Glossary and Tutorials
This page contains technical guidance on file types and formats, print production and web production. For additional help, please contact us at brandguidelines@virginia.edu.
File Types/Formats
.ASE (Adobe Swatch Exchange)
.ASE files house color swatches that can be used in Adobe products. You will find downloadable color swatches within our Color guidelines.
.EPS (Encapsulated Postscript)
A graphics file format used for vector artwork. .EPS files are primarily used for our University of Virginia logo, logo lock-ups and graphic elements.
.INDD (InDesign Document)
A page layout file used by Adobe InDesign. InDesign is the industry standard for laying out brochures, posters, presentations and anything else related to print or web.
.JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
A raster graphics file format commonly used for full color imagery. All of our photography assets are available in .JPG in web and print sizes.
.MP4 (MPEG-4 Video file)
A video file that can contain video, audio and subtitles.
.PDF (Portable Document Format)
A file format used to present and exchange documents on any operating system, independent of software. PDFs may also contain vector artwork, and can be opened in Adobe Illustrator to edit/extract.
.PSD (Photoshop Document)
A .PSD is a layered image file that is the default format in Adobe Photoshop for saving data. We currently offer our Web Design templates and various brand art in .PSD format.
.ZIP
An archive file that holds compressed files or directories. You will find most of our available assets are compressed into .ZIP files for smaller file sizes and faster downloads.
Print Production
CMYK, sometimes referred to as four-color process – or just process – uses cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks. CMYK is used for both offset and digital printing of full-color images.
SPOT COLOR, also referred to as PMS, uses the Pantone Matching System. Spot colors provide uniformity when producing color, as they are printed with a predefined ink mixture on a single plate. They are primarily used in offset printing but can sometimes be accommodated in a digital run.
COATED PAPER has a glossy or matte finish that has a shine. Ink printed on coated paper will produce sharp imagery, as the ink sits on the top of the paper.
UNCOATED PAPER is generally not as smooth and tends to be more porous. Uncoated paper absorbs more of the ink and can create a more elegant appearance.
RESOLUTION for printing images should be a minimum of 300 DPI (dots per inch).
Web Production
RGB color is made up of red, green and blue hues that should be used in digital design for display on computer screens, televisions and mobile.
RESOLUTION for imagery on web and mobile should be 72 PPI (pixels per inch).
Photoshop Actions
Photoshop actions are available for three Color Effects. Photoshop actions streamline the process of producing effects in an easy and efficient way.
How to Install
1. Download one of our three Photoshop actions available under our Color Effects section.
2. Unpack the content of your zip which will reveal an .ATN file.
3. You can either install the .ATN file by dragging it to the Photoshop icon in your dock or loading it through the Photoshop Actions panel dropdown.
Using Actions
1. Open the image to which you would like to apply the action.
2. Select the action you want to use from the action panel.
3. Hit the play button "►" down at the bottom of the panel to perform the effect.