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Brent21954445hh2y
January 20, 2026
Question

Converting an image created in RGB in Procreate to CMYK in Illustrator for iPad

  • January 20, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 173 views

So all of my designs have been done in RGB in Procreate. But now I have people wanting my designs turned into stickers, tshirts and such. Which I have done some already. The sticker company says it has to be in CMYK. So first I created a CMYK canvas in Procreate and imported the image and the colors look absolutely horrible, not even close. Did some digging and found out Procreate's color conversion isn't good and they're working on it for a future update. So then I decided to export it to Illustrator for iPad, which I'm very unfamiliar with using as of now. So I've exported in in various file formats and they all convert the colors equally, but the CMYK does look much better in Illustrator than in Procreate. I'm just wondering if anyone can tell me the best way to do this and get the color accuracy at least as close as CMYK will allow me to as my original RGB? Any other process that's guaranteed for the best results? Any tips on how to color correct it after it has been imported? Also, I need to import it without a background. I shut the background off on procreate before exporting it. It seems that a png file is the only way I've been able to import and there be no background. Is there a reason that it imports with a background when I do it as either PDF or PSD? Anyone out there that can help me out with any of this, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

2 replies

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Community Expert
Bobby HendersonCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 21, 2026

Given that Procreate is a pixel-based image editing application, why not send the artwork to the iPad version of Photoshop as a layered PSD file? The iPad version of Photoshop is pretty decent and should provide more control over converting the RGB image to CMYK. The Mac/Windows version of Photoshop has even more capabilities; a PSD file can be moved between the iPad version of Photoshop and the desktop version pretty easily.

 

Items like decals often require some vector-based elements, such as a cut path for the decal shape. Illustrator is more necessary for that. A Photoshop PSD file can be placed in Illustrator and a cut path can be drawn around the edge of the artwork.

 

Depending on how sharp the artwork needs to be when printed it may be worth it to re-create certain designs in Illustrator as vector-based artwork. Elements like lettering or other graphics with hard edges will print very sharp and they can be scaled up or down in size without any loss of quality. If the print devices or RIP applications the shop is using have an Adobe certified PDF print engine they'll output gradients and other effects from Illustrator very smoothly.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 20, 2026

Can you show examples of the colors you want to convert that do not work?

Would be best to share a PNG exported from Procreate.

 

B
Brent21954445hh2yAuthor
January 20, 2026

So here's 3 files. The brightest is an RGB from procreate. The dullest one is the CMYK from procreate. And the other is a CMYK from Illustrstor for iPad. Which it's not too bad. The bottom half of the image, the colors seem fairly close with the red, hot pink, orange, yellow. The upper half bothers me. The darker blue at the top is too dark compared to the original and you don't really see the color gradients as much from that to a lighter blue to a teal to a light green to the brighter fluorescent greenish color. I realize they're gonna be duller than RGB, but was hoping to get the colors as close as possible and vibrant as possible. I know I've seen plenty of stickers that have vibrant colors in them. And I'm just not very familiar with Illustrstor. To make any adjustments or know if there any other tricks. And I'm not sure if Illustrstor for iPad would be any different that Illustrstor for desktop or if photoshop could do anything better, but I don't have a desktop computer, just the iPad. 

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 21, 2026

You will continue to have issues with that blue color.
If possible, here's what I would do.
I hope you have the gradient and the black shapes on different layers in Procreate.
Then send only the black shapes to Illustrator (or Photoshop)
Convert the file to CMYK (or just place it into a CMYK file)
Create a new gradient, which will be CMYK from the beginning and adjust it.

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