Colors are colors right? Not exactly.
The color you see on your computer monitor is generated completely different than ink on paper. Your computer monitor and television uses an RGB (red, green, blue) color model, allowing for a wide range of colors your eye can see. The colors are additive meaning the light beams are added together to produce the color you see. In contrast most printers use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) in a subtractive color model.
This means that the ink colors absorb certain wavelengths and you see the reflected wave lengths not absorbed as a specific color. Changing your color model to CMYK lets you get an approximation of the color of your final print project. Important note about monitors. Unless your monitor is calibrated to your printers CMYK profile, the color can look much different on screen vs. the printed piece.
If color is very critical, it’s best to discuss your project with us ahead of time. Referencing a CMYK color guide will help show you what to expect as the final color.
