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matthewjack13
matthewjack13
Participant
August 27, 2018
Answered

Photoshop CMYK

  • August 27, 2018
  • 4 replies
  • 1222 views

Hello,

So I'm working on some images that I would like to eventually print (no serious projects right now just printing to experiment). I was told to work in CMYK mode whenever you are wanting to print. However, I have started to color my images and my yellow in CMYK mode is not a true yellow, it comes out green.

This is my first time ever working in CMYK mode so I am uncertain of a lot of things. I've looked everywhere to see if there is a fix or if this is normal. I am working in Photoshop CS6. The mode of the image says this on the title bar, "(Base Color, CMYK/8/CMYK)*" Unsure is that helps anything.

I know it's not my screen because if I were to color in the RGB mode yellow appears yellow.

Is this something of CMYK I am not aware of or is there a possibility of my settings are off somewhere? If I try a different colors, generally the more closer I get to primary colors, it looks like there is a tiny muted/grayish tone to it.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer G_Hoffmann

#1:

"CMYK is for commercial offset print only, and requires that you use the correct CMYK profile

for the press/paper/ink.

Inkjet printers are RGB devices that expect RGB data. The printer driver converts to whatever

inks the printer is equipped with (usually more than C, M, Y and K)."

Also referring to #3.

Dag,

based on a general appreciation of your posts here, I have to disagree with the state-

ments above:

CMYK is not only used for Offset Printing, but also for Digital Printing:

http://www.book-on-demand.de/

http://www.book-on-demand.de/sites/default/files/Checkliste_Buchherstellung_0_1.pdf

p.2: PDF, Color space CMYK, "ISO Coated v2"

Data in RGB spaces or Gray spaces will be converted by the company.

___________________________________________________________________

In my opinion, a PDF for a book or a brochure should be prepared entirely in CMYK.

This guarantees very reliable proof printing by inkjet, a striking argument for using

print ready PDFs.

My inkjet Epson Stylus Pro 7890 is calibrated using CMYK targets and accepts via

RIP any data, used for poster printing and proof printing.

My PDFs with mathematical content contain illustrations in RGB, CMYK or both,

depending on the purpose.

Many of these illustrations, especially diagrams,  are entirely programmed in CMYK

using PostScript. This guarantees stroke colors with only one or two inks, thus avoiding

the probability of severe misregistration and of rich black for mathematical vector

graphics (as found even in books about Color Science).

My toner printers OKI C9600 are calibrated by CMYK targets as well and accept PDFs

with RGB, CMYK and Grayscale ingredients.

Best regards  --Gernot Hoffmann

4 replies

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
August 27, 2018

There's a lot to learn, but we are here to help...

matthewjack13
matthewjack13Author
Participant
August 27, 2018

Thank you all for the helpful information. Luckily the layers I use to color weren't permamnt so I can change the color profile without any error.

I'll start working in RGB and do more research into when I really need CMYK for printing purposes. I was also unaware that there are different profiles too, I'll make sure to do proper research here on out. This was my first attempt at starting something "professional" and I just wanted to make sure I was getting everything correct from the beginning.

Thank you all, I really appreciate it.

    T
    Test Screen Name
    Legend
    August 27, 2018

    This is bad advice (the original advice, not D Fosse's excellent reply). To work in CMYK you NEED TO KNOW WHICH CMYK. If nobody can tell you, don't start. In fact, it's generally better to work in RGB and convert at the end if you have to. Learn to use gamut warnings though.

    Another way to think of CMYK: it means your picture is made with a mixture of cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks. Different brands of ink are different colours, so the same CMYK value can look quite different with a different brand of inks. In your settings you need to allow for the actual brand. (An ICC profile is how you do this).

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      August 27, 2018

      A fairly academic addendum: For a limited range of artwork it might makes sense to work in CMYK even without knowing the actual print condition, for example if one has to combine pure black linework with more or less 100% primaries or secondaries – like a 0/100/100/0-red.

        D Fosse
        Community Expert
        D FosseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        August 27, 2018

        CMYK is for commercial offset print only, and requires that you use the correct CMYK profile for the press/paper/ink.

        Inkjet printers are RGB devices that expect RGB data. The printer driver converts to whatever inks the printer is equipped with (usually more than C, M, Y and K).

        Most CMYK profiles have a narrower color gamut than most RGB profiles, and more importantly, the primaries are shifted 60 degrees. The closer you are to a primary RGB color, the less chances that color is reproducible in any given CMYK profile.

          G
          G_HoffmannCorrect answer
          Inspiring
          August 27, 2018

          #1:

          "CMYK is for commercial offset print only, and requires that you use the correct CMYK profile

          for the press/paper/ink.

          Inkjet printers are RGB devices that expect RGB data. The printer driver converts to whatever

          inks the printer is equipped with (usually more than C, M, Y and K)."

          Also referring to #3.

          Dag,

          based on a general appreciation of your posts here, I have to disagree with the state-

          ments above:

          CMYK is not only used for Offset Printing, but also for Digital Printing:

          http://www.book-on-demand.de/

          http://www.book-on-demand.de/sites/default/files/Checkliste_Buchherstellung_0_1.pdf

          p.2: PDF, Color space CMYK, "ISO Coated v2"

          Data in RGB spaces or Gray spaces will be converted by the company.

          ___________________________________________________________________

          In my opinion, a PDF for a book or a brochure should be prepared entirely in CMYK.

          This guarantees very reliable proof printing by inkjet, a striking argument for using

          print ready PDFs.

          My inkjet Epson Stylus Pro 7890 is calibrated using CMYK targets and accepts via

          RIP any data, used for poster printing and proof printing.

          My PDFs with mathematical content contain illustrations in RGB, CMYK or both,

          depending on the purpose.

          Many of these illustrations, especially diagrams,  are entirely programmed in CMYK

          using PostScript. This guarantees stroke colors with only one or two inks, thus avoiding

          the probability of severe misregistration and of rich black for mathematical vector

          graphics (as found even in books about Color Science).

          My toner printers OKI C9600 are calibrated by CMYK targets as well and accept PDFs

          with RGB, CMYK and Grayscale ingredients.

          Best regards  --Gernot Hoffmann

            D Fosse
            Community Expert
            D FosseCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            August 27, 2018

            Fair enough, Gernot   It was a broad generalization.

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