| A | B |
|---|
| Aesthetic | Concerened with beauty or the appreciation of beauty |
| Asymmetry | Symmetry in which both halves of a composition are not identical |
| Audience Analysis | The understanding of the consumer group for which the design is targeted. Includes audiences, demographics, physical amount of time available to view the design, and interest in the subject matter |
| Balance | A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. There are three types of visual balance: symmetry, asymmetry, and radial. |
| Color | The property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way it reflects or emits light. |
| Contrast | 1. The state of being noticeably different from something else when put or considered together. 2. Enhancement of appearance provided by juxtaposing different colors or textures. |
| Demographics | The statistical data of a population, esp. those showing average age, income, education, etc. |
| Element | A basic constituent part. |
| Emphasis | Special importance, value, or prominence given to something. |
| Form | 1. Having the three dimensions of length, width, and depth. Also referred to as a solid. 2. The organization, placement or relationship of basic elements, as volumes or voids in a sculpture, so as to produce a coherent image. |
| Gestalt | The principle that maintains that the human eye sees objects in their entirety before perceiving their individual parts. |
| Graphic Design | The art of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines, books, etc. |
| Harmony | 1. The quality of forming a pleasing and consistent whole. 2. Agreement or concord. |
| Juxtapose | To place close together. |
| Line | 1. A long thin mark on a surface. 2. A continuous extent of length, straight or curved, without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point. 3. Long, narrow mark or band. |
| Market Research | The activity of gathering information about consumers’ needs and preferences. |
| Message Analysis | The process of deciding what information needs to go into the graphic design, as well as how to effectively use the design elements and principles to present the information. This analysis is based on a thorough analysis of the audience. |
| Pattern | A repeated decorative design. |
| Pictograph | A pictorial symbol for a word or phrase. |
| Principle | The method of formation, operation, or procedure exhibited in a given instance. |
| Proportion | 1. The relationship of one thing to another in size, amount, etc. 2. Size or weight relationships among structures or among elements in a single structure. |
| Radial Symmetry | Symmetry about a central axis. |
| Rhythm | A regularly recurring sequence of events or actions. |
| Scale | 1. A straight-edged strip of rigid material marked at regular intervals and used to measure distances. 2. A proportion between two sets of dimensions used in developing accurate, larger or smaller prototypes, or models of design ideas. |
| Shape | The two-dimensional contour that characterizes an object or area, in contrast to three-dimensional form. |
| Space | 1. The dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move. 2. A free or unoccupied area or expanse. |
| Survey | An investigation of the opinions or experience of a group of people, based on a series of questions. |
| Symbol | A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract. |
| Symbolism | 1. The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. 2. The symbolic meaning attached to material objects. |
| Symmetry | The correspondence in size, shape, and relative position of parts on opposite sides of a median line or about a central axis. Also referred to as formal balance. |
| Texture | The feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface, substance, or fabric. |
| Typography | The style and appearance of printed matter. |
| Unity | The state of being united or forming a whole. |
| Value | The lightness or darkness of a color in relation to a scale ranging from white to black. |
| Variety | A thing which differs in some way from others of the same general class. |
