Research into CMYK and RGB

CMYK versus RGB color spectrum

Whereas monitors emit light, inked paper absorbs or reflects specific wavelengths. Cyan, magenta and yellow pigments serve as filters, subtracting varying degrees of red, green and blue from white light to produce a selective gamut of spectral colors. Like monitors, printing inks also produce a color gamut that is only a subset of the visible spectrum, although the range is not the same for both. Consequently, the same art displayed on a computer monitor may not match to that printed in a publication. Also, because printing processes such as offset lithography use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) inks, digital art must be converted to CMYK color for print. Some printers prefer digital art files be supplied in the RGB color space with ICC profiles attached. Images can then be converted to the CMYK color space by the printer using color management methods that honor profiles if present; this helps preserve the best possible detail and vibrancy.

As a designer, it is essential to know when to use RGB vs CMYK – CMYK: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (In the printing press days when plates were being used the black plate was typically call the “key” plate because it carried the important key information relating to the artistic detail.), and  RGB: red, green, blue colors on projects. A good rule of thumb is anything dealing with the web should always be in RGB and printed material should be in CMYK. But very few designers and clients know why this is the standard.

Here’s why…

Back in the printing press days, to achieve color, each ink (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) had its own plate. First the printer would lay down one color, wait for it to dry, lay down another color, wait for it to dry and so on. Printing presses still work on that same theory to this day with the exception that offset printers can use a “spot” color which can be added to achieve a specific color swatch (usually a Pantone color). As the printing age has progressed, the digital printer has come a long way, allowing to print in RGB as well. But the standard still stays the same – use CMYK on all printing needs, as the color will appear differently if printed in RGB.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICES

On the other end, computer monitors give off colored light known as RGB (CMYK is colored ink). Computer monitors have a larger color gamut than printing, which is why a computer can display a million more colors than what can be achieved with printing. Printing deals with absorption and reflection of wavelengths of which we perceive as color (CMYK). Printing also has its own limited color gamut. A lot of times customers will note that something looked different on screen than it does on paper and it is because of the different color ranges that computer monitors and printing allows.

To go into further depth, RGB colors are also known as “additive color”, because there are no colors and the colors are being added together to achieve further colors or until the outcome is white (look at the color chart image directly below, the inside color is white because it is all the colors added together). This is because our eyes receive no reflected light and they perceive the color to be black. However, when you add portions of red + green + blue the outcome is the CMYK colors as shown below.

RGB Colors

RGB COLORS ARE ADDITIVE

While in return, subtract cyan – magenta – yellow – black and you will get the RGB colors. CMYK colors are subtractive for this very reason that it starts with all colors and when colors are subtracted the outcome is white (see below color swatch, the inside color is black). This is because the colors absorb the light.

CMYK Colors

CMYK COLORS ARE SUBTRACTIVE

To further summarize what has been discussed, when it comes to deciding to use RGB vs CMYK, first figure out what the output will be. If the output will be on a computer monitor then RGB is the way to go. If the piece will be printed, CMYK is usually the standard and the best option. Thats all there is to it when it comes to using RGB vs CMYK colors on your projects, please feel free to join the discussion below. We’d love to hear from you

When comparing CMYK and RGB, most designers know which to use and when, however they rarely know why. As RGB and CMYK have varying colour gamuts, if you were to print in RBG, then the colours would print out differently than to how the design looks on the screen. Therefore CMYK is purposely used within print and RGB is used within digital and screen based design. RGB is known as additive, as to make colours, they are added together, whereas CMYK is known as subtractive, as to create different colours, they need to be taken away. 

Dr Me Talk

Dr Me are a duo who graduated together and decided to set up their own studio, their name is an acronym of both of their initials. They mainly prefer to make stuff by hand, specifically collage. Recently they undertook a project where they made 365 collages for each day of the year, then went to sell them on. Names they told us to look into were, Pentagram, Neasden Control Centre, Mike Perry. They recently produced a book called Cut That Out, which explores several different designers and studios who use collage for innovative solutions to design.

Study Task 01 - Interventions

In our video we firstly tested diversions, in our studio space, to see if people would go around the diversion or take their way through the diversion. It would also make people pause or stop as they thought about how to get around, as there was a sudden change in their surroundings. This was explored through taping up one side of the door, therefore people would either have to walk under or through the tape, or open the opposite door to go around. This would show if people saw danger or a reason in the diversion or whether they would be ignorant towards it, and lazy as they just took the easier route. Secondly, we again, were trying to create a diversion by creating a sense of danger, we taped rectangles with a cross through the middle onto the floor, to see if people would walk around them, we also placed a green arrow directing the route with which people should take, creating a diverted pathway across the floor, this experiment was carried out within the city centre down Briggate street, in the arcade. Finally our third idea was to create a connection, we were testing wether people would walk across a connecting system across a road, that they hadn't seen their previously. Between two pavements we created a zebra crossing, creating a safe pathway between a road, to see if people would walk around and divert it or walk along it. The basis of the whole experiment was to see if they were paying attention to their surroundings, and existing and new sign systems. 

In our first intervention we used rectangles with a diagonal line through to show danger, to see if they would move away from the danger. However nearly every ember of the public chose to ignore the sign, and continued to walk over it. After analysing Frutiger's idea of symbols, when the square is elongated into a rectangle, it is no longer as symbolic, only when two squares are joined does the rectangle regain meaning and authority. To do it again, if we placed the tape down in a square, and then place the square on it's side therefore it becomes oblique it then gains intention. When placing the arrow, Frutiger says that a vertical line sows clearer expressions, therefore using both vertical and horizontal would be confusing. If we used a cross within the box, Frutiger says that this would lead to a protective gesture, therefore stating that the area is protected an shouldn't be walked upon. 

In our second intervention we used lines to create a diversions. Horizontal lines provide a better subconscious reaction the vertical lines. Similarly to our third intervention, we used horizontal lines to create a zebra crossing. The horizontal lines are better to be used in a danger zone, as we are more likely to see them in our peripheral vision, therefore it is safer to use this across a road. Although people chose to not walk across it anyway. Vertically parallel lines actually draw attention away from the sign, therefore in would probably have been more effective to only use horizontal lines close together within our second intervention. 

In evaluation when within our first intervention, a triangle would have been more appropriate as Frutiger says that a triangle with the apex at the bottom of the shape, causes a sense of alarm. Therefore it may have caused more people to react to it then they would have read the sign and avoided it instead of walking across. The second intervention was successful, which shows placing something at eye level, and using Frutiger's analysis of horizontal line shows that subconsciously people pay more attention. Also making something physical causes people to stop an pause as they can't physically get around it and it forces them to look and take notice. When placing signs and symbol on the floor, people pay no attention, they don't take care where they walk, as it is not in their immediate view, it's not on their radar. When watching our videos, it was taken note, that children interact with physical signs and symbols when they are placed at their eye level. It was also said that because people take the same route, some every day, when something changers, they either don't take note or they get annoyed and choose to ignore it, in our fast paced lives people don't want to take diversions or pay attention, they think they know best. 

Here I have applied Frutiger's analogy that an upside down triangle with the apex facing down, causes alarm in people, therefore it is used in road and traffic signs which need to be seen instantly and provoke an instant reaction. Also red is the colour associated with danger along with yellow, therefore this will cause more attention than say a square or a circle. 

Video Intervention In Progress

Below is our second intervention, we blocked one side of the door with horizontal and vertical strips of tape, again whilst in the process of creating the diversion, we were a diversion ourselves and we were getting into people's way. Therefore once again it shows that people exist as a form of way finding, we can direct people, it doesn't always have to be stuck upon a wall, it can be something physical and interactive. 

Our first idea was to place an arrow, showing which direction the flow of people should move in, however we were told that this was obstructing a public pathway, and were told to move. Which shows that we were in fact creating an intervention using ourselves, people can be a form of a sign system. 

Two Point Wayfinding Book Analysis

This book by TwoPoints.net discusses the different approaches to contemporary way finding systems, using innovative and interesting techniques, a mixture of both objective and subjective approaches and a range of designers from all over the world. Reading this book gave way to some interesting techniques and conceptual approaches that are relevant and that I can apply to my own sign system. Specifically so the temporary systems I found and the views of Paula Scher from pentagram at the beginning give another opinion and contradicting view on what sign systems functionality should be. Compared to the views of those such as, Van Toorn and Wim Crouwel, Frutiger, Mjkensasar and Experimental Jetset. 

In an interview, Paula Scher a designer for Pentagram gives her views on the functionality of a signage system, she believes that a signage system can be extremley versatile, she says that a sign system doesn't necessarily have to be purely functional, it can be motivational , exciting,  engaging and informative, each individually or all together. Which contradicts the view of Wim Crouwel within the heated debate as he believes that design should only be functional and no excitement or personality should be added into the design process.

This system designed for Senzoku Gakuen music college, designed by Teradadesign Architects, uses pure use of different colour combinations to produce a engaging and inspirational environment for creative people to study in. This use of colour injects personality into the space, and the colour becomes a subjective sign system, therefore agreeing with the ideas of the likes of Experimental Jetset and Van Toorn, who believe that aesthetic responsibilities are more important that function, therefore in a environment where creativity is needed, following Paula Scher's idea that a sign system can be motivational.

Pantone Booklet - Pantone Your Street Photographs

Below are a series of photographs that I took in response to the Pantone your street brief. I tried to find interesting colour swatches within the real world, on the side of walls, streets, buildings and the roads. During this process I really immersed myself in the inspiration that is all around us, I found and saw colours that I never would have seen or bothered to look for before.

On this photo the colour of the bins really excited me, as they looked like a Pantone swatch in themselves, as they are all varying shades of the same tone. I knew as soon as I saw this that this was the photo I was going to use, the primary colours of red, yellow and blue contrasted against the colours of nature around really interested me, a mixture of man made and nature.

Here the colour of the rubbish interested me, as within the dull, low saturated colours of the building which seems quite dark and grungy, then the blue of the rubbish bag just adds a completely different colour and it contrasts completely against the other colours.

This is a photo of student accomodation, I loved how all the tertiary colours were placed within this frame. purple, orange and green, however in the end I didn't think their were enough interesting colours to swatch from, as the wall and ground take up most of the picture.

Pantone Booklet - Colour Swatches

 The colours that are found within the photograph are all quite muted and grey toned, as it is a picture taken outside, they are all colours that you would associate with nature. The two brightest colours are #66C4D5 and #D4CFCF, when placing these next to each other they contrast against the grey toned colours. When the colours are placed in an analogous order, they seem more pleasing and harmonious to the eye. However as colour is subjective , when the placed complementary, I feel that #B69130 and #166D76 work really well together, as because the have grey tones, due to low saturation they aren't too far away from each other and are created from two primary colours. When relating back to Albers’ ‘Homage to the Square’, where analogous colours have been placed it creates a sense of depth, lightness and darkness, the darker colours look further back, it creates a depth of field. When #D4CFCF and #BAC2CC have been placed next to each other, the colours are too similar to use within a design, as it’s better for two colours to contrast. In conclusion I feel the most successful colour combinations are those when they are placed in analogous order.