Creative and Design Industries
Scope
Creative and Design Industries tests design principles, color systems, typography, digital files, production specifications, and copyright. Questions often ask you to choose the correct color mode, resolution, file format, or proportional scale for a production context.
Core rules
- RGB is additive and used for screens; CMYK is subtractive and used for print.
- Print resolution is commonly specified in ppi; scaling an image changes its effective resolution.
- Aspect ratio must be preserved unless deliberate distortion is intended.
- Bleed extends artwork beyond the trim edge so cutting tolerance does not leave white edges.
- Copyright protects original expression; using another designer's work requires permission or a valid license.
Worked example
An 800 x 600 pixel image has a 4:3 aspect ratio. To resize it to 400 pixels wide without distortion, height = 600 x (400 / 800) = 300 pixels. At 300 ppi, the printed width is 400 / 300 = 1.33 inches. Reasoning: keep the ratio constant, then convert pixels to physical size using ppi.
Traps
Sending RGB artwork to a CMYK press can shift colors. Stretching an image to fit a frame distorts it. Using a low-resolution web image in print produces pixelation. Forgetting bleed can leave white edges after trimming. Assuming a free download is licensed for commercial use is a copyright error.