Know the Difference between CMYK & RGB!
What is the difference between CMYK and RGB when it comes to printing, you ask? Well let us tell you. At the most basic level RGB color mode is used primarily for digital communications like television or websites. CMYK is used for print pieces like brochures and business cards.
RGB stands for the three primary colors, Red, Green and Blue. This model uses light to make their colors bright and if you were to mix all three of them you would get a pure white. Your screen mixes red, green and blue light to produce the colors you see on your screen.
CMYK on the other hand, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black uses a subtractive model. Basically what this means is that the colors from the spectrum are subtracted from natural white light into pigments or dyes. These pigments are then printed onto paper in tiny dots. So if you were to take a magnifying glass to these images you would see the main image is just a bunch of tiny dots spread out. Looking at the image as a whole, makes it appear to be the colors we intended them to be.
Knowing the difference between RGB and CMYK can help you to better understand the print process and how that process affects your completed work or project.
We hope this useful piece of print knowledge helps you out in the future and come back each month for more print education & news from your St. Louis Printing Partner, Kopytek.
