If you’ve ever designed a book and felt surprised or even disappointed by how the printed colours turned out compared to what you saw on the screen, you’re not alone! This is a very common question we hear from publishers, editors, and designers. The answer lies in the science of colour reproduction and the differences between how screens and printing presses handle colour.
RGB vs. CMYK
When designing on aa computer and printing on a press, you’re dealing with two completely different colour worlds. Your computer screen displays colour in RGB…Red, Green, and Blue. These colours are created with light, which allows for a wide range of colours and hues. On the other hand, printing presses use CMYK…Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black…where colours are created by layering ink on paper.
Because RGB uses light and CMYK uses pigment, the colour ranges (or gamuts) they can produce are very different. RGB can display more colours than CMYK can print. This means that some of the bright and saturated colours you see on your screen simply can’t be replicated on a printing press.
Even Monitors Vary…and That Matters Too!
Even in the RGB world, not all screens are created equal. Monitor settings, screen calibration, age, and even ambient lighting can affect how colours appear. What looks like one colour on your screen might appear very different on someone else’s screen. This variability makes it risky to rely solely on your computer monitor when choosing colours to print.
Bridging the Gap
To help bridge the gap between screen and print, Friesens uses industry-standard colour management practices. This includes ICC profiles…digital files that help software translate colours accurately from screen to print.
Helpful Hints
- Design in CMYK from the start: Beginning your layout in CMYK mode rather than RBG ensures the colours you choose are within the printable range and reduces the risk of unexpected shifts during conversion.
- Use printed colour guides: Digital previews can be misleading. Tools like the Friesens Process Colour Guide show how CMYK colours will actually appear on paper.
- Limit your colour palette: Stick to one primary colour and up to two accent colours. This not only creates visual consistency but also helps maintain colour accuracy across print runs.
- Calibrate your monitor: If you must rely on your screen, make sure it’s calibrated using a hardware calibration tool. This helps ensure that what you see is closer to industry standards, though it still won’t match print exactly.
Understanding the difference between RGB and CMYK, and how colour management works, can save you time, frustration, and reprints. By designing with print in mind from the start, you’ll make sure your final product looks just as polished as you imagined.
