Graphic Design Dictionary

[Untouch]

They can have different meanings but when people are talking about it in graphics a render is just a picture or image with no background and the stock is a picture with a background. You don't want to confuse people.

[AceInfinity]

I'm just going to state that a render is the main part of the image that you add. the render should pretty much be the focal point of the overall picture. and he's right, the stock doesn't always have to have a full background, so it can be identified as a 'subclass' render I suppose. Like my signature for example. the background layer depicting the "crack" effect is in png, and its not a full background, all around the modified selection is a transparent area. whereas the true render could be my text "Infinity" for example. The main focus of the image.

[Fragma]

The only thing stocks & renders have in common is that they are both often used to create signatures & other graphic images..

A stock, plain and simply is a photograph that can be used for commercial purposes.

A render, is a computer generated image which is implemented into the "final image".

Nothing to do with backgrounds, etc.. It's just that generally, for creating signatures, the render would be a transparent image of usually some sort of game character. And a stock would usually be a photo with a background that you can add effects and such to. Not always the case though...

Stock isn't actually a "graphic design" word at all... It's a word photographers use.

[AceInfinity]

A render, is a computer generated image which is implemented into the "final image".

except it's not the final image until the render is added, and you add the render before you make the final touches sometimes

I believe it's a very debatable topic though since there are so many differing views towards this. And over time it's probably been changed as well. Back to your post Fragma though, it was a good idea to add some of the key terminology used in GFX for a reference.

[Fragma]

Updated again.. I've now added photoshop tool definitions and some other stuff that was suggested. Now includes a total of 139 words.

[Sam]

Great stuff Fragma. Top contributer.

[Fragma]

Thanks for the support Sam. I've PM'd Omni asking for this thread to be stickied so fingers crossed. I feel its a really good reference for both beginner & advanced graphic designers.

[NEC]

Great post, Fragma. I hope it gets stickied.

I feel its a really good reference for both beginner & advanced graphic designers.

It's also good for non-native english speakers like myself.

[Fragma]

Seeing as there are some new faces around the graphic section I thought I'd give this a little bump.

[Skill]

This is a fantastic list of graphic terminology. I must admit, I've never heard of half of these. Graphics is something I'm really interested in but I'm not determined enough to actually start putting the effort in.

Thanks for the list, I'll be keeping an eye out for future additions.