important piece of text within a design. Often used for titles or names. Subheader is the secondary most important pieces of text in a design. They provide additional context to the Header.
Visual Hierarchy
The arrangement or presentation of visual information in a way that implies levels of importance. Often associated with the way your eyes move across a composition.
High Angle (Bird’s Eye View)
A point of view in a design where the viewer is positioned to be above the subject
Hue (In terms of color)
The name of a color. (Ex. Red, Blue, Yellow)
Imposition (In terms of printing/formatting)
Part of the pre-press printing process that involves the proper arrangement of multiple pages/documents before printing
Infringement (In terms of copyright)
When intellectual property is used by someone besides the owner without permission
JPEG (In terms of file formatting)
Joint Photographic File Format. One of the most commonly used raster file formats. Lossy file format (Loses image quality every time it is resaved)
Kerning (In terms of typography)
The space in between two individual characters.
Lasso Tool (Photoshop)
A selection tool that allows you to draw out free form selections with your cursor.
Layer Mask (Photoshop)
A non-destructive editing layer that allows you to modify the transparency of the layer it belongs to.
Leading (In terms of typography)
The space between lines of text.
Leading Lines
The use of lines to lead the viewer’s eye through a composition.
Legal Size (in terms of printing)
A size of paper that measures to be 8.5”x14”
Logo
A graphic representation or symbol of a company.
Lossless File Compression
A form of raster file compression that does not deteriorate over time.
Lossy File Compression
A form of raster file compression that reorganizes information every time. Loses image quality over time.
Low Angle (In terms of composition)
Point of view where the viewer is looking up at the subject
Malware
Software that is designed to damage or disable computers/digital networks
Margin (In terms of formatting)
The measured area around the edges of a document
Mock-Up
A visual representation of a design that is given to a client to form a vision of the final product
Module
Area created by columns and hanglines in a grid
Monochromatic Color Scheme
A color scheme that uses various values within any specific color hue. (Ex. Various tones of red)
Motion Blur
A blur effect created by movement in an image
Movement (Principle of Design)
Visual flow that leads the viewer’s eye through a composition
Non-Destructive
A method of editing in Photoshop that allows you to make changes without changing the data of the original image
Offset Lithography Printing
Uses etched metal plates, along with the combination of oil based inks and water to apply ink onto a sheet a paper
Operating System (OS)
The computer software that supports a computer (Ex. Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux)
Parent Sheet (In terms of printing)
When your printed design requires trimming or a bleed, it will need to printed on a larger sheet of paper, then trimmed down to size. Parent sheet refers to this larger size.
Phishing
The fraudulent practice of sending emails pretending to be from a trusted source in order to obtain personal information
Pixelation
When a raster image is displayed at such a large size, the individual pixels in the image are visible
Pixel
A square unit of light or color that comprises a bitmap or raster image.
Point and Shoot (In terms of Photography)
A camera that does not require manual adjustment of settings.
Portfolio
A collection of creative work collected by someone to display their skills, especially to a potential employer or client.
PPI
Pixels per Inch. Refers to the number of pixels in a square inch area of a raster image
Preflighting
The process of checking to see if your design is ready to be printed/projected accurately.
Primary Color Scheme
Red, Yellow, Blue. Foundational colors that cannot be created by mixing other colors together.
Principles of Design (Hint: There are seven)
Emphasis, Balance, Contrast, Repetition, Movement, White Space, Proportion
Print Substrate
The base material onto which a design is to be printed. (Fabric, paper, metal, plastic etc.)
Proportion (Principle of Design)
The size of objects in relation to one another.
Proprietary Rights
The rights of a company to sell a products or to allow others to sell a product
Quick Selection Tool (Photoshop)
A tool in Photoshop that locates and selects similar pixels of an image as you draw around it.
Ransomware
A malicious software designed to damage, limit or block access to a computer until a sum of money is paid.
Raster
Made up of pixels. Raster images cannot be scaled up in size without losing resolution.
RAW (In terms of file formatting)
A RAW file is a collection of unprocessed data. A popular type of file is Camera RAW, where image files are not altered or compressed in any way once they’ve been taken.
Registered Trademark
A symbol used to symbolize legal certifcation of copyright by the government
RGB
An additive color mode often used for digital formats. (Red, Green, Blue)
Rough (In terms of design planning)
A more detailed version of a thumbnail sketch that is drawn to the actual size of the final design
Royalty Free
A copyrighted item that can be used without paying royalty fees
Rule of Thirds (In terms of composition)
Dividing an image into thirds both horizontally and vertically, placing the subject on an intersection point.
Saddle Stitch (In terms of printing)
A binding method that uses staples along a fold line to keep multiple pieces of paper together.
Sans Serif (In terms of typography)
Typefaces with more simple geometric forms, characterized by the lack of serifs.
Saturation
Describes the intensity of a hue (color)
Scaling
To change the size of an object or image
Screen Printing
A process of printing that uses a single or set of mesh screens acting as stencils with ink being pushed through the screens in selective areas.
Script (In terms of typography)
Typefaces characterized by the appearance of being hand-written. Can be formal or casual.
Secondary Colors
Orange, Purple, and Green. Created by mixing primary colors together.
Serif (In terms of typography)
Typefaces characterized by counterstrokes or little “feet” at the end of each character’s main stroke.
Shoulder (In terms of typography)
The curved part of a letter seen on a lowercase m or n
Shutter Speed (In terms of photography)
The time duration that a shutter is open and exposing the image sensor to light.
Smart Object (In terms of Photoshop)
A tool that enables you to preform non-destructive editing to a lyer while preserving the image’s source content. Allows you to scale raster images up and down without losing resolution.
Spine (In terms of typography)
The curved part of the letter S
Spiral Bound (In terms of printing)
A form of binding that uses a continuously spiraling piece of wire or plastic to hold pieces of paper together
Split-Complimentary Color Scheme
The grouping of a color with the two colors that are next to its complimentary color on the color wheel. (Ex. Green—>Orange and Yellow)
Stem (In terms of typography)
The main vertical bar in most letters.
Subtractive Color Mixing
Mixing a limited set of dyes or inks to create a wider range of colors. CMYK
Symmetrical
A subject or design that is identical on both sides of a center line.
Tabloid Size (In terms of printing)
A larger size of paper that printers and designers use frequently for posters. 11x17”
Tagline
A phrase or catchword that becomes identified with something specific.
Temporary Storage
The location that you store work and assets you are using on a current project
Tertiary Colors
Colors that are created by mixing together secondary colors with either primary colors, or secondary colors. (Ex: Purple+Blue= Violet)
TIFF (In terms of file formatting)
A lossless compression file format that allows you to maintain the original data of a raster image.
Tint
A color in which white has been added to pure color
Tone
A color in which grey has been added
Tracking (In terms of typography)
The space between all letters in a line of text.
Tri-Fold (In terms of printing)
Two folds on a piece of paper that fold into one another creating three distinct panels
Typography
The arrangement and study of letterforms
Type
Language in a visual format
Unity
The ability of various graphic elements to form a cohesive whole
UI (User Interface) Design
The visual design of a user interface, such as a website.
UX
The process of improving user experience and satisfaction through usability and accessibility of a product
Value
Refers to the level of lightness or darkness of a hue
Vector
A graphic or image that is created using mathematical equations, paths, and anchor points. Able to be scaled infinitely.
Wireframe
A visual representation of a user interface used to define hierarchy. Stripped of any visual elements or branding.
Web Analytics
A generic term meaning the study of the impact of websites on their users
X-Height (In terms of typography)
The height of lowercase letters in a typeface.
Z-Fold (In terms of printing)
Two folds on a piece of paper that fold in opposite directions, creating three distinct panels.
Copyright
The legal sole right of the creator of intellectual property to produce, distribute, and sell their work.
Intellectual Property
Intangible creative property, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs and symbols.
Triadic Color Scheme
Three colors that are an equal distance apart from each other on the color wheel. (Ex. Orange, Purple, Green)
