Image Editing Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Image Editing facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What does the term 'resolution' typically refer to in raster image editing? → The pixels per inch
2. Which color channel in LAB color mode contains only luminance (brightness) data? → L channel
3. Which color model is used for print production? → CMYK
4. The W3C introduced which of the following vector file formats to establish a standard, adaptable format for vector drawings viewed on the web? → SVG-Scalable Vector Graphics
5. What is the purpose of the 'Vibrance' adjustment in Photoshop? → Boosts saturation of muted colors while protecting already-saturated colors
6. Which feature lets you apply edits to multiple images at once? → Batch processing
7. What is the main difference between raster and vector graphics? → Raster uses pixels, vector uses paths
8. Which format should you use to preserve Photoshop layers, masks, and adjustment layers when saving a working file? → PSD or PSB
9. What does the term 'resolution' refer to in a digital image? → The number of pixels in the image
10. In a compositing workflow, why is it important to match the light direction of all combined elements? → To create a believable composite where all elements appear lit by the same light source
11. Which color model is used for images intended for printing? → CMYK
12. Which adjustment would you use to fix an image that looks too dark overall? → Brightness/Exposure
13. What does 'clipping' mean in the context of color correction? → Pixel values exceeding the maximum or minimum representable range
14. Which technique is used to whiten teeth in portrait retouching? → Adding a Curves layer targeting the teeth with increased brightness and reduced yellow
15. When correcting skin tones, which channel in RGB should be given careful attention to avoid unnatural color casts? → Blue channel
16. What is the purpose of a layer mask in image editing? → Hide or reveal parts of a layer non-destructively
17. What is image 'noise'? → Random grainy specks degrading quality
18. Which selection tool detects edges automatically by analyzing color contrast as you trace? → Magnetic Lasso
19. Which color mode should you use when preparing an image for professional print? → CMYK
20. Which tool would you use to remove a small blemish by sampling nearby pixels? → Healing brush
21. Which file format supports transparency and lossless compression, making it ideal for web logos? → PNG
22. Which selection tool creates selections by requiring you to click multiple anchor points connected by straight lines? → Polygonal Lasso Tool
23. What is Quick Mask mode primarily used for in Photoshop? → Viewing and refining selections as a colored overlay
24. Which format supports simple animation and a limited 256-color palette? → GIF
25. Which file format uses lossy compression and is common for web photos? → JPEG
26. Which blending mode is commonly used for adding texture overlays to images? → Overlay
27. What application allows you to optimize, preview, and animate images? → Adobe dreamweaver
28. What does increasing the contrast of an image do? → Makes lights lighter and darks darker
29. Which color model uses Hue, Saturation, and Brightness to define colors? → HSB
30. What does 'cloning' mean in the context of photo retouching? → Copying pixels from one part of the image to another