ACE Design Industry Standards, Copyright, and Licensing — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A designer downloads an image labeled 'Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY).' What does this license require when using the image in a commercial project?
- The image cannot be used in any commercial project
- The designer must credit the original creator (Correct answer)
- The designer must pay a royalty to the creator
- The image must be converted to black and white
Correct answer: The designer must credit the original creator
A Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license allows the image to be used freely — including commercially — as long as appropriate credit is given to the original creator. No payment is required, and no color restrictions apply.
Question 2: Which term describes an image where the copyright owner grants permission to use the work without paying royalties each time it is used, after an initial fee?
- Rights-managed
- Public domain
- Royalty-free (Correct answer)
- Open source
Correct answer: Royalty-free
Royalty-free means the user pays a one-time licensing fee and can then use the image multiple times without additional payments. It does NOT mean the image is free of cost — it means free of per-use royalty fees. Rights-managed images, by contrast, charge based on specific usage terms.
Question 3: What is the standard color mode used for images that will be printed on a commercial printing press?
- RGB
- LAB
- Grayscale
- CMYK (Correct answer)
Correct answer: CMYK
Commercial printing presses use four ink colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK). Images must be converted to CMYK mode in Photoshop before sending to print to ensure accurate color reproduction on press. RGB is the standard for screen/digital display.
Question 4: A designer wants to use an old photograph whose creator died in 1920. What is most likely true about this image in the United States?
- It is still protected by copyright and cannot be used
- It is in the public domain and can be used freely (Correct answer)
- It requires a Creative Commons license to use
- It can only be used in educational projects
Correct answer: It is in the public domain and can be used freely
In the United States, works published before 1928 (and generally works where the author died more than 70 years ago) have entered the public domain, meaning they are no longer protected by copyright and can be used freely by anyone for any purpose.
Question 5: What does the term 'resolution' refer to when describing a digital image for print?
- The number of colors in the image
- The file size in megabytes
- The number of pixels per inch (PPI) in the image (Correct answer)
- The width and height of the canvas in centimeters
Correct answer: The number of pixels per inch (PPI) in the image
Resolution for print refers to pixels per inch (PPI), which determines how many pixels are packed into each printed inch. A typical high-quality print requires 300 PPI; lower resolutions produce visible pixelation. Canvas dimensions in centimeters describe physical size but are separate from resolution.
Question 6: A client asks a designer to create artwork that is 'RGB at 72 PPI.' For which output is this specification most appropriate?
- A large-format banner printed on vinyl
- A brochure printed at a commercial press
- A website header image displayed on screen (Correct answer)
- A photograph printed in a magazine
Correct answer: A website header image displayed on screen
RGB color mode and 72 PPI are the standard specifications for screen/web display. Monitors display in RGB, and 72–96 PPI is sufficient for on-screen rendering where pixel dimensions — not print density — determine image quality. Print projects require CMYK and 300 PPI.
ACE Design Industry Standards, Copyright, and Licensing
A designer downloads an image labeled 'Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY).' What does this license require when using the image in a commercial project?