How to define colours of an old logo file

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
May 27, 2021
5 replies
822 views

I received a logo file, but no information of the colour values. The colour values are needed for further work flow. Now, when I use Colour Picker to define the colours in RGB and CMYK, the values are different in Photoshop and Illustrator. Especially RGB varies a lot. How do I get best results?

And when I then change the original tif-file to .ai, what colour profile would be the smartest choice?

The original logo is in CMYK format.

Collaboration

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Correct answer rob day

Thanks for this notice. The clothing designer has to be an expert in converting colours to their own colour system. Otherwise, things get really complicated.

For branding, the source or master color should be Lab—Lab colors are not affected by a device profile so you can get a more accurate conversion of the master Lab color to different CMYK and RGB spaces (sRGB for web). The Pantone Solid ink system swatches are defined as Lab and the printed swatches can be used as a master reference, or you can get instrument read Lab values from paint chips, objects or fabrics. This might help:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/branding-color-guide/td-p/10818696

M

mvainioAuthor

Participant

Thank you for the good replies. The colours will be used in team clothing. Of course it would be nice, that colours in clothing would be about the same as the club's logo in the website etc. The most important thing here is, that the colours are now defined with some values to follow in future.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Will it be used as the colour OF clothing (the fabric colour)? In this case you really need to sit down with the garment manufacturer to discuss colours, you can't just give them an RGB colour.

Or is it designed to be printed on white garments?

M

mvainioAuthor

Participant

Thanks for this notice. The clothing designer has to be an expert in converting colours to their own colour system. Otherwise, things get really complicated.

NB, colourmanagement

Community Expert

I'm presuming this color is going to be printed out of CMYK, not a special / spot color on press?

Colour appearance on-screen is controlled by Adobe applications using the monitor display profile and the document profile.

If your Adobe applications are set up differently, then they may display the same document differently.

The document profile is very important. It's vital to colour communication.

Maybe you're lucky and there's an embedded CMYK icc profile in the document / file you were given. If not, when you open it, Photoshop will normally use the default CMYK (from color settings) as a temporary document profile - That happens even if you select "do not color manage this document" during opening.

What happens when you open a document without an embedded profile or with an embedded profile that doesn't match the default in your color settings depends on how the application was set up.

Without information about the CMYK profile of the original document, you are shooting in the dark.

Presuming SWOP coated CMYK (the old Photoshop default) MIGHT be a good starting place, but you'll have to find a way to get confirmation on correct appearance. Do you have something the client had printed earlier and liked? Try match that.

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management
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Bob_Hallam

Legend

What is the embedded profile in the Original CMYK Illustrator file?

What is your normal CMYK document workflow when opening a CMYK file? Do you convert to the working space or preserve color numbers?

If it's converting to the working space that is the issue. Preserve color numbers just assigns the same CMYK profile and the process should be consistent with the same color values.

ICC programmer and developer, Photographer, artist and color management expert, Print standards and process expert.