What is a Comp?
In website design graphic design and other visual advertising venues, a comp, which is short for composition layout, is an initial draft of a proposed visual design. A static design comp is typically presented to a web design client prior to any web site development to determine the relative positions of text and images before the specific content of those elements has been decided upon. A comp can be as simple as a pencil and paper sketch, or as detailed as the final production piece.
The image elements may incorporate the artist’s original artwork, stock photography, clip art, or other placeholder material that gives an idea of what should be visually communicated, before entering any negotiations concerning the rights to use specific images for the purpose. Photo agencies may encourage free use of certain images, in the hope that the comp image will end up being used in the final product. For this reason, it is sometimes mistakenly believed that “comp” is short for “complimentary,” as it is in some other promotional contexts.
Even in the age of rapid desktop publishing software, comps may be developed using hand rendering techniques and materials to avoid investing too much time on the computer before client approval of the idea, depending on the complexity of the production task. A hand rendered comp may be useful in helping the client refrain from nitpicking the production quality and focus on the design idea.
“Comp” can also stand for comprehensive layout.
