Color Settings You Should Know

Knowing which color setting to use when can seem daunting at times. There are many types of color settings over print and digital systems but these are the 4 most common types you should know. With this reference guide, you can know at a glance which color system is best for your print or digital projects.

Pantone

Pantone colors are also referred to as PMS which stands for Pantone Matching System. It is, essentially, premixed inks that are sold to printers to use with their presses for a guaranteed shade match every time. Using Pantone colors can add to the cost of your print projects, but you benefit by having a consistent color every time. This helps keep your brand appearance accurate across many different projects or different printers. The numbers associated with Pantone colors help printers find your color in the PMS catalog.

CMYK

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black). It is also known as 4-color process. It is one of the most common color systems used among printers - especially for large scale projects. It works when images are separated into the 4 colors. Plates are created to screen each color onto the page in a certain percentage strength. The combination of the 4 colors at varying strengths creates the images. You will see a CMYK color shown as 4 different numbers separated by commas. These numbers are always in the order of C-M-Y-K and represent the ink percentages used in the mix.

RGB

RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. This color system is only used for digital images. Each color pixel is illuminated at different intensities to create the colors you see on digital screens. Monitors, TVs, digital cameras, and phone screens use the same technology to show red, green, or blue light at intensity levels between 0 and 255. This color system looks great on screens but does not have the same vibrancy when printed. CMYK color settings add a lot of information to image files which creates larger sized files overall. If you set images to RGB before you save them it will reduce the file size making your website graphics load much faster. But be sure you save a separate CMYK version for printing.

HEX

HEX is shorthand for Hexadecimal color which was created with program coding in mind. It is compatible with web coding and is expressed as a 6-digit code of numbers and letters. These colors appear the same as RGB colors but are expressed in a way that is compatible with HTML. It tells the computer what color to display on your web page or software through the code.

Knowing the basics of color will help you make the best choices for your business branding. Keep this guide handy for a refresher down the road and don't be afraid to reach out and ask questions.