Print files
CMYK or RGB: which colours to use for a print file
RGB is the colour model of screens (red, green and blue light). CMYK is the model of printing inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). For offset and digital print the file is prepared in CMYK, because some RGB colours cannot be printed.
- Screen
- RGB, wider gamut, bright greens and blues
- CMYK, narrower gamut
- Black text
- 100% K, no other inks
- Rich black background
- E.g. C40 M30 Y30 K100
What happens to colours in conversion
Colours outside the CMYK gamut, e.g. neon green or an intense screen blue, become darker and less saturated after conversion. Better to see this before printing, in a CMYK preview in your graphics program, than after collecting the print run.
Many digital and large-format print shops accept RGB files and convert them in their RIP using their own profile. Always check the requirements of the specific print shop.
Black in print
Set black text as 100% K. Four-colour text (e.g. black from RGB after conversion) can show coloured fringes at small sizes, because inks never register perfectly. Large black areas are printed as “rich black”, e.g. C40 M30 Y30 K100, so they do not look grey. Total ink coverage should not exceed about 300%.
Frequently asked questions
Does Canva export CMYK?
In the paid version, Canva lets you choose a CMYK colour profile when downloading a PDF Print. The free version exports RGB.
Does the shop designer create CMYK files?
The kreatorproduktow.pl designer saves the design as it looks on screen (RGB). In the Premium plan, the converter turns a PDF into a CMYK TIFF.
What is Pantone?
A system of spot colours mixed from ready inks. It is used when a brand colour must be identical in every run. A Pantone colour can be approximated in CMYK, but not always exactly.
See also
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