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Trellat
Trellat
Inspiring
June 18, 2024
Answered

Color doesn't match between CMYK/RGB mode document

  • June 18, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 682 views

Hi folks, first time for a while here!

I've just realized something that annois me, and it probably happens for years and years :S

 

I created a CMYK document and work with several colors on it, this are the blue color results:

 

But when I switch that document to RGB mode, just to export the assets, the color changes:

Am I doing something wrong? What I should do to work always with same colors? Should I work with two different files, each one with a different color mode, to manage the wanted color in each moment?

 

Thanks in advance!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Monika Gause

You need to work with 2 different files, yes. Or just export to RGB color mode and live with whatever result color management will give oyou.

An Illustrator document can only have one color mode.

2 replies

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 18, 2024

Some colors cannot be reproduced, an ink like cyan cannot be correctly reproduced in sRGB, but may have a match in Adobe RGB.

Trellat
TrellatAuthor
Inspiring
June 26, 2024

Hi Ton, thanks for your response.

I knew how colors work, what I thought was that Illustrator maintained the color values despite changing color mode of the document.

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 26, 2024

It is almost impossible to keep color values the same when converting between color modes.

Even when a color can be reproduced in RGB as well as CMYK. When converting  from CMYK, the color wil first be converted from 4 color components to a 3 color component device independent CIE color space and then to 3 color RGB components.

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    June 18, 2024

    You need to work with 2 different files, yes. Or just export to RGB color mode and live with whatever result color management will give oyou.

    An Illustrator document can only have one color mode.

      Trellat
      TrellatAuthor
      Inspiring
      June 26, 2024

      Hi Monika,

      thanks for your answer. I didn't know about this behavior... :S

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