Graphic Design terms

CMYK

Color model using Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black)—standard for print production.

Scope Creep

When a project unexpectedly expands beyond its original goals, often impacting time and budget.

.indd

is Adobe InDesign’s native file format, containing layouts, graphics, and styles.

Leading

The vertical space between lines of text, measured from baseline to baseline, ensures readability.

EPUB

An eBook file format optimized for reflowable digital reading across devices.

Bleed

Print content (image or background) extending past the page edge, ensuring full-bleed prints after trimming.

Direct Selection Tool

Tool used to select and modify content within a frame, including anchor points and internal objects

Preflight Check

Automated process to identify errors before output, like missing links, low-res images, or font issues.

Master Page

Templates applied across pages to enforce consistent elements (e.g. headers, footers) throughout a document

Kerning

Adjustment of space between specific pairs of letters to improve visual balance in text

RGB

Color model using Red, Green, Blue, optimal for digital displays or web publishing.

Slug Area

Unusual or extended “margin” outside the bleed used for printer notes, color bars, or project info

Glyph

A special character or symbol, such as accented letters or ornamentals accessed via the Glyphs panel

Tracking

Uniform spacing adjustment between groups of letters or words, affecting overall text density.

Content-Aware Fit

Automatically scales and crops placed images to fit frames intelligently, based on content focal points

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

Digital color model composed of Red, Green, and Blue channels used for on-screen representation.

Pathfinder Panel

Toolset to combine, subtract, or divide shapes, helpful for creating custom vector graphics.

Serif vs. Sans Serif Font

Serif fonts include small decorative strokes on letters, while Sans Serif fonts have clean, stroke-free edges

Threading Text

Connecting multiple text frames so text flows continuously from one to another, especially across pages.

. Model Release

Legal document granting permission to use a person’s likeness, especially in photos or video.

Drop Cap

A typographic style where the first letter of a paragraph is enlarged, often spanning multiple lines

Raster Image

Bitmap-based image made up of pixels (e.g. JPEG, PNG), as opposed to resolution-independent vector graphics.

Spot Color

A specific, pre-mixed ink used in printing (often PMS), not created via CMYK process.

(Duplicate of Q12) Slug Area

Refer above: space outside the trim area for notes or instructions.

Object Style

A saved set of formatting attributes (stroke, fill, effects, text wrap) that can be applied to frames or objects

Preflight Panel

Panel used to automatically check for font, resolution, link, and color profile problems before output

 Spread

A layout term referring to two or more pages displayed side by side, like in a magazine spread

Eyedropper Tool

Used to sample color or style attributes from one object and apply them to another.

Hyperlink

Clickable text or objects that navigate to another page in the document or an external URL.

Packaging a Document

Process of collecting all fonts, linked files, and assets in a folder to send for printing or archive.