RGB vs. CMYK: Why Colors Can Change in Print

If you have ever looked at a color on your computer screen and then seen something slightly different when it was printed, RGB and CMYK are part of the reason.

Red, green, and blue (RGB) are the primary colors of light. Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) are the primary colors used in process printing. Although both color systems create the colors we see, they work very differently.

How RGB Creates Color

RGB color is used to display images and graphics on computer screens and other digital displays. RGB is called an additive color system because it creates color by adding light.

The more light you add, the lighter the resulting color becomes. When you combine equal amounts of the RGB primary colors at their highest levels, the result is white.

Because screens create color with light, RGB can display colors that CMYK can't accurately reproduce. This is one reason a color that looks especially bright or vivid on your monitor may not look the same when it is printed.

How CMYK Creates Color

CMYK color is used in process printing. Dots of ink are printed on paper for each of the four colors: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

Unlike RGB, CMYK is called a subtractive color system. Instead of adding light, the inks absorb or subtract some wavelengths of light. The more ink on the paper, the less light is reflected back, generally resulting in darker colors.

The difference between the two systems is important when preparing artwork for print. A color that can be displayed on a screen may fall outside the range of colors that a particular printing process, paper, and ink combination can reproduce.

Why Your Screen and Printed Piece May Look Different

Your monitor and a printed sheet of paper produce color in fundamentally different ways. A screen emits light, while printed ink reflects light off the paper's surface.

That means your monitor cannot always show you exactly what the finished printed piece will look like. Monitor calibration software can help your screen more accurately approximate printed color, while color management and properly embedded color profiles can help maintain more predictable results throughout the production process.

For color-critical projects, a printed color proof more accurately represents how the final printed piece will look. This is especially useful when color consistency matters, such as with brand colors, photography reproduction, or other specific color requirements.

The color wheel below visually shows the difference between colors that can be represented in RGB and those that can be reproduced in CMYK. Keep in mind that the actual printed result can also vary based on the printing process, paper, inks, and other production conditions.

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