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Graphic Design Support: CMYK Vs RGB

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  1. EMPQORE May 21st 2008
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    Since a couple of months i''m also designing for printmedia. I know I have to use CMYK colors for print but I experience that the colors are way less fierce/intens than when I use RGB in photoshop. What am I doing wrong or do I have to accept that you can do less with CMYK?
  2. Pseudonym May 21st 2008 edited
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    You do sort of have to accept that you're going to get some funkiness when working with CMYK, if for no other reason than because they way CMYK works is at odds with the way a monitor projects images.
    I'm not sure if you know the way each one works theoretically, but I'll try to explain, and maybe that'll show why the two are finicky.
    The most important thing is that CMYK is additive, while RGB is subtractive. Meaning the higher the percentage of C, M, Y, or K, the darker the color is going to be. While the higher the amount of R, G, or B, the lighter the color is going to be. RGB displays well because it works in the same way a monitor does. In a very elementary sense, the monitor shoots out light in three colors- Red, Green, and Blue. Since the monitor projects colors in an identical fashion to the way Photoshop manages colors in RGB mode, there is no conflict.
    CMYK, on the other hand, works the same way your printer or traditional mediums do; by adding/mixing hues and a value (hence the fourth percentage, K). Monitors can only work with light, so your computer has to, in a sense, *fake* CMYK to be able to project it to you. This causes problems in displaying the color as it would really appear on paper.
    I hope that wasn't too confusing, or boring if you already knew all that. But the point is that there isn't much you can do to fix the problem. However, you should be able to attain the full spectrum of colors you can with RGB, it may just be a little less accurate. Also, switching modes from RGB to CMYK does mess up the colors. So if you know something is for print, try to work with CMYK as early in the process as possible.

    [edited for clarity]
  3. MikeWilson May 21st 2008
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    Very good explaination, I have a lot of that detailed in an upcoming tutorial of mine.
  4. EMPQORE May 22nd 2008
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    Thanks alot Pseudonym. I didn't know anything about it so you've helped me understand it now with your clear explanation. So if I understand you correctly, the colors stay as selected when printed but shown incorrectly by the monitor?

    I think it's really irritating to work with this difference. Aren't there any possibilities to show the correct colors? Or do you just estimate how the documents looks when printed?

    I'm looking forward to your tutorial Mike.
  5. Pseudonym May 22nd 2008
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    Matching the actual print colors to the colors you see on screen is a huge, ongoing battle, and its often very expensive. Unfortunately, this is where my limited knowledge begins to fade, so I too am anxious to see what Mike has to say about it. I do know that two of the more accessible ways to remedy the problem, albeit only partially, is with the use of color profiles for your printer (and monitor?), and matching the white temperature of your monitor to that of the lighting in the room you will be viewing the print. Some monitors have very little ability in regards to the second of the two. This is open to correction from someone more knowledgeable, but I believe that most professionals use a piece of hardware to sync all their displays and printers so that everything will come out identical. That's where things get outside the price range of everyone except the most dedicated enthusiasts (and of course people who get payed to do it).
  6. MikeWilson May 23rd 2008
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    Yeah there are things you can pay for - a couple hundred bucks will get you true color. But assuming your business actually knows what the hell it is doing, you'll already have all the pantone color swatches. Otherwise it's basically trial and error, maybe in the long run it's worth it, but I can forsee some monitors becoming quite adept in the future.
  7. Neo May 29th 2008
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    i always use RGB for better integration with illy and back and it works fine for me and hasnt failed me yet. so i suggest going or sticking with it
  8. spv Jun 11th 2008
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    Apologies for resurrecting this thread, but I just had to thank Pseudonym. You've explained clearly and concisely what I've wanted to know for awhile. Thanks! =]
  9. Jana Jun 12th 2008
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    Well it was just a few days ago I had some questions about RGB. Even though this is not the case, but I feel a whole lot smarter now to understand the colors schemes! Thanx for explaining ::)

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