Baseline An invisible grid line upon which type or imagery rests
Cap height The height from baseline to the top of capital letters in a font
Clear space The space around a logo that is kept free of other elements to ensure that the logo is given prominence
CMYK An acronym used in offset printing that stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Collateral Printed marketing communications delivered to university constituents by sources other than the media
Color palette A set of official colors determined to be complementary for use in all communications, a color pallette applies to color fields, graphic elements and type, but not to color photographic imagery
Composition How fonts, typefaces and graphic elements are arranged on a page, which alters the visual appearance of text and images
DPI An acronym for the number of dots per inch, DPI affects the detail quality of an image. When an image has more dots per inch, more detail is captured, and the resulting image is sharper
Four-color process A printing term referring to the method of reproducing full-color artwork by separating the image into four colors: cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Established in the U.S. in 1995, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) coordinates the development of responsible and sustainable forest management practices throughout the United States. The FSC provides information about certification standards to paper manufacturers and printing companies, and also promotes the certification process throughout the industry
FSC certification A standard for the forestry industry, FSC certification ensures that forestry management is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable way. Paper manufacturers can be certified to carry the FSC label if the timber used originated from FSC-certified sources. Likewise, printers using FSC-certified paper may also qualify for certification
GIF An acronym for graphic interchange format, GIF is an image format generated specifically for computer use. GIF files contain a maximum of 256 colors and are most appropriate for images with areas of flat color and sharp contrast. Because GIF files contain a fixed number of pixels to represent image data, the images are not scalable. The most common file extension for GIF files is .gif
Graphic element An item that adds visual information to a composition and/or text (e.g. pictures, photographs, icons and banners)
HTML An acronym for hypertext markup language that is used to create and display web pages
Identity system All of the identity elements used in a specified relationship to each other
Imagery Photos, illustrations or other graphic elements used to provide visual information and to evoke an emotional response
JPEG An acronym for joint photographic experts group, JPEG is a common image compression mechanism that can contain as many as 24 million colors. JPEG files are most appropriate for images with gradations in tone and no sharp contrasts. Because JPEG files contain a fixed numbers of pixels to represent image data, the images are not scalable. The most common file extensions for JPEG files are .jpeg, .jpg, and .jpe
Knock out The removal of color in an area, allowing the background or page color to show through
Layout The result of arranging text, imagery and/or graphic elements on a page
Leading The measurement in typography of the vertical space between lines of text measured from baseline to baseline
Logo A distinctive, proprietary symbol used to identify an institution, company or brand and express its unique attributes
PANTONE® A color-matching system that provides more than 700 color swatches to designers and gives printers the formulas needed to accurately reproduce each color
PDF An acronym for portable document format, PDF is a universal file format that preserves the fonts, images, graphics and layout of any source document, regardless of the application and platform used to create it. PDF files can be viewed on any computer without platform conflicts. The most common file extension for PDF files is .pdf
Pixel The smallest point of an image displayed on a computer screen, pixels affect the quality of an image. When an image has more pixels per inch, more detail is captured, and the resulting image is sharper
Point The unit of measure for type size, which is 1/72 of an inch, or .35 mm
Process color Color consisting of a mix of inks
RGB A red, green and blue color model used in all color computer monitors and electronic media
Sans serif font A typeface without short finishing strokes at the ends of its characters
Screened value A defined strength percentage of the tint of any color (e.g., PMS 662 at 20 percent)
Serif font A typeface with short finishing strokes at the ends of each character
Signature The specified arrangement of a logo with any other text
Spot color Color consisting of its own custom individual ink
Tag line The specific phrase, used in advertising and other communications, that reinforces a particular message
TIFF An acronym for tagged image file format, TIFF is a standard file format developed for high-resolution grayscale and color images. TIFF files are most appropriate for print environments, but are not supported by many browsers, and must not be used for web pages. The most common file extensions for TIFF files are .tif and .tiff
Template An electronic file used to structure information and key graphic elements in a consistent manner for a particular type of communication
Tone The overall understanding or perception of an institution’s communications conveyed to the audience
Trademark Legal ownership of a name, restricting the use or sale of the name to an organization or individual (e.g., TM for a trademarked name, ® for a federally registered trademark)
Typography The art and practice of creating print and electronic materials from type, including selection, specification and usage in a particular format(s)
Vector file A graphic file that uses mathematical equations to define lines, shapes and fills, vector files are scalable, and can be resized without loss of image quality. The most common file extensions for vector files are .EPS, .AI, .CDR, and .SWF
Web-safe hexadecimal colors A set of color values that maintain a consistent appearance across different browsers and web environments