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maliniraopc
Participating Frequently
May 7, 2021
Answered

RGB colors look the same as CMYK

  • May 7, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 4021 views

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm facing a weird issue in Adobe Illustrator.
I converted my RGB logo design files into CMYK and then back to RGB.

Somehow the old RGB colors can't be seen and all I see are CMYK colors, never faced this before.

Am I missing something here? I have not changed any other settings.
Thank you!

Malini

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Jacob Bugge

    Ah I see!

    So what's the best way to package print files for clients? I tried "managing" CMYK colors as close to RGB colors but I guess it's still different.


    Malini,

     

    "I tried "managing" CMYK colors as close to RGB colors but I guess it's still different."

     

    It is inevitably different, but it is the best you can do.

     

    Unless you choose to do what is/was done at least by some, namely to start out in CMYK if that is the main/most important delivery, and then create an RGB version for screen/web use that is as close as possible to the CMYK version for consistent appearance.

     

    2 replies

    marliton
    Community Expert
    marlitonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 15, 2021

    Hi. That's normal. When you convert from RGB to CMYK some colors will be changed (because of gamut differences) and that colors will not be recovered when you convert again from RGB to CMYK.

     

    Marlon Ceballos
      M
      maliniraopcAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      May 17, 2021

      Thank you Marlon, really helpful.

      Jacob Bugge
      Community Expert
      Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      May 7, 2021

      Malini,

       

      As I (mis)understand it, this is what happens: you get new RGB values.

       

      You start out with the brightness and large gamut of RGB. Then you convert the RGB to CMYK which can only give you a duller appearance within the smaller gamut of CMYK, and this is a real change. Then you convert that duller appearance within the smaller gamut to RGB, but such a conversion can never go beyond the new limited version so you are stuck with the part of the RGB gamut that corresponds to (that part of) the CMYK gamut.

       

      In other words: there is no real way back to RGB from CMYK.

       

      Apart from that, RGB and CMYK are fundamentally different.

       

        M
        maliniraopcAuthor
        Participating Frequently
        May 15, 2021

        Thank you Jacob!

        I did notice the two RGB versions were different but didn't know why!

        Appreciate your help, cheers!

        Jacob Bugge
        Community Expert
        Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        May 15, 2021

        You are welcome, Malini.

         

        A(nother) somewhat related curiosity you may encounter elsewhere in your workflow if you prepare artwork for high quality (CMYK) printing by carefully adapting the colours to best (colour managed) use of the smaller (and duller) gamut, you may be in for a scare if you

        run a test print on a simple office printer:

         

        Such a printer is built to receive and work with RGB colours through its own inbuilt conversion to CMYK, so if you give it CMYK colours (however carefully chosen) it simply has to start by converting them to an uncontrollable set of RGB colours through another inbuilt conversion, in order to produce the CMYK inks on the paper.

         

        This double conversion inevitably leads to an even duller and most likely muddier representation of your artwork, quite different from the one obtained through genuine CMYK printing.

         

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