CMYK VS. RGB

When designing graphics, it is important to understand the different types of color profiles and the way they affect the appearance of the colors used. Understanding these profiles and how they are used helps you better comprehend the differences in hues between projects and better prepare your files to be used professionally

CMYK

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. It is named after the way colors are used in print design. Most standard printers operate using these four colors of ink. When printing out a colored photograph or document, A base of cyan is first placed wherever it or colors that use it appear on the page. On the next layer, magenta is layered over to create new hues and shades of colors. Once the third layer of yellow is added, you are able to get a wide range of colors. Finally, when black is printed over the colors on the page, the wide range of shades and tints is able to shine, and the image is complete.

Because CMYK utilizes inks and the process of layering these colors, it is best to ensure that you prepare to be printed using this color profile. Because of this, CMYK has a limited color gamut, as you can only layer ink so much. Although you are still designing on a screen, this allows you to get a better estimate of what your final product will look like when printed. Designs such as packaging, flyers, and business cards are most beneficial from this color process.

RGB

RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. It is name after the three colors that are used to create all colors on computer displays. All types of technology, from televisions to cellphones to computers, utilize these three colors to create all of the colors our eyes see. One of the most prominent examples is LCD screens. LCD, which stands for Liquid Crystal Display, is a type of display that uses liquid crystals to create images. To achieve the different colors, each pixel of the display has red, green, and blue color filters that allow the color to shine.

Since RGB uses light and is primarily used on screens, utilizing this color profile for designs that will continuously be shared on a screen allows you to utilize its wide range of colors possible with LCD and other forms of digital displays. Designs for applications, websites, social media platforms, and digital displays would be just a few examples where RGB would be best applied.

THE DIFFERENCES

Obviously, both color profiles allow a large range of colors to be displayed and shown to be perceived by our eyes, but each does them in drastically different ways. With CMYK and printing, when inks overlap, they layer to make black. On the other hand, since RGB is created using white light, when red, green, and blue overlap, you get white. Understanding these differences allows you to better understand your color choices for projects and how making designs for various applications can affect the color visibility from use to use.