Emma Davis Print Production Specialist at 4OVER4.COM
Emma is our prepress and print production voice, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.
Question
RGB vs. CMYK? Understanding the 2 is critical.
Answer
Colors can look different on your screen than on the printed postcard because monitors and presses build color in completely different ways.
| RGB | CMYK | |
|---|---|---|
| Used by | Monitors and screens | Printing presses |
| Colors | Red, green, blue | Cyan, magenta, yellow, black |
| Method | Light added together (additive) | Inks layered on paper (subtractive) |
| Best for | On-screen viewing | Print production |
- Design in CMYK: set up your files in CMYK to preview print color more accurately.
- Vivid shifts: bright RGB blues and greens often print a little more muted.
Screens emit light, so they can show brighter, more saturated colors than ink can reproduce. Convert your artwork to CMYK before exporting and check bright blues, greens and neons after converting.
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