ACA JJO flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

ACA exam format

A timed, performance-based project completed in the application and scored against published objectives, rather than a multiple-choice knowledge test.

Project brief

The exam-supplied specification naming audience, required elements, dimensions, and deliverable format; grading checks only what the brief explicitly requires.

Locked setup decisions

Document size, units, color mode, and artboard count are cheap at creation and costly to change later, so they are decided before building.

Rule of thirds

A composition guideline dividing the frame into a 3x3 grid, placing key subjects near grid intersections instead of the center for dynamic balance.

Visual hierarchy

The order in which a viewer reads elements, controlled by size, position, color weight, contrast, and isolation of the most important item.

Proximity principle

Elements placed close together are perceived as a group, so spacing communicates relationships more reliably than added boxes or dividing rules.

Figure-ground relationship

A Gestalt principle describing separation between subject and background; insufficient contrast causes the subject to merge into the ground.

Corner versus smooth anchor

A corner anchor produces a sharp direction change with independent handles; a smooth anchor produces a continuous curve with linked handles.

Pen tool click versus drag

Clicking places a corner point with no curve; clicking and dragging pulls out direction handles to create a smooth curved segment.

Pathfinder boolean operations

Unite, subtract, intersect, and exclude combine overlapping closed shapes into a single new shape, discarding hidden interior geometry.

Compound path

Two or more subpaths treated as one object so overlapping regions create holes, as in the counter of the letter O.

Group versus compound path

A group keeps each child independently selectable and editable; a compound path behaves as one object sharing a single fill.

Clipping mask

A non-destructive technique where a top shape hides everything outside its outline while the underlying artwork remains intact and editable.

RGB versus CMYK

RGB is additive light for screens with a wide gamut; CMYK is subtractive ink for print with a narrower gamut, so conversion can dull saturated colors.

Spot color

A premixed ink identified by a matching-system number, printed consistently and able to reach colors outside the CMYK gamut.

Complementary color scheme

A harmony using two hues opposite each other on the color wheel, producing maximum contrast and strong visual vibration when fully saturated.

Tint versus shade

A tint lightens a hue by adding white; a shade darkens it by adding black; both keep the original hue while changing value.

Kerning versus tracking

Kerning adjusts spacing between one specific pair of characters; tracking adjusts spacing uniformly across a selected range of text.

Leading

The vertical distance between baselines of consecutive lines of type, commonly set near 120 percent of the type size for body text.

Justified text tradeoff

Flush-both alignment produces even edges but creates uneven word spacing and rivers of white space unless hyphenation is enabled.

Linked versus embedded assets

Linked files stay external and update when the source changes; embedded files are stored inside the document, increasing size but removing dependency.

Non-destructive editing order

Apply masks and adjustment layers before rasterizing, flattening, or merging, because those operations permanently discard editable structure.

Working versus delivery formats

Working formats such as AI, PSD, and INDD preserve layers and editability; delivery formats such as PDF, PNG, and JPG are flattened or converted.

Artboard

A defined output region on the canvas; artwork outside it is retained in the file but excluded from most exports and prints.

Symbols and shared styles

Reusable master objects and attribute sets where editing the master updates every instance, keeping repeated elements consistent across a document.

JPEG versus PNG

JPEG uses lossy compression and cannot store transparency; PNG uses lossless compression and supports alpha transparency, suiting graphics with edges.

SVG format

A vector-based web format that scales without quality loss, supports styling, and is preferred for logos and icons on screens.

PDF/X versus PDF/A

PDF/X targets print production with CMYK output intent and bleed; PDF/A targets long-term archival with all content self-contained.

Bleed

Extra artwork extending beyond the trim edge, typically 0.125 inch or 3 mm, so cutting tolerance does not leave white slivers.

Effective resolution

An image's pixel dimensions divided by its placed size in inches; enlarging a placed image lowers effective ppi below the print target.

Preflight

An automated check before output that flags missing fonts and links, low-resolution images, and colors outside the target gamut.

Output color profile

An embedded description of the color space, such as sRGB for web or a CMYK press profile, that lets the destination render colors accurately.