Graphic Design Comprehensive Exam

communicates quickly and clearly, balances type and image seamlessly, evokes emotion and atmosphere, stands out in a visual crowd

what does a great festival poster do?

use color, imagery, and rhythm to evoke mood

how can you create an emotional connection through a poster?

use composition, motion, or rhythm to build energy; keep it dynamic and bold

how can you build anticipation through a poster?

use hierarchy to guide the eye naturally, keep type legible from a distance

how can you communicate clearly through a poster?

visual/verbal synergy

the cooperative action of words and pictures used together to create a gestalt meaning that together their meaning is greater than the sum of the individual parts on their own

hierarchy

using scale, weight, and placement to control reading order

composition

arranging elements so they feel intentional and balanced

rhythm

using repetition and alignment to create flow

graphic resonance

a term borrowed from music — it refers to reverberation, tone, and subtle emotional quality. In design, it describes how meaning lingers through the expressive relationship between type, image, and form.

acts as a vehicle for communication, sales tool

what are the basic functions of a letterhead?

8.5” x 11”

us letterhead standard size

2” x 3.5”

us business card standard size

4.125” x 9.5”

us #10 envelope standard size

commercial, squareback, policy

types of envelopes

address, phone numbers, web and social media addresses

letterhead secondary type

9 pt

what size should letterhead secondary type be?

logo, name and occupational title, personal contact info, mailing address of company, business phone number, website

what should a business card include?

vertical, horizontal, short fold vertical, short fold horizontal, z-fold, tent fold, gate fold, book fold

what are the different kinds of business cards?

logo, mailing address, business phone number, website

what should be included on the letterhead writing sheet?

soft returns

what should you use instead of pilcrows to break up paragraphs in a writing sheet?

name, address, greeting

what does a writing sheet start with?

logo, company address, website

what should be included on an envelope?

reserved for postal barcodes

why should you not include any text or design in the bottom .625” of an envelope?

converted envelope

a custom-sized or specially designed envelope, or any type of envelope not available in an envelope manufacturer’s standard line. these are generally only economical for large print runs.

white

what is the most common paper color for letterhead?

100% cotton

what is the highest quality paper available for letterheads?

watermark

an image or pattern built into the paper during manufacturing, often showing the paper company’s brand

volume

creating a sense of depth or space

dominance

guiding the viewer’s eye toward focal points

level of excitement

setting mood, energy, or intensity

temperature

shifting perception through warm or cool tones

symbolic value

carrying meaning through cultural or emotional associations

audience, budget, character of company, cultural associations, trends

key considerations for choosing color

hue

the name by which we identify color

value

the degree of lightness or darkness of a hue

saturation

measure of a color’s purity or brightness

primary colors

red, yellow, and blue

secondary colors

green, orange, purple

tertiary colors

red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, red-violet, blue-violet

complimentary

colors opposite each other on the color wheel

split complementary

one hue and the two hues on either side of its direct complement

analogous

next to each other on the color wheel

monochromatic

one hue in several different values

RGB

additive colors; red, green, and blue

CMYK

subtractive colors; cyan, magenta, yellow, and black

Pantone Matching System

precise matching system that provides thousands of formulas, ensuring a brand’s color looks the same across presses, papers, and even different print shops.

tint

made by adding white to a hue

shade

made by adding black to a hue

transparency

determines how much of the underlying background is visible behind a color

rich black

adding small percentages of the other three inks (C, M, and Y) to deepen and intensify the black appearance, resulting in a darker, more robust tone

simultaneous contrast

describes how colors change in appearance when placed next to other colors—especially their opposites. This effect makes hues appear more vibrant and distinct, which is why it’s such a powerful tool in design

simultaneity

the fusion of unlike elements—such as word and image—so they exist or occur at the same time. In logo design, simultaneity allows visuals and text to work together as a unified idea

denotation

the literal or primary meaning of a word or image—what it directly represents

connotation

the ideas, emotions, or associations a word or image suggests beyond its literal meaning

mark and name

what are the two basic parts of a logo?

mark

conveys tangible or intangible information about the company, product, or service through symbolism

name

the typographic portion of the logo, designed to clearly communicate the name of the brand

tagline

short catchphrase that adds clarity and helps define the company

icon series

a group of logos, spot illustrations, or symbols that work together as a unified set. they should be visually related through style and proportion—and conceptually connected through theme or idea

conceptual unity

sharing an idea, theme, or story—whether it’s a cultural reference, environment, or humorous twist

correspondence

ensures the parts relate to one another in form, rhythm, and meaning—so the set works as a whole

line, shape, space, value, texture

elements of design

balance, repetition, emphasis, unity, variety

principles of design

consistency

builds trust and legibility—through shared line weight, shape language, and proportion

variety

keeps the viewer engaged—through changes in pose, action, or small details

unity

makes your icons legible, professional, and recognizable. It comes from shared traits—line weight, proportions, and theme—paired with small, intentional differences

graphic design

a process for communicating a message with precision, clarity, and interest. It combines visual elements—like type, image, and layout—to create communication that is both effective and engaging

object → compound path → make

how do you make a compound path?

curvature tool

what should you use to make curves in illustrator instead of the pen tool?

creating visual concepts and developing layouts/production designs

a graphic designer has what two main jobs?

gestalt

perceiving the whole of a design to be greater than the sum of its parts; applying principles to create a unified design

type

treat ___ as image, as though it is just as important

2

use ___ typefaces maximum

eye

measure with your _____

hierarchy

show one thing first and establish _________

changes the contrast and tone of certain colors through simultaneous contrast

how does printing on colored paper change your ink colors?

CEOs

monarch stationary is generally reserved for ____

faint

the watermark on a letterhead design should be _________ on the front of the writing sheet

90%

what percentage of letterhead is printed on white paper?

3,000

there are over _____ different shades of white paper available

livable, usable, available, blendable

secondary type should be…

optical character recognition

what does OCR stand for?

a zip code is a code assigned to each area where mail can be received, and the extra four numbers act as a more specific delivery route

what is a zip code + four?

it can cause machine reading issues for the OCRs automatic sorting machines use

why is it not a good idea to make an envelope black or a dark color?

invisible characters can be triggered with command + alt + i and show specific characters that show the spaces, paragraph breaks, and soft returns in a group of text; they’re helpful for seeing where errors in body copy may lie

what are invisible characters and why are they helpful?

paragraph/hard return

can you identify this hidden character?

soft return/forced line break

can you identify this hidden character?

space

can you identify this hidden character?

date, address, salutation, introduction, body, closing, signature

7 parts of a business letter