Navigating the alphabet soup of color codes can feel like decoding the newest slew of corporate acronyms. But fear not! By the end of this article, they’ll be as simple as ROYGBIV.
Color Codes: Digital vs. Print
Let’s start with the easiest part–some color types are for screens, others for print. RGB and HEX? Digital buddies. PMS and CMYK? Print pals.
Digital Dynamism
RGB (Red, Green, Blue)
Red, green, and blue light combinations create every color on your screen. RGB is referred to as an “additive” process for creating color. Full blast all colors? You’ve got white. Zero light? Hello, darkness my old friend (aka black).
An RGB color looks like this: R=75 G=30 B=27. Values range from 0-255, with higher numbers cranking up the vibrancy.
In general, RGB colors are quite vibrant and can create a more extensive range of colors than what is possible in print. However, printing those flashy RGB colors will leave you heartbroken, as they lose much of their vibrancy.
HEX (Hexadecimal)
Hex colors are six-digit combinations of numbers and letters indicating specific RGB values. They’re basically shorthand for RGB colors.
Print Perfection
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black OR Four-Color Process)
Printers create CMYK colors with layers of tiny dots of each color (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). While RGB is an “additive” process, CMYK is a “subtractive” process. A fully saturated combination of cyan, yellow, and magenta creates black, while a lack of colors results in pure white.
A CMYK color is represented with a formula like this: C=40 M=70 Y=2 K=14. Each number represents a percentage of the color used, 0-100.
When using CMYK, it’s essential to understand the difference between “Black” and “Rich Black.” Regular Black is simply 100% black ink with no color. “Rich Black” is a combination of all four colors. While this seems like a slight distinction, your wallet will thank you when you go to print.
Additionally, CMYK is unable to produce metallic or fluorescent colors.
Fun Fact: Ever wonder, “Why is the color black represented with ‘K’ in CMYK?” It’s from “Key,” the printing term for black ink.
PMS (Pantone Matching System)
Pantone colors are like the haute couture of colors, with Pantone creating their exclusive shades. Printers either purchase or mix to match Pantone’s recipe, offering solid, consistent color, unlike the CMYK dot matrix. This process allows for more options than CMYK, including metallics and fluorescents.
Pantone colors are typically printed as a “spot color.” This means it’s printed during a single run through the printer instead of the multiple runs used for CMYK. The universality of the Pantone color formulas makes them the go-to for branding materials, ensuring that all materials follow brand guidelines, regardless of location.
For digital designers, Pantone also offers a HEX and CMYK color matching system called Pantone Color Bridge.
So, dive into your next project with this color cheat sheet in your back pocket. Remember, whether you’re dazzling eyes on digital screens or creating print masterpieces, every color code has its place and purpose.