Digital Art Glossary

Artistic practice that uses computer tools or processes to design, transform or present a work; it includes still images, animation and interactive installations.

Creation or processing of images by computer; the term also refers in everyday French to a synthetic visual representation of information, depending on the context.

Professional who designs and produces digital visuals, with possible specialities in 2D, 3D, layout or animation.

Image described by a grid of pixels; enlarging it beyond its available definition can reveal a loss of sharpness.

Image described by paths, curves and mathematical shapes that can usually be resized without pixelation.

Smallest addressable unit of a raster image, carrying a colour value and possibly transparency.

Element of a three-dimensional volumetric grid; the spatial equivalent of a pixel for certain representations and 3D sculptures.

Number of pixels in an image, usually expressed as width multiplied by height; to be distinguished from print resolution.

Density of dots or pixels related to a physical length when printing; it does not create details absent from the image.

Ratio between the width and height of the frame, e.g. 16:9; it does not by itself fix the pixel definition.

Working area representing the surface on which graphic elements are created and composed.

Delimited output area within a design document, particularly useful for producing several visuals in a single file.

Independent level containing a portion of the image; stacking layers lets you edit some elements without touching others.

Hierarchical container used to organise multiple layers and, depending on the software, to apply common masks or effects.

Proportion of visibility of an element; 100% is usually opaque and 0% fully transparent.

Information associated with pixels that represents their transparency or coverage, independently of the colour channels.

Storage of colours already multiplied by their alpha; a misinterpretation can produce fringes during compositing.

Non-destructive control defining the visible areas of a layer; the convention of white visible / black hidden is common but software-dependent.

Mechanism that limits the display of an element to the areas defined by another element or by a reference shape.

Operation that determines how the colours of a layer or brush combine with the underlying pixels.

Combining several layers into one, often at the cost of part of their editing independence.

Consolidating all visible elements into a final image, usually by discarding the layer structure.

Method that preserves the source data through layers, masks, adjustments or editable objects.

Sequence of recorded operations allowing changes to be reverted; it does not replace saved versions.

Editable or linked container that preserves an independent source from the transformations applied in the host document.

Temporary delimitation of part of an image or of objects to which the next actions will be restricted.

Softening of the transition at the edge of a selection or mask to avoid an overly sharp cut.

Technique that softens visible stair-stepping on edges by computing transitional values between pixels.

Appearance of stair steps, parasitic patterns or flickering when a visual signal is insufficiently sampled.

Computation of new pixel values when changing an image's definition or transforming it; quality depends on the method used.

Estimation of intermediate values between known data, used notably for resizing, curves and animation.

Distribution of small colour or brightness variations to simulate shades unavailable in a limited palette.

Size reduction that discards information considered less important; artefacts may appear after repeated compression.

Size reduction that allows the encoded data to be reconstructed exactly.

Parasitic defect caused by capture, compression, computation or processing, and not by artistic intent.

Creation of strokes and shapes with a tablet, stylus, mouse or other computer input device.

Pictorial construction of an image using software brushes, colours and layers rather than material pigments.

Peripheral that translates the movement of a stylus into coordinates and often pressure for drawing on a computer.

Display surface on which the artist draws directly with a stylus, as opposed to a graphics tablet without a screen.

Ability of the stylus to transmit an intensity used to modify size, opacity or other brush parameters.

Measurement of the stylus angle that can orient or modify the shape and behaviour of a digital brush.

Tool that deposits or modifies pixels according to a stamp and parameters such as size, flow and spacing.

Saved configuration grouping the stamp, texture and parameters of a brush.

Elementary stamp repeated or moved by the brush engine to form a stroke.

Amount of colour progressively deposited by a brush; it can accumulate during a single stroke.

Distance between two successive brush stamps; a high spacing can make the stroke discontinuous.

Variation of the position of stamps around the stroke path to produce an irregular or textured rendering.

Filtering of pointer movement to reduce tremors and draw smoother curves.

Quick research drawing that lays down shapes, proportions or intent before detailed execution.

Deliberately sketchy draft used to explore a composition, illustration or sequence.

Set of clean contours defining the shapes of an image, often produced after the sketch.

Uniform colour area laid down before or independently of shadows, highlights and textures.

Colouring in discrete bands of shadow and light, inspired in particular by traditional animation.

Processing that aims for the appearance of brush strokes, painted material and less geometric transitions.

Step that builds luminance values first before introducing or adjusting colour.

Addition and organisation of colours on a drawn or monochrome image.

Selection of a colour in a palette or by sampling from an image.

Tool that samples the value of a colour from a given location.

Function that removes pixels or lowers their alpha, depending on the software and layer settings.

Tool that fills an area defined by contiguity, a selection or a contour.

Computed transition between several colours, values or transparency levels.

Selection tool that lets you freely trace a contour around an area.

Tool that selects pixels based on colour proximity and sometimes spatial continuity.

Tool that copies pixels from a source area to another to correct or repeat details.

Retouching tool that blends the texture or details of a source into the surrounding lighting and colours.

Retouching method that distributes fine detail and colour variations on separate layers; it requires restraint to avoid an artificial look.

Targeted lightening and darkening of areas to model volume, correct light or guide the eye.

Assembly and transformation of photographs within a painting or concept to speed up the creation of detail and texture.

Creation of a digital environment combining painting, photos or 3D to extend or replace part of a filmed or rendered setting.

Pattern applied to the stroke to imitate a surface, pigment or graphic irregularity.

Simulation of tonal values using dots or patterns of varying size and density.

Creation of images in which the placement of pixels is deliberately worked and perceptible as a stylistic element.

2D image representing an animated character or object, particularly in games and interfaces.

Collection of small modular images assembled to build a 2D environment or map.

Wide image designed to constitute a background or environment that a virtual camera can traverse.

Visual research intended to fix the appearance of a character, object, environment or universe before its definitive production.

Definition and maintenance of aesthetic coherence across the various creations of a project.

Document setting out intent, audience, references, constraints, deliverables and objectives of a visual commission.

Assembly of visual references intended to communicate an atmosphere, palette, style or research direction.

Set of views, details or photographs used to draw or model a subject faithfully.

Design of a character's appearance, silhouette and distinguishing features.

Visual design of spaces and settings, taking into account their function and the desired mood.

Design of accessories and objects intended to appear in a game, film or illustration.

Research on shapes, anatomies and visual behaviours for real, imagined or hybrid creatures.

Reference sheet describing proportions, expressions or views of a character to ensure consistency in production.

Series of views of a subject from different angles, often front, profile and back, easing modelling or animation.

Quick miniature used to compare several framings, masses and ideas without detailing the image.

Outline of a subject, often used to evaluate readability before adding detail.

Guiding curve that sums up the energy and orientation of a pose or movement.

Organisation of elements within the frame to rank information and guide perception.

Area that primarily attracts the eye through its contrast, position, sharpness or significance.

Reading order established by size, contrasts, spacing and placement of elements.

Compositional guide that divides the frame into nine zones; a practical tool, not an aesthetic obligation.

Area left relatively empty around or between subjects, contributing to an image's legibility and balance.

Degree of lightness or darkness of a colour, independent of its hue.

Perceptible difference between elements, notably in brightness, colour, shape, texture or scale.

Representation of depth through lines converging towards one or several vanishing points.

Impression of depth produced by the attenuation of contrast and the shift of colours with distance.

Apparent convergence point of parallel lines in a constructed perspective.

Reference line corresponding to eye level in a classical linear perspective.

Representation of a shape oriented in depth whose dimensions appear compressed by the projection.

Placement of simple volumes and masses to verify composition, proportions and legibility before detail.

Successive version of a creative proposal, modified after experimentation or critical feedback.

Document gathering the visual rules of a universe: palettes, shapes, proportions, materials and examples.

Major illustration designed to represent and promote the visual identity of a work or product.

Additive model representing a colour by red, green and blue components, common on displays.

Four-colour ink separation model (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) used in print; the rendering also depends on the process and the paper.

Chromatic family of a colour, for example red, blue or green, independent of its brightness.

Chromatic intensity or purity of a colour; low saturation often brings the colour closer to grey.

Perception or adjustment of the lightness of a colour; the exact mathematical meaning varies between colour models.

Photometric measure weighting light according to human visual sensitivity; not to be confused with a simple average of RGB channels.

Description of the apparent tonality of a light source in kelvins, by reference to an ideal radiator.

Correction that neutralises a cast linked to lighting or intentionally fixes the image's colour temperature.

Coherent set of colours selected for a creation or graphic universe.

Pairs of opposite hues on a given colour wheel; their identification depends on the chosen colour model.

Association of neighbouring hues on the colour wheel to obtain generally smooth transitions.

Set of colours that a space, display, printer or process can represent or reproduce.

System defining how numeric values correspond to colours according to primaries, a white point and a transfer function.

Set of data describing the colour response of a device or space, facilitating controlled conversions.

Standard colour space widely used on the Web; an sRGB image does not represent all visible colours.

Wider-gamut colour space than sRGB on certain hues, used by many compatible displays.

Amount of data assigned to each channel or pixel, determining the fineness of recordable values; specify the unit to avoid ambiguity.

Loss of information when values exceed the admissible range and are clamped to a maximum or minimum.

Appearance of visible bands in a gradient caused by insufficient tonal steps or excessive processing.

Adjustment that transforms tonal levels or colour channels using a custom input-output relation.

Graph of the distribution of values in an image, useful for examining shadows, midtones and highlights.

Correspondence table transforming colour values; it can serve a technical conversion or an artistic look.

Representation or reproduction of an extended luminance range; its meaning depends on the image, display or rendering context.

Representation or display chain with a more limited dynamic range than modern HDR systems.

Representation in which values are proportional to scene light intensity, useful for certain rendering and compositing calculations.

Non-linear relation between encoded values and brightness; the term is often used generically for various transfer curves.

Transformation of a source luminance range to a more limited output range while preserving a usable appearance.

Set of colour management and exchange specifications intended to harmonise visual productions across devices and software.

Linear RGB working space associated with ACES, used notably for synthesis and compositing calculations.

Colour management system based on configurations that describe spaces, conversions and views across multiple applications.

Measured adjustment of a monitor to bring its display closer to a known target; to be distinguished from characterisation by profile.

Sequence of segments and curves defining an open or closed contour independently of a pixel grid.

Curve controlled by points and handles, used to draw smooth, editable paths.

Control point that bounds or bends the segments of a vector path.

Control associated with a Bézier point to adjust tangent and curvature.

Two components of a vector shape: its coloured interior and its outline.

Union, subtraction, intersection or exclusion of vector shapes or geometry.

Conversion of a raster image into vector paths approximating its contours and regions.

Representation in axonometric projection with three equally inclined axes, often used for modular worlds.

Alignment and proportion structure that helps organise text and visuals.

Design, choice and organisation of written characters to ensure expression and legibility.

File or set of glyphs and metrics implementing a typographic family or style.

Graphic shape representing a character or combination of characters in a font.

Adjustment of the spacing of a particular pair of characters to improve its optical balance.

Global modification of the spacing between characters across a group of text.

Distance between successive baseline rows in a block of text.

Organisation of titles, subtitles and body copy through size, weight and contrast.

Drawing of letters specific to a composition, to be distinguished from the simple use of a font.

XML-based vector format widely used on the Web to describe two-dimensional graphics.

Representation of objects in a three-axis space that can describe volumes, positions and orientations.

Organised set of objects, cameras, lights and parameters used to produce a render or an animation.

Scene element holding a transformation and a data type, such as a mesh, a camera or a light source.

Digital representation of a subject's shape, possibly associated with materials, a skeleton and other data.

Common coordinate system used to locate all elements of a scene.

Coordinates defined relative to an object or parent's origin and orientation.

Three reference directions used to describe positions and transformations in three-dimensional space.

Operation modifying the position, rotation or scale of an object or its geometry.

Displacement of an element in space without itself modifying its size or orientation.

Change of orientation around an axis or according to an angular representation system.

Factor that modifies the dimensions of an object; an unapplied scale can affect certain operations.

Reference point used notably to position an object and to define its rotation or scale.

Centre chosen for a transformation; it may differ from the object's own origin.

Movable working marker, used notably in Blender to position objects and choose an operation centre.

Simple volume delimiting the spatial extent of an object; it eases selection, visibility or approximate collisions.

Relation in which a parent's transformations propagate to its descendants according to the scene's rules.

Linked reuse of source data or an object, allowing elements to be multiplied without systematically duplicating their entire geometry.

Logical container grouping objects in a scene to ease organisation and display.

Automatically generated basic shape, such as cube, sphere, cylinder or plane, used as a starting point.

Geometric structure made of vertices, edges and faces that represents a polygonal surface.

Geometry point defined by coordinates and, possibly, attributes.

Segment connecting two vertices of a mesh.

Surface delimited by several edges, often triangular or quad in 3D tools.

Four-vertex face, convenient for organising regular topology and certain deformations.

Three-vertex face; polygon meshes are usually triangulated for many rendering operations.

Face with more than four sides, potentially useful for modelling but worth watching during deformation.

Vector defining an orientation perpendicular to a surface or associated with a vertex for lighting calculations.

Interpolation of normals giving a visually smooth appearance without necessarily adding polygons.

Structure of connections between vertices, edges and faces of a mesh, independent of its geometric position.

Geometry with connections incompatible with a regular closed surface, e.g. some edges shared by more than two faces.

Closed surface with no open boundary; important quality for volumetric operations and 3D printing.

Construction of shapes from vertices, edges and faces, modified manually or with dedicated tools.

Creation of soft or natural shapes, such as characters, vegetation and anatomies.

Construction of objects with hard surfaces and mechanical volumes, such as vehicles, machines and accessories.

Method that deforms and subdivides a simple primitive to obtain a complex model.

Method that progressively builds contours and surfaces from strategically placed edges.

Creation of new faces or segments by extending a geometric selection.

Creation of an inner outline on a face by adding a geometric border to it.

Softening or chamfering of edges and vertices by creating new surfaces.

Cut running across a loop of faces to add a row of edges and control the shape.

Chain of connected edges running regularly across a mesh; it eases selection and deformation.

Set of successive edges separated by faces, often transversal to an edge loop.

Operation linking two sets of open edges by generating intermediate faces.

Combining several vertices into one point or according to a proximity rule.

Joining of geometric points that are close or overlapping to remove unnecessary discontinuities.

Removal of geometric elements while preserving as much as possible the surrounding surface.

Automatic reduction of the face count according to a tolerance or a simplification target.

Technique adding subdivisions and smoothing the shape from a control mesh.

Base mesh that drives the smoothed surface, edited to control silhouette and detail.

Edge loop added near a boundary to preserve its sharpness under subdivision.

Weight applied to an edge or vertex to retain more sharpness during compatible subdivision.

Parametric operation applied to an object, often reversible as long as it is not applied to the geometry.

Symmetric reproduction of geometry around an axis or plane.

Parametric repetition of geometry following a linear, circular or curve-driven pattern.

Construction by union, difference or intersection of volumes or surfaces according to a geometric operation.

Control cage used to progressively deform a shape without editing each vertex individually.

Surface described by rational functions and control points, useful for certain precise curved modellings.

Curve defined by control points and an interpolation, used for paths, deformations and motions.

Computer-aided geometric design favouring dimensions, constraints and technical precision.

Assembly of pre-existing 3D parts to quickly build a new object or environment.

Initial construction in basic volumes to test proportion, framing and layout before adding detail.

Geometry-rich model, often intended for sculpting, detail work or texture baking.

Model with relatively limited geometry; the term can denote an optimisation or an assumed visual style.

Target face or triangle count for an asset; the limits depend on platform, render and the whole scene.

Order of the vertices defining the direction of a face, which can influence normals and backface culling.

Skipping the display of faces oriented away from the camera according to the render engine's conventions.

Modelling of a shape by deformation of a virtual volume using brushes.

Tool that deforms a mesh or volume surface according to a stamp, intensity and falloff radius.

Reconstruction of a surface from a discrete volumetric representation, useful for merging shapes but may lose initial topology.

System that locally adapts mesh density during sculpting to add or remove detail.

Organisation of a model into several subdivision levels allowing both overall shapes and fine details to be worked on.

Use of a greyscale stamp to imprint details such as pores, patterns and reliefs.

Protection of part of a surface against modelling operations.

Mirror application of brush strokes to quickly build a balanced volume.

Reconstruction of the topology of an existing surface to ease animation, texturing or optimisation.

Reorganisation of a mesh to favour four-sided faces; it can be manual or automatic.

Deformation of a mesh to fit the surface of a reference model.

Reporting of geometric details from one surface to another through projection, texture or displacement.

Computation of details from a dense model then recording them into textures usable on a lighter model.

Study of bones, muscles, proportions and joints in service of believable shapes and poses.

Large masses of a sculpture fixing silhouette, weight and proportions before secondary detail is added.

Intermediate forms that clarify anatomy and structure without going down to surface detail.

Fine irregularities such as pores, light creases and micro-reliefs, added after the main volumes.

Preparatory sculpture or model used to quickly explore a shape before the final version.

Image or procedural data applied to a surface to modify its appearance or properties.

Creation and assignment of textures that control the appearance of a 3D asset.

Two-dimensional coordinate pair that maps a point on a surface to a location within a texture.

Flattening of a 3D surface into 2D regions to allow textures to be placed with minimal distortion.

Continuous region of an unwrap corresponding to a portion of the 3D surface.

Edge chosen as a virtual cut during the unwrapping of a surface.

Distribution of islands inside a texture space to optimise size, margins and occupancy.

Relative deformation of a texture caused by poor correspondence between the 3D surface and the 2D unwrap.

Number of texels assigned to a unit of 3D surface, determining the consistency of detail across objects.

Elementary element of a texture, analogous to a pixel of an image but used in textured sampling.

Coloured margin added around islands to limit visible seams during filtering and mipmaps.

Convention extending UV coordinates across several tiles (10x10x1) to increase available texture space.

Image packing the textures of several objects or surfaces to share resources.

Texture designed to repeat over a surface without a visually perceptible seam.

Texture generated by computation, parameters and noises rather than by a static image.

Projection of a texture from several axes and blending the results to limit the need for explicit UV coordinates.

Direct painting on the model or its UV maps to create localised surface details.

Application of an image or brush stroke from a view or camera onto the surface of a model.

Computation of surface or lighting information recorded into maps for reuse without full recalculation.

Texture describing the base colour of a material, without painted lighting such as shadows or highlights, for a standard PBR workflow.

Map encoding normal perturbations to simulate fine relief without increasing base geometry.

Normal map expressed in the surface's tangent frame, suited notably to objects that deform.

Normal map expressed in the object's frame; useful in some cases but generally less suited to arbitrary deformations.

Height map that perturbs the apparent normals at render time; it usually does not displace the actual silhouette.

Map of values representing heights, which can feed bump, displacement or terrain generation.

Map controlling the actual or simulated displacement of a surface depending on the engine and available subdivision level.

Texture modulating the spread of highlights; higher values typically produce broader, less sharp reflections.

Texture indicating the areas treated as metallic conductors in a metal-roughness PBR workflow.

Map estimating the local occlusion of ambient light, often in crevices, without replacing a true full lighting solution.

Data distinguishing convex and concave areas, useful for generating wear, dirt or masks.

Local estimate of a model's thickness, sometimes used for light transmission or masks.

Texture controlling the parts of a material that emit visible light.

Texture used to define the visibility of a surface, ranging from progressive transparency to binary cutout depending on the material.

Storage of several greyscale maps inside the channels of a single image to reduce the number of files or reads.

Pre-filtered versions of a texture at decreasing resolutions used according to the projected size on screen.

Method that improves the sharpness of textures viewed at an oblique angle.

Management of large textures by loading and processing only the regions needed rather than the whole permanently.

Appearance of colours from a neighbouring UV island or from an insufficiently extended background.

Set of properties and graphs defining the appearance of a surface and its interactions with lighting.

Program or calculation description determining a graphics operation; in 3D art, it often describes the response of a surface, volume or background to light.

Visual network connecting operations and parameters to build a material, geometry or effect.

Approach that aims to model light interactions in a physically consistent way using adapted materials and parameters.

Common PBR setup using base colour, metalness and roughness to describe surfaces.

Parameterisation variant explicitly describing specular and glossiness properties; its maps do not directly exchange with those of the metallic-roughness flow.

Function describing the distribution of light reflected and transmitted by a surface according to incoming and outgoing directions.

Part of a reflection model describing the light returned by a surface; it does not by itself describe transmission.

Component of reflection that distributes light in many directions, typical of matte surfaces.

Reflection component forming the highlights of a source or environment on a surface.

Parameter governing the micro-geometric spread of highlights; low roughness tends to produce sharp reflections.

Parameter determining whether a surface is treated as metal in compatible PBR models.

Optical ratio governing the deviation of light between media, as well as certain reflective behaviours.

Variation of reflection and transmission with viewing angle, particularly visible at grazing angles.

Return of part of the light when it meets a surface, with behaviour varying according to the material.

Change in the direction of light when it crosses the interface between two media of different indices.

Passage of part of the light through a material, with or without deviation and scattering.

Ability of a material to let light through while diffusing it, without necessarily transmitting a clear image.

Penetration and re-emission of light inside a translucent material such as skin, wax or marble.

Variation of reflection appearance with the orientation of the microstructure, useful for brushed metal and hair.

Additional reflective layer simulating a varnish over a painted or treated surface.

Soft reflection component often used to represent certain fabrics and fibres.

Property of a material producing an apparent luminous contribution; its actual scene lighting depends on the engine.

Description of the absorption, emission or scattering of light in a medium such as fog, smoke or liquid.

Model approximating a rough surface as a set of small reflective orientations.

Material stylising the render with light bands or outlines inspired by cartoon drawing.

Setting that allows both orientations of a surface to be processed or shown depending on the engine's capabilities.

Apparent offset of texture coordinates based on view direction and a height map to reinforce the illusion of relief.

Light response model suited to hair fibres and their directional reflections.

Appearance obtained through a network of computations, textures and masks driven by parameters.

Projection and framing device defining how a 3D scene is converted into an image.

Projection in which the apparent size of objects decreases with distance from the camera.

Parallel projection preserving apparent scale independently of depth, useful for technical views and particular styles.

Optical parameter influencing the angle of view of a perspective camera for a given sensor size.

Angular extent visible in the frame; it depends notably on focal length and sensor format.

Depth zone that appears sharp in an image, with possible blur in front of and behind the focus plane.

Parameter linked to the diameter of the entrance pupil, influencing exposure and depth of field in a photographic model.

Plane placed at the focus distance chosen by the camera; other planes may become more blurred.

Aesthetic appearance of out-of-focus areas and blurred luminous discs.

Exclusion of objects located in front of the near plane or beyond the far plane defined for the camera.

Camera rotation around an axis, without necessarily translating its position.

Physical or virtual movement of the camera in space; not to be confused with a focal zoom.

Modification of the focal length or scale of view to magnify or reduce the apparent size of the subject.

Setup using a key light, a fill light and a back light to structure a subject.

Dominant source largely defining volumes and shadow direction.

Secondary source used to control the contrast in less-lit areas.

Light placed behind or to the side of the subject to separate its outline from the background.

Idealised source that emits in many directions from a single point.

Source with practically parallel rays, suited to simulating distant sunlight.

Extended source that can produce softer shadows according to its apparent size.

High-dynamic-range image used to light a scene and provide environment reflections.

Pattern placed in front of a light to project a shape or texture of light and shadow.

Quantity of light received per unit area, usually expressed in lux in the photometric system.

Area deprived of some light by the interposition of an object between source and receiving surface.

Transition region between shadow and light, particularly when a light source has extent.

Approximation of ambient light accessibility around surfaces, most perceptible at contacts and crevices.

Structured concentrations of light created after reflection or refraction by certain surfaces, such as the bottom of a swimming pool.

Medium that participates in scattering and absorption of light, making beams and atmospheric depth visible.

Selective association between lights and objects to control which sources influence which elements, depending on the engine.

Computation of an image or sequence from geometry, materials, lights and camera.

Software system that computes the final appearance of a scene using specific algorithms and parameters.

Production of images at interactive frame rate, with compromises depending on power and scene.

Computation of images without an immediate interactivity requirement, often allowing more costly methods.

Conversion of projected geometric primitives into fragments or pixels, central to interactive rendering.

Method that follows rays through a scene to estimate visibility and light interactions.

Rendering technique that estimates multiple light transports by statistically following ray paths.

Set of indirect light contributions coming from light bounces between surfaces.

Light contribution reaching a surface directly from a source, without an intermediate bounce.

Light that has interacted with one or more surfaces or media before reaching the point evaluated.

Choice of points or computation paths to estimate a colour, a light or a surface.

Grainy fluctuation caused by insufficient convergence of an estimate, particularly in stochastic methods.

Processing aimed at reducing render noise using the image and sometimes auxiliary passes.

Number of evaluations used to estimate a pixel; increasing it often improves the result at the cost of time.

Separate image containing a component of the computation, such as reflections, depth or shadows.

Additional render output exposing a specific, configurable piece of information for compositing or diagnostics.

Image whose values represent the depth of surfaces seen from the camera.

Image encoding surface orientations, useful for certain processing and effects in post-production.

Technique producing per-object or per-material masks from render IDs for fine selections during compositing.

Data describing the projected displacement of pixels or surfaces between frames, used notably for motion blur.

Temporal smearing of a moving object during exposure or its simulation at render time.

Combination of information from several successive frames to improve visual estimation.

Anti-aliasing exploiting several temporal frames to stabilise edges, sometimes at the cost of ghosting.

Reflections approximated from data already present on screen; off-screen objects may be missing.

Estimation of ambient occlusion using essentially the data visible from the camera.

Depth texture computed from a light to determine which surfaces lie in its shadow.

Splitting of several shadow maps across distance ranges to improve sharpness of directional shadows.

Variants of a model chosen according to distance or importance on screen to reduce rendering cost.

Anticipated elimination of objects or surfaces unnecessary to the image, for instance because they are out of frame or occluded.

Command sent to the graphics API to draw a batch of primitives; their count can weigh on the CPU.

Memory used by the graphics processor for textures, geometry, buffers and other resources.

Massively parallel processor specialised in many visual and rendering computations.

General-purpose processor driving overall logic and capable of executing rendering calculations.

Set of machines coordinating the computation of images or sequences for a project.

Duration needed to compute an image or batch, varying by scene, hardware, engine and settings.

Dynamic or local adjustment of the computed definition in order to meet a performance budget.

Creation of controls and deformation structures that allow a 3D character or object to be animated.

Hierarchical network of virtual bones providing the basis for movement and deformation.

Rig element representing a segment and carrying hierarchical relations or controls.

Series of articulated joints whose transformations influence elements further down the hierarchy.

Animating a chain by successively rotating its joints from the root.

Resolution of the joint angles required for an end-effector to reach a target.

Object or property that an animator can manipulate to drive several transformations or deformations.

Relation imposing or modulating the behaviour of an element from a target or a rule.

Binding of mesh vertices to rig joints so that they follow their movement.

Coefficients determining each bone's contribution to the deformation of a vertex.

Painting of influence weights directly onto a mesh, often via a colour code.

Method that combines the transformations of bones according to vertex weights, which may produce some joint collapse.

Alternative method for combining transformations that better preserves volumes in certain rotations.

Replacement shape or recorded deformation blended by weight, used notably for faces and corrections.

Set of controls dedicated to facial expressions, jaw, eyes and possibly lips.

Additional deformation activated in certain poses to correct volume loss or unwanted creases.

Part of an animation system directly responsible for modifying the visible geometry.

Ergonomic part of a rig exposing the controls intended for animators rather than only the underlying deformation structures.

Target used by certain IK systems to define the orientation of a limb's bend plane.

Function allowing an inverse chain to extend beyond its initial length, often for stylised needs.

Ability of a controller to change frame of reference, for example to follow the world, the pelvis or an accessory.

Shaping and organisation of virtual hair, fur, feathers or fibres through guides and parameters.

Driving curve that influences the shape and motion of a generated fibre set.

Computation of the motion of hair or fur subject to forces, constraints and collisions.

Creation of an illusion of movement through the successive display of images or the continuous transformation of elements over time.

Production of successive poses or drawings, each contributing directly to the final motion.

Calculation of intermediate states between values or poses defined by the artist.

State of a property recorded at a given time; the software can interpolate values between keys.

Structuring posture expressing a major step of the action or a dramatic intention.

Pose marking an important limit of the movement, such as a maximum extension or a change of direction.

Intermediate pose built to clarify the trajectory and nature of motion between two key poses.

Intermediate drawings or states completing the main poses to obtain the desired continuity.

Time distribution of poses and events, determining duration, rhythm and perception of the action.

Spatial gap between successive positions, indicating acceleration and slowdown of motion.

Graph showing the time evolution of an animated value and allowing its interpolation to be edited.

Interface used to manipulate animation curves and key tangents.

Variation at constant numerical speed between two keys for a given property.

Variation controlled by curve handles enabling progressive acceleration or deceleration.

Slowing on approach to a pose and accelerating at the start according to the reading direction of the motion; the exact name may vary by software.

Visible preparation of a major action that helps convey its direction and force.

Deformation accentuating elasticity and impact while generally preserving the impression of volume.

Continuation of the movement of certain parts after the body has stopped or changed trajectory.

Time offset between different parts of a subject to avoid an entirely synchronous movement.

Principle that many organic movements benefit from curved rather than straight trajectories.

Non-uniform distribution of positions to create a gradual entry or exit of movement.

Organisation of poses, framing and timing to make an intention immediately understandable.

Controlled amplification of poses, expressions or trajectories to reinforce legibility and impact.

Quality of design and presentation that makes a character or action visually engaging, without enforcing a single style.

Method that starts from the structuring poses before filling in the transitions.

Method that builds frames successively, from start to finish, to favour the spontaneity of movement.

Complementary movement that enriches the main action without blurring its meaning.

Sequence designed to repeat, such as a walk, breathing cycle or mechanical rotation.

Set of recurring poses describing the steps of a walk.

Pose in a locomotion cycle where a foot establishes or releases a meaningful contact with the ground.

Pose in a cycle where one leg passes in front of the other during weight transfer.

Global displacement of a character carried by the animation data of its root controller.

Organisation and blending of animation sequences as independent clips rather than a single chain of keys.

Autonomous time segment of motion that can be reused, moved or blended.

Animation storing offsets from a reference pose to enrich a base movement.

Coordination of mouth movements with speech or singing sounds.

Visible shape of the mouth associated with one or more speech sounds.

Translucent display of neighbouring frames to check continuity, placement and trajectory in drawn animation.

Timed assembly of storyboard drawings, often with scratch audio, used to test rhythm and narrative.

Sequence of drawings laying out the shots of an animation or film before production.

Number of images displayed or produced per second, expressed in frames per second (fps).

Practice where one drawing is held for two display frames, i.e. twelve distinct drawings per second at 24 fps.

Numerical computation of physical behaviours such as gravity, collisions, fluids or rigid bodies.

Object simulated as non-deformable during motion and collisions.

Object allowed to deform under the effect of forces, constraints and contacts.

Computation of the behaviour of a soft surface taking gravity, tension, folding and collisions into account.

Numerical reproduction of the flow of liquids or gases according to a chosen model and resolution.

Computation of the advection and dissipation of a gaseous volume, often coupled to temperature or buoyancy.

Generation of a visual combustion phenomenon, usually from temperature and density fields.

Simulated element whose position, velocity and other properties evolve over time.

Object or region from which particles spawn according to rate, velocity and lifetime parameters.

Computed influence on simulated elements, such as wind, turbulence, attraction or vortex.

Detection or resolution of contact between objects, particles or surfaces in a simulation.

Pre-computed results saved to replay complex motion without fully simulating it each time.

Computation then freezing of a simulation's state over a time range to obtain reproducible playback.

Computation sub-steps inserted between frames to stabilise fast motion and reduce numerical errors.

Common structure and format for efficiently storing sparse volumes such as smoke, fog or density fields.

Function indicating the distance to a surface, with a sign usually distinguishing interior from exterior.

Creation of geometry through rules and parameters rather than manual editing of each element.

Node system that manipulates and generates geometry, instances and attributes through a network of computations.

Data attached to points, edges, faces or instances and used to drive a process.

Coherent noise function producing continuous spatial variations, useful for textures and natural shapes.

Combination of several scales of noise to obtain detail at different frequencies.

Value that initialises a pseudo-random generator to reproduce or vary a procedural result.

Automated distribution of objects over a surface or within a volume, for example for vegetation and debris.

Set of tools generating and distributing plants, trees or grasses with shape and density variations.

Coordinated animation of many agents following trajectories, behaviours and avoidance rules.

Autonomous entity in a crowd simulation that holds position, state, and sometimes behavioural rules.

Assembly of multiple images, layers or renders into a coherent final shot through masks, transformations and corrections.

Visual transformations and elements added or modified during the production or post-production of a sequence.

Effects created physically on set, such as makeup, miniatures or pyrotechnics, distinct from digital VFX.

Isolation of a subject or area according to an image property to replace or combine its background.

Keying based on the selection of a colour, frequently green or blue.

Keying using the luminance of an image to generate transparency.

Chromatic surface filmed to ease the extraction of the subject through keying.

Contamination of the contours or surfaces of a subject by the colour of the keying background.

Correction intended to remove the chromatic cast of the background from the contaminated areas of the subject.

Animated frame-by-frame cut-out of a subject to produce a mask following its movement.

Assisted segmentation tool that tracks and isolates a subject in a sequence depending on the software.

Image or channel defining visibility, opacity or selection areas for a compositing operation.

Rough mask excluding unnecessary parts of a shot to simplify keying or roto.

Tracking of the displacement of points, shapes or areas in the image over a sequence.

Reconstruction of a real camera's movement to integrate digital elements into its shot.

Computation that estimates focal length, position and orientation of the camera from observed visual correspondences.

Tracking of the motion of an assumed planar surface to apply a coherent image or correction to it.

Compensation of unwanted movement of the camera or an element to produce a more stable frame.

Visual suppression of an unwanted element through masks, fills or background reconstruction.

Reference image of the scene without the element to be removed or inserted, used in a composition.

Colour and contrast adjustment intended to harmonise several visual sources.

Harmonisation of noise or grain texture between live-action plates and digital elements.

Modification of a subject's apparent lighting from passes, normals, depths or light estimates.

Effect using distance, contrast or coloured haze to integrate objects into the depth of a scene.

Curvature or displacement of the image caused by optics and reproduced or corrected when integrating VFX.

Misalignment of focus or position across colour channels, sometimes producing fringes along edges.

Optical artefact caused by internal reflections or scattering of an optic under strong light, often simulated in compositing.

Visual diffusion around bright areas, simulating an optical response or an artistic effect.

Halo of light around very bright areas, added in render or post-production.

Random structure characteristic of photographic film media, sometimes added digitally to harmonise a shot.

Use of depth data to order, mask or process elements within a composition.

Composition exploiting several depth and colour samples per pixel to handle complex occlusions.

Local retouching of a sequence intended to remove defects, marks or small distracting elements.

Composited, validated sequence that meets the production's technical and artistic requirements.

Graphic design in motion combining shapes, typography, images, rhythm and possibly sound.

Creation of the visual elements and states of a digital interface, such as buttons, menus and transitions.

Short animation or response signalling an action, a state transition or a system feedback.

Setting a graphic identity in motion while respecting its shape, rhythm and legibility rules.

Animation of texts playing with position, scale, appearance and rhythm to convey a message.

Graphic overlay usually placed in the lower part of the image to identify a person or information.

Typographic and graphic sequence introducing or concluding an audiovisual work.

Layer of vector shapes whose outlines, dimensions and animations remain parameterised in compatible software.

Animation that progressively reveals or hides a segment along a vector path.

Progressive transformation of one shape, image or silhouette into another.

Depth simulation by differential displacement of several flat layers within a composition space.

Projection of an image from a camera onto a simple geometry to create limited viewpoint shifts.

Code or formula that automatically drives a property based on other properties, time or variables.

Modification of graphics driven by analysis of rhythm, level or frequencies in an audio signal.

Creation using a system of rules, calculations or randomness, with aesthetic choices defined by the artist.

Visual production in which computer instructions determine shapes, processes or transformations.

Artistic creation relying primarily on shader programs to produce patterns, images or animations.

Creation whose images react directly to actions or input with latency compatible with interaction.

Adaptation of projected animation to the geometry of an object, facade or real surface.

Artistic device that envelops the audience in a visual, sonic or interactive environment.

Reconstruction of 3D shapes or positions from several overlapping photographs taken from different viewpoints.

Acquisition of a subject's three-dimensional geometry through sensors, photogrammetry or other techniques.

Distance measurement by emitting and receiving light pulses, used to produce spatial surveys.

Set of 3D positions from measurements or processing, optionally accompanied by colours or normals.

Production of a mesh or volumetric representation from points, photos or depth data.

Extraction and projection of colours from photographs onto a reconstructed or existing geometry.

Recording of real movement to transfer it onto a character or animation system.

Coordinated recording of body, facial or vocal performance intended to reconstruct an animated interpretation.

Recording of a subject in three dimensions over time, often from multiple cameras or sensors.

Neural representation that learns the appearance of a scene from several views in order to synthesise new viewpoints.

Technique for representing and rendering a scene from spatial Gaussian primitives optimised over observations.

System that produces new images from instructions or inputs such as text, image or mask; control and rights depend on the model and context.

Generation of an image driven by a textual description.

Transformation of a starting image according to a prompt, model or generation parameters.

Automated production of a 3D representation from a textual description, with variable geometric and topological quality.

Reconstruction or generation of a 3D object from one or several reference images.

Instruction describing subject, composition, style or constraints sent to an assisted creation system.

Generative modification of a selected region taking the surrounding context into account.

Generative extension of an image beyond its initial boundaries.

Use of a pose, depth, image or other signal to constrain a generation.

Image enlargement using a model to reconstruct or invent plausible details; does not guarantee fidelity to an unknown source.

Value initialising a random component of a generative process; reproducing the result exactly also requires keeping the model and settings.

Collection of examples used notably to train or evaluate a model; its provenance and permissions must be examined.

Information that traces the origin, transformations and possibly tools used in creating a file.

Coordinated chain of steps, tools, exchanges and validations needed to produce a digital work.

Reusable production resource, such as an image, model, texture, sound or animation.

Organised collection of resources with names, versions and metadata to facilitate reuse.

Category of software intended to produce or transform digital content, such as painting, modelling and animation.

Ability of several tools to exchange data while preserving enough of its structure and meaning.

Reading of external data to integrate it into a document or scene, with possible conversion.

Production of a file intended for another tool, platform or final delivery.

Organised transfer of geometry, materials, cameras and other elements between applications through a common format.

Structured naming rules to avoid collisions, ambiguity and automation errors.

Tracking of successive iterations of an asset or project in order to return to a previous state and understand the changes.

Tool that records the evolution of files and facilitates history, sharing or conflict resolution.

File, font, texture, plugin or library required to properly open or render a project.

Re-association of a project with resources that have been moved, renamed or have become unreachable.

Gathering of the project and its dependencies in order to transport or archive it without broken links.

Verification of conventions, dimensions, formats, topology, textures and performance before integration.

Collective evaluation of a creation's visual conformity with the validated intent and references.

Targeted input on a work-in-progress version, ideally phrased as observable issues and proposed actions.

Provisional state of a creation that has not yet been validated or finalised.

Lightweight version of a heavy resource used to work quickly before being replaced by the final version.

Reduction of memory, compute or transfer cost without excessive degradation of the expected result.

Conversion of constraints or procedural calculations into keys or explicit data to ease transfer and playback.

Automated application of the same treatment to a large number of files or assets.

Program automating repetitive tasks such as conversion, validation, export or organisation of deliverables.

Release of a validated version of a resource into the production pipeline.

Work unit corresponding to an individual plan of an animated or visual-effects sequence.

Set of related shots forming a coherent part of an audiovisual work.

Grid of thumbnails facilitating comparison of variants and follow-up of a visual delivery.

Officially retained design version, used to measure the consistency of subsequent productions.

Durable set of sources, versions, parameters and deliverables preserved for future reopening or reuse.

Structured information accompanying a file, such as author, date, dimensions, colour space and licence.

Lossless raster format, common for web illustrations and images requiring transparency.

Generally lossy-compressed image format, well suited to photographs but poorly suited to repeated edits of fine lines.

Flexible image format able to record high bit-depth and various compressions; compatibility depends on the options used.

Image format developed for the Web, supporting lossy and lossless compression and transparency.

Image format based on AV1, supporting efficient compression, transparency and some HDR data depending on implementation.

Image format intended notably for production and compositing, with multiple channels and high-precision values.

Photoshop document format that preserves compatible layers and adjustments; some elements may be misinterpreted outside the original software.

Native Krita format designed to preserve the structure of a digital painting document.

Multi-layer raster document exchange format, whose capabilities do not cover all proprietary features.

Historical page and illustration description format used to exchange graphics, notably in print workflows.

Widely compatible 3D geometry format that can reference materials through associated files but is not a full animated scene format.

Proprietary 3D exchange format widely used for models, skeletons and animations; interoperability varies by version and software.

Open standard format intended to transmit 3D scenes and assets efficiently, often used on the Web and in real time.

Binary variant of glTF that usually bundles scene, mesh and images into a single file.

Open framework for describing, composing and exchanging 3D scenes between applications.

Bundle of USD resources suited notably to distribution and some augmented reality uses.

Geometry and animation cache format used to transmit complex results between software packages.

Format describing mainly a triangulated surface, very common in additive manufacturing and generally preserving neither materials nor animation.

Geometry format representing vertices and possibly faces, colours or other attributes, common in scans and point clouds.

Native Blender project format that may contain the scene, embedded resources or external references depending on the save.

Export of an animation as numbered frames, practical for recalculating portions without re-encoding an entire video.

Image grouping several sprites or animation frames to simplify storage and reading.

Encoding and decoding process for moving images, distinct from the container that stores the streams.

File format bundling video, audio, subtitle or metadata streams, such as MP4 or MOV.

Preservation of the alpha channel in a compatible format and codec; not all combinations support it.

Set of settings specifying size, frequency, colour space, compression and other constraints of the delivered file.

Reference version exported at the agreed quality, intended for archiving or for creating derivatives.

Variant produced from a master to suit a particular screen, framing, format or platform.

Professional specialised in creating flat visuals, illustrations, textures, concepts or digital backgrounds.

Professional producing three-dimensional elements or images, sometimes specialised in modelling, lookdev, lighting or rendering.

Artist responsible for visually defining ideas and providing design references to a team.

Specialist responsible for building the geometry of characters, objects and environments.

Specialist designing maps and surface details for 3D assets.

Professional establishing the final appearance of an asset, notably its materials and response to lighting.

Specialist who builds and balances the lighting of scenes or shots to serve legibility and mood.

Professional who creates skeletons, controls and deformation systems for animators.

Artist responsible for producing the performance and motion of three-dimensional elements.

Professional assembling and harmonising visual sources to deliver a coherent shot.

Professional designing or integrating visual effects, with possible specialities in simulation, compositing or 3D creation.

Profile bridging visual requirements, technical constraints, tools and production automations.

Creator combining graphics and animation to produce channel packaging, motion identities or visual communications.

Curated selection of works presented to demonstrate skills, specialities and artistic approach.

Community exercise or contest imposing creation constraints; the platform name does not set a production standard.

Request placed with an artist to produce a work according to agreed terms, price and rights.

Contract by which certain economic exploitation rights are transferred within defined limits; its regime depends on the applicable law.

Authorisation to use a work or asset according to defined uses, durations and territories.

Resource whose licence grants explicit permissions, possibly under conditions such as attribution or share-alike.

Status that allows certain uses without authorisation under expired or inapplicable economic rights; verify country and any other rights.

Acknowledgement of a contribution, author or source, possibly required by a licence or contract.

Creation that reuses or adapts protected elements of a pre-existing work; its exploitation may require authorisation.

Conservation of origin, licence and transformation information for resources used in a project.

Acknowledgement of the people and teams who contributed to a work, established according to applicable practices and agreements.