Understanding Color: RGB And CMYK When Used In Designs Online And In Print

Knowing the difference between RGB and CMYK formulas when you use color online or in print can have a big effect on the quality of your displays. Red, green and blue, and their multitude of combinations, are what brings color to computers or digital screens. The print world, however, uses cyan, magenta, yellow and black to create displays on paper.The two systems create and represent color in different manners. Electronic sources, such as computers or tablets, emit light that is the basis for color seen onscreen. The combination of red and green and blue are what makes up this spectrum. Applied one on top of the other and you will have white. Taken away, and the screen goes dark.Cyan, magenta and yellow are print inks. When combined, they create color differently, adding up to a dark brown. These colors are known as subtractive, the opposite of additive. As the ink goes on a paper or solid base, the color is absorbed or reflected. Because the combination does not represent a true black, but rather a dull brown, black ink (the "K" in the formula) is added to fill out the color spectrum.It can be essential to stick with the correct formatting for the type of color you want to see. If you need to come up with a palette for a website, for example, you need to stick with the electronic version of color mixing. These same colors, however, may give you an extremely altered result if used on an offset press.Some color formulas for Web display can be unrecognizable when printed out. Make sure you have the colors separated into CMYK when you check your output manager functions in a design program if you are printing the finished product. This will ensure you get a black separation that will help define the rest of the colors.You may want to visit websites that specialize in showing you color optimization strategies. This type of assistance can help show you the difference in RGB/CMYK separations. You might discover that some of the colors you are using do not even register within the other formula's scale, or if they do they look washed out or too dark when applied to the incorrect format.To maximize color control, particularly for print products, it can be important for you to correctly code printed materials so that you can ensure correct separation of plates for a printer to use. Some printers can do this step for you, but you may not be aware of how much the print version will look different if this is done incorrectly. Other printers may require that you make these changes yourself so that you have ultimate responsibility for the resulting work.RGB and CMYK formulas, when used correctly, can make spot color come alive on the Internet or in print. Spend time learning the differences with study materials, or through the Internet through sites created by color experts. You may be able to make the most of color in a dazzling display online or as an offset printed product.