canva-design-terminology

name	canva-design-terminology
description	Design knowledge base for understanding design terminology, concepts, and best practices. Use this skill when user asks about design terms, needs guidance on design principles, or wants to understand Canva-specific features. Provides educational information, not direct Canva operations. Reference skill for other skills to consult.
allowed-tools	["Read","Glob","Grep"]

Canva Design Terminology Skill

A knowledge base for design terminology, principles, and Canva-specific concepts.

Scope of This Skill

This skill handles:

• Explaining design terminology
• Design principles and best practices
• Canva-specific features and terms
• Color theory basics
• Typography fundamentals
• Layout principles
• Format and dimension guidance
• When to use which design type

NOT handled by this skill:

• Actually editing designs → Use editing skills
• API operations → Use other skills
• Generating content → Use canva-content-generator

Design Principles Reference

The Fundamentals

1. Hierarchy

The arrangement of elements to show importance.

• Visual hierarchy uses size, color, contrast to guide the eye
• Most important element should be most prominent
• Create clear reading order

2. Balance

Distribution of visual weight.

• Symmetrical: Mirror image, formal, stable
• Asymmetrical: Unequal but balanced, dynamic
• Radial: Elements radiate from center

3. Contrast

Difference between elements to create interest.

• Light vs. dark
• Large vs. small
• Thick vs. thin
• Color opposites

4. Alignment

How elements line up with each other.

• Creates clean, organized appearance
• Invisible lines connect elements
• Left, right, center, or justified

5. Repetition

Recurring elements create unity.

• Repeat colors, fonts, shapes
• Creates brand consistency
• Establishes visual rhythm

6. Proximity

Grouping related elements together.

• Related items should be close
• Unrelated items should have space
• Creates logical groupings

7. White Space (Negative Space)

Empty areas in design.

• Gives elements room to breathe
• Increases readability
• Creates elegance and sophistication

Color Theory

Color Models

Model	Use Case	Components
RGB	Digital screens	Red, Green, Blue (0-255)
HEX	Web colors	#RRGGBB format
CMYK	Print	Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
HSL	Design tools	Hue, Saturation, Lightness

Color Harmonies

• Complementary: Opposite colors (high contrast)
• Analogous: Adjacent colors (harmonious)
• Triadic: Three evenly spaced colors
• Split-complementary: One color + two adjacent to its complement
• Monochromatic: Variations of one color

Color Psychology

Color	Associations	Best For
Red	Energy, urgency, passion	Sales, food, action
Blue	Trust, calm, professional	Corporate, tech, healthcare
Green	Nature, growth, health	Eco, finance, wellness
Yellow	Optimism, warmth, attention	Caution, youth, creativity
Orange	Friendly, confident, fun	Entertainment, food, sports
Purple	Luxury, creativity, wisdom	Beauty, spirituality, premium
Pink	Feminine, playful, romantic	Beauty, fashion, youth
Black	Elegant, powerful, sophisticated	Luxury, fashion, tech
White	Clean, pure, simple	Minimalist, healthcare, tech

Typography

Font Categories

Category	Characteristics	Best For
Serif	Small decorative strokes	Print, formal, traditional
Sans-serif	Clean, no strokes	Digital, modern, minimal
Display	Decorative, unique	Headlines, logos, impact
Script	Handwriting-like	Invitations, elegant, personal
Monospace	Equal character width	Code, technical, retro

Typography Terms

• Kerning: Space between specific letter pairs
• Tracking: Overall letter spacing
• Leading: Line spacing (line-height)
• Font weight: Thickness (light, regular, bold)
• X-height: Height of lowercase letters
• Baseline: Line text sits on
• Ascender: Part above x-height (like 'h')
• Descender: Part below baseline (like 'g')

Typography Best Practices

1. Limit fonts - 2-3 maximum per design
2. Create contrast - Pair different styles
3. Hierarchy - Different sizes for different purposes
4. Readability - Adequate size and contrast
5. Line length - 45-75 characters ideal

Canva-Specific Terms

Design Elements

Term	Definition
Element	Any object in a design (text, image, shape)
Frame	Container for images that masks them
Grid	Layout structure for organizing content
Layer	Stacking order of elements
Group	Multiple elements combined as one
Lock	Prevent element from being moved
Alignment guides	Lines showing element alignment

Canva Features

Feature	Description
Brand Kit	Saved brand colors, fonts, logos
Magic Resize	Automatically resize designs
Background Remover	Remove image backgrounds
Magic Eraser	Remove objects from images
Text Effects	Shadow, lift, splice, etc.
Animate	Add motion to elements
Transparency	Element opacity level
Blur	Soften images or backgrounds

Design Types

Type	Use Case	Typical Dimensions
Presentation	Slideshows, pitches	1920x1080
Social Media Post	Instagram, Facebook	Platform-specific
Story	Vertical social content	1080x1920
Document	Reports, letters	A4, Letter
Video	Motion content	Various
Print	Physical materials	Various with bleed

Image Terms

Resolution & Quality

Term	Definition
PPI/DPI	Pixels/dots per inch (quality measure)
72 PPI	Standard screen resolution
300 PPI	Standard print resolution
Vector	Scalable graphics (no pixels)
Raster	Pixel-based images

Image Formats

Format	Best For	Transparency
PNG	Web, graphics	Yes
JPG/JPEG	Photos	No
SVG	Icons, logos (vector)	Yes
GIF	Simple animations	Yes (limited)
WebP	Web optimization	Yes
PDF	Print, documents	Varies

Composition Terms

Term	Definition
Rule of thirds	Grid dividing image 3x3
Golden ratio	1:1.618 proportion
Focal point	Main area of interest
Leading lines	Lines guiding the eye
Framing	Using elements to frame subject
Negative space	Empty areas around subject

Layout Principles

Grid Systems

• Column grid: Vertical divisions
• Modular grid: Rows and columns
• Hierarchical grid: Based on content importance
• Baseline grid: Aligns text across columns

Common Layouts

Layout	Description	Best For
Single column	One main content area	Mobile, articles
Split	Two equal halves	Comparisons, before/after
Asymmetrical	Unequal divisions	Dynamic, modern
Grid	Equal boxes	Galleries, portfolios
Z-pattern	Follows Z reading path	Landing pages
F-pattern	Follows F reading path	Content-heavy pages

Print vs. Digital

Key Differences

Aspect	Print	Digital
Color mode	CMYK	RGB
Resolution	300 DPI minimum	72-150 PPI
Bleed	Required (usually 0.125")	Not needed
Safe area	Keep text away from edges	Full edge usage
File format	PDF (print-ready)	PNG, JPG, WebP

Print Terminology

Term	Definition
Bleed	Design extends past trim line
Trim	Final cut line
Safe zone	Area guaranteed to be visible
Crop marks	Lines showing where to cut
CMYK	Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black printing
Spot color	Specific ink color (Pantone)

Accessibility

Design for All Users

1. Color contrast - WCAG 2.1 minimum 4.5:1 for text
2. Don't rely on color alone - Use patterns, labels
3. Readable fonts - Adequate size, clear typeface
4. Alt text - Describe images for screen readers
5. Logical order - Clear reading sequence

Contrast Checker

Good contrast examples:
- Black text on white: 21:1 ✓
- Dark gray on light gray: 4.5:1+ ✓

Poor contrast examples:
- Light gray on white: 2:1 ✗
- Yellow on white: 1.5:1 ✗

Quick Reference Cards

Social Media Dimensions (2024)

Instagram:
- Post: 1080x1080 (1:1)
- Story: 1080x1920 (9:16)
- Reel: 1080x1920 (9:16)

Facebook:
- Post: 1200x630
- Cover: 820x312
- Story: 1080x1920

LinkedIn:
- Post: 1200x1200
- Banner: 1584x396

Twitter/X:
- Post: 1600x900
- Header: 1500x500

YouTube:
- Thumbnail: 1280x720
- Banner: 2560x1440

Font Pairing Suggestions

Classic combinations:
- Montserrat + Merriweather
- Playfair Display + Source Sans Pro
- Roboto + Lora
- Oswald + Open Sans
- Raleway + Libre Baskerville

Using This Skill

When other skills need design knowledge:

1. Query this skill for terminology
2. Get recommended practices
3. Check dimension requirements
4. Verify accessibility guidelines

This is a reference skill - it provides information but doesn't perform actions.