RGB vs. CMYK: How Color Modes Affect Your Prints

Screens create color by emitting red, green, and blue light; paper shows color by reflecting light through layers of ink. Because ink cannot reproduce every bright color a screen can display, some prints look duller than their digital previews. Understanding the difference between RGB and CMYK helps you choose the right workflow, preview out-of-gamut colors, and avoid converting files before you know what your printer requires.

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Practical Tips

Use these steps to keep color conversions predictable and prevent unnecessary loss of color.

• Keep artwork in RGB for screen-based projects.
• Check your printer’s file guidelines before converting color modes.
• Use a printer profile to preview colors that may shift or lose saturation.
• Convert to CMYK only when a commercial printer requests it, using its supplied profile.
• Keep an RGB original so you can make new output files without relying on a converted copy.

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