Problem with purple colour in print

[szilvia3194569216sl]

I'm helping out on a website project for our school, using mainly a colour scheme with 3 colours for different sections. When it comes saving in PDF or printing, the purple colour becomes dark blue.

As it's a web project I started in RGB mode, but since i do have to print to present i now experimenting in CMYK mode as well, not to avail.

Anyone could offer me a similar purple colour that exists in both screen and print mode, or doesn't differ that much? Or 3 colours of orange/green/purple that harmonise?

Colours i'm using:

in RGB:

Orange - 234, 154, 37

Green - 138, 204, 103

Purple - 106, 83, 187

in CMYK:

Orange - 0, 48, 82, 0

Green - 52, 0, 73, 0

Purple - 70, 62, 0, 0

I also have a problem that i can't print in A3 size directly from Illustrator? Anyone experienced it? In order to set the page size, you have to leave Illustrator's print dialogue window to move onto the operational windiw of the printer, and it still prints only in A4...

thank you in advance

[Jacob Bugge]

Szilvia,

You can:

1) Open both the RGB colour mode document and the CMYK colour mode document and create a rectangle with the purple colour in the same place;

2) In the CMYK document, adjust the C(yan) and M(agenta) values a bit (you can start with the original C = 70 and start by raising to M = 74), then switch back and forth between them (using Window) for comparison;

As an addition/other approach, you can:

3) Look at the HSB value in the RGB document and change (a copy of) the current rectangle in the CMYK document to have the same HSB value;

When you have obtained a least worst match, you can adjust the purple in the RGB document, or leave things with the best/original appearance on screen and a tolerable appearance in print.

[szilvia3194569216sl]

thank you, i'll give it a go

[Jacob Bugge]

You are welcome, Szilvia. I hope you will share your findings.

You can also share screenshots of attempts/outcomes, preferably directly visible by using the Insert Photo button (looks like moon over mountains) at the top of the reply box, rather than attaching which will require the opening of a new Tab.

[Jacob Bugge]

Szilvia,

Concerning the A3 problem, have you set the Artboard Size to A3 in the File>Document setup for the CMYK document, or what happens if you do?

[Jacob Bugge]

Szilvia,

Yours is a widespread issue, caused by the difference in range of colours obtainable with RGB and CMYK (called gamut), RGB being wider and containing brighter and more vivid colours which can only be (more or less) transferred to print by using an extended number of inks, beyond the C, M, Y, and C, in normal/simple printers.

The issue tends to create disappointment (in addition to inconsistency) when seeing the printed version.

A simple way to avoid it is to start in CMYK whenever print is part of the outcome, and then create a least worst RGB version for web/screen use, but that can also be a disappointment, given the full options.

Often the issue is far worse/more disappointing than in your purple case.