Vignette (graphic design)



Vignettes, in graphic design, are decorative designs usually in books, used both to separate sections or chapters and to decorate borders.

In Descriptive, or Analytical Bibliography for the hand-press period (ca. 1450 to 1800) a vignette refers to an engraved design printed using a copper-plate press, on a page that has already been printed on using a letter press (Printing press). Vignettes are sometimes distinguished from other in-text illustrations printed on a copper-plate press by the fact that they do not have a border; such designs usually appear on title-pages only.

Woodcuts, which are printed on a letter press and are also used to separate sections or chapters are identified as a headpiece, tailpiece or printer's ornament, depending on shape and position.