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CMYK first or RGB first!

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#1 lizonil

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Posted 19 September 2013 - 07:38 AM

I have always designed in RGB and then converted to CMYK... until now.

Now I design in CMYK and upload in RGB web view. I then convert a set of files to RGB if I win so that the client has both. I was interested in what others do... especially to save time!

#2 lien

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Posted 19 September 2013 - 10:22 AM

Well, RGB has web based colors, which will change when you print.
In early stage with photoshop (which normally uses RGB as default), i used RGB for everything.
Now, on the other hand, I am more careful when starting up the program as to pick RGB or CMYK, depending on what I am creating.
Converting colors from RGB to CMYK would change the colors and they would look more saturated in a way, which i dislike. So I rather start with CMYK if thats the color mode i am going to use, so I don't need to change every color manually to the colors i want after converting.
When it comes to saving I usually just save it the same mode as i work in, so the client knows what he will get.
Well, that's my way to work!

#3 lizonil

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Posted 19 September 2013 - 03:04 PM

Yes, you sound like me. I did everything in RGB but now start off in CMYK and just save a copy for web in a gif to put on here for the client to view online. Unless they only want something for the web... which is so much easier! Thanks for reply, was interested to know how others worked. Liz : )

#4 sharie

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Posted 19 September 2013 - 03:42 PM

I have always created cmyk first, this shows the client what print will look like it is easier to show cmyk first so the client doesn't have that false sense of bright or neon colors they may fall in love with, I then convert or create the rgb : )

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#5 AvramB

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Posted 19 September 2013 - 08:07 PM

I always create CMYK first and then convert in RGB. CMYK has "smaller range" of colors and always can be presented in RGB mode. But if you make something in RBG ,in the original, it will look great on monitor, but some colors range which exist in RGB mode can not be correctly presented in CMYK mode. (So client will have problem,with missed color tone, when he/she try to print it on printer or any other maschine, almost every maschine works on CMYK color mod.)

#6 HerbertNordal

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Posted 26 September 2013 - 11:22 PM

My background is print. I work in CMYK by default. When working with paying clients on real logos, I work in CMYK (mode) and use the PMS coated spot ink color pallet. When working in PMS inks, I avoid mixed gradients and filters. The PMS colors can often be turned to CMYK if required.
Color matching is a lot easier downstream when printing, silkscreening, embroidering etc. Picky clients want exact color matching if possible. If the client has a Corporate Color, color matching mistakes will be blamed on the designer unless a color matching system is used. Converting RGB to CMYK and back again can lead to all kinds of problems. (They want their bright red logo to to be exactly the same, no matter what the medium).
For preview, web and contest work, exported PNG files are RGB and work well.
If your work is "Web Only" and will never be used in magazine ads, packaging, brochures, T-shirts etc., then you can work straight RGB.

I hope this helps, thanks
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#7 lizonil

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Posted 27 September 2013 - 08:30 AM

Thanks Herbert that is very helpful. I now only work in CMYK and send in a RGB web preview gif for viewing on screen. I am using the PMS coated spot ink colour pallet too. I hadn't thought of saving to png to be honest. The only time I use RGB now is for web banners as I know these will not be printed out... well I hope so. I always tell the client that they are too low in resolution and the colour will be wrong, but sometimes that goes unheard! What about digital printing? I have been designing posters every month for a DJ for the last year, I always send them to the printer in RGB as a PDF and they come back perfect. Is that because they are printed digitally or is it the PDF? It always confuses me, I send my clients a 300 dpi RGB file as well as CMYK, for digital printing... not PDF, jpgs and pngs. Is that not necessary? What do you think? Thanks again for your reply. Kind regards, Liz

#8 HerbertNordal

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Posted 27 September 2013 - 03:22 PM

Hi liz,
Digital printing is the future of print. Most of it is based on expensive proprietary toner systems. Some even have spot color. It is best to check with the printer to see what they prefer. They will preflight your files to look for problems. The calibrated Raster Image Processors (RIPS) can do remarkable conversions from RGB. They may prefer to convert RGB to CMYK for their system. Digital presses near me are doing T-shirts, menus and lots of other short run work. Prepress setup without film or plates greatly reduces costs. The toner is expensive, keeping short runs the most cost effective.

There are a lot of big inkjet presses on the horizon. If inkjet inks become generic (inexpensive) and not proprietary, conventional printing will be challenged.

The marketing departments of big companies seem to like digital printing. Instead of printing whole catalogs of old, they can print just a handful of spec sheets and product brochures as needed.

Some digital printing is good enough for the most demanding clients in the fashion, food, cosmetics and furniture industries. Those are business where a very subtle tonal shift can make or break a deal (green meat). Photographers that work in those fields are under the extreme pressure of demanding buyers. So are their printers.

Thanks again, I hope this helps...

#9 KOKONGlogo

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Posted 30 September 2013 - 01:38 AM

for me RGB

#10 Jaraigo

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Posted 30 September 2013 - 05:32 AM

It is alway eseaier and safer to work on cmyk first and then convert to rgb

#11 ChrisG

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Posted 30 September 2013 - 08:48 PM

I think CMYK for printing works, RGB for web...

#12 Keysoft

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Posted 04 October 2013 - 05:37 PM

Always use CMYK color mode for printing purpose i.e. logo, business card , letterhead, any printing material and RGB color mode for Website, All web Purpose.

#13 aur3lDESIGN

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Posted 10 October 2013 - 11:52 PM

I agree keysoft

#14 lizonil

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Posted 11 October 2013 - 09:22 AM

Yes of course, but do you design in CMYK first. I have had clients that say they want stuff just for web, so I have designed it in RGB as you do... but later on they say they want to print it out on press! Trying to match the colours is a nightmare if you go from RGB to CMYK. So I have learnt my lesson and design everything in CMYK and convert to RGB for screen and web. Converting from CMYK to RGB is a doddle, but the other way around... with bright colours... a bit a nightmare! Try it!

#15 GJR

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Posted 11 October 2013 - 10:50 AM

Always CMYK first.

It can be impossible to convert properly to CMYK from RGB - CMYK does not have the colour depth of RGB.

The problem comes when people do it the other way around and the CH sees something nice and bright and shiny and thinks I want that!

#16 HappyGD

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Posted 11 October 2013 - 06:38 PM

Assuming we're working in Illustrator... It is technically fine to work in RGB before converting to CMYK as long as you are aware of where colour shifts occur and how to adjust them when needed. To see the colour shifts in real-time, go to View>Proof Setup>Customize, then under the Device to Simulate drop-down menu choose one of the CMYK profiles (US Web Coated, Sheetfed, etc), and then check the preview button.

But in Illustrator, as mentioned, it is more practical to work in CMYK mode to begin with. In Photoshop however, working in RGB first does have more advantages

#17 HerbertNordal

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Posted 11 October 2013 - 07:46 PM

You pretty much need to work in Illustrator for vector based logos. In the not-to-distant future, I suppose we will all be working in some form of Photostrator. :) Many early Photoshop filters only worked in RGB and were grayed out (unavailable) in CMYK. People developed all kinds of work habits.

Just remember this, when color matching reaches a MAJOR FAIL, the blame falls on the designer. Clients expect colors to match across the print spectrum, not so much from monitor to monitor. If you start from the beginning, using a matching color system, you will not get call from a client wanting you to pay for the re-run of his latest print job.
Thanks

#18 HappyGD

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Posted 11 October 2013 - 08:48 PM

You pretty much need to work in Illustrator for vector based logos. In the not-to-distant future, I suppose we will all be working in some form of Photostrator. :) Many early Photoshop filters only worked in RGB and were grayed out (unavailable) in CMYK. People developed all kinds of work habits.

Just remember this, when color matching reaches a MAJOR FAIL, the blame falls on the designer. Clients expect colors to match across the print spectrum, not so much from monitor to monitor. If you start from the beginning, using a matching color system, you will not get call from a client wanting you to pay for the re-run of his latest print job.
Thanks

A good understanding of color profiles and management can eliminate angry-calling clients :)

#19 GJR

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Posted 11 October 2013 - 09:47 PM

A good understanding of color profiles and management can eliminate angry-calling clients :)


Haha, You're unintentionally sending out subliminal messages HappyGD - Is it wrong that all I saw was the last 4 words of your post?

#20 DatPiEnGi

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Posted 13 October 2013 - 04:09 PM

Using neither CMYK nor RGB profile is always an issue... Only when you are already making money out of it. But before, when we were on the position of other people who just see an image or illustrated design as a bunch of colorful materials only to brighten their eyes we don't know what is RGB and CMYK coloring profile right?

So because we are dealing with it, we need to understand it. How to work with it to make design for web or for print. which is which is depend on the projects that we need to deal with.

RGB is more simple rather than CMYK. why? Because Every time we use the PC to make a lay-out, we're actually dealing with RGB. And when were posting it through media we can still deal with RGB. No one will blame you.

But when you started to deal with a project which you need to do some printings. Here comes the CMYK issues.. :) you need to learn the channel, color separation, Leave-out, wet printing process and etc...

So for me whether we like it or not, we need to learn it and deal with it.

specially now that we are a part of a worldwide designers pool. For us, for the Designconest.com, and for the contest holder's we need to be better. ;)





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