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CMYK vs. RGB Color Space

In short, all files submitted for print should be CMYK color. RGB files can be easily converted to CMYK using Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop.

Computer monitors and printed media display colors in completely different ways. Monitors emit color as RGB (red, green, blue) light. As more color is added to the black screen, the lighter the color becomes. This is called additive color.

CMYK (Subtractive) Color

RGB (Additive) Color

Wheras monitors emit light, inked paper absorbs or reflects specific wavelengths of light. The CMYK process, also known as four-color process, uses cyan, magenta and yellow pigments serve as filters by subtracting varying degrees of red, green and blue light to produce a visble color. As more colored ink is added to the white paper, the darker the color becomes. This is known as subtractive color.

So in conclusion, RGB is for monitors and other devices while CMYK is for print. Because each produce color in different ways, what you see on screen is not exactly what will be printed in final output. RGB monitors can simulate the CMYK process, but remember that this is a simulation and therefore an imperfect visual representation of the final product. Keep in mind that RGB environments are capable of producing much more vivid color than CMYK. Certain RGB colors, such as 255 red, 255 green or 255 blue will be compressed when converted to CMYK. Some colors, such as vivid blues and purples are very difficult to reproduce accurately.

Spot Colors

Spot Colors

Spot colors are generally used as flat fields of solid color. Silkscreening uses spot colors to lay down several solid areas of color to produce a multi-colored piece of artwork. Spot colors are also used to identify additional colors in a four-color print job. Sometimes, when a very specific spot color is required, designers and printers can employ the use of PMS (Pantone Matching System) colors, but generally, the use of spot colors adds a significantly higher cost to a print job. Because spot colors have a gamut that extend beyond the range of four-color printing, spot colors that have been converted to CMYK may not be accurately reproduced.

Rich Black

100% Black vs Rich Black

In 4-color process printing large areas of black can appear thin or washed out due to one layer of ink being laid down. To compensate for this 'rich black' should be used for large black solids. Different printers specify different formulas of rich black, but a typical rich black would call for a mixture of 50% Cyan, 50% Yellow, 50% Magenta and 100% K (black).

Black Text

Type is another matter to assure clean appearing black text, type less than 36 points high should be sent as black only (100% K) with no other color mixed in. Even for typefaces larger than 36 points rich black should only be used where the face is bold or blocky. Type to print in colors other than black does not have any special requirements.