Differences between RGB and CMYK

It is a recurrent mistake to work with a certain format without considering where the creativity will be reproduced.

What is RGB?

Basically, when referring to the RGB code (Red-Green-Blue) we are talking about a model based on “additive synthesisIn other words, we superimpose colors to obtain the desired color, and the complete superimposition of the three previous colors gives us as a result the color white while black would be the absence of them (as when we turn off the light in a room and we are left in the dark).

What is CMYK?

In contrast, the CMYK (Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black) model refers to a subtractive code. Thus, unlike the previous system, the absence of each color results in white (instead of black).

The image below will help you to see the difference more clearly.

The RGB model is the one used to reproduce files on luminous screens (TV, computers, tablets, cell phones, etc.) while CMYK is the one used for printing on various media; from paper to any other available on the market, whether flexible or rigid.

This is why the “colors” that can be seen on a computer screen sometimes do not coincide with the colors of a printout, without implying a lack of professionalism on the part of the printer. They are simply different systems with different color depths.

The importance of working in the correct format

Therefore, it is very important to work with the appropriate system for where the file is to be reproduced and, of course, do not mix in a file that is going to be printed, images or text in RGB and CMYK because it is most likely that the final result is not as expected.