What is the difference between RGB printing and CMYK printing?
In the planning stages of your product packaging, you may hear these terms quite a lot. As we know, it’s important to create a strong brand identity to stand out in the booming cannabis market. You can do this through your packaging and branding. To understand how to create the perfect packaging, you’ll need to understand the process a little more, in particular, the printing styles to ensure the best presentation of your product. So, what exactly is the difference between RGB and CMYK printing?
RGB and CMYK refer to colors. RGB being red, green, and blue. CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Without understanding the difference between these two processes you could end up with a printed design that looks different than your digital version.
How is the process different?
RGB is an additive process - which means that to create other colors in the spectrum, an RGB model will add red, green, and blue in varying amounts to create the desired color. It uses white as a base to combine all the primary colors and sees black as the absence of light. RGB is what we commonly see on digital screens.
On the other hand, CMYK is a subtractive process and is what printers often use to create colors on physical materials. This process sees white as the natural color of the print and black as the combination of colors. This process means that varying amounts of cyan, magenta, yellow and black are used to remove reflected colors to create the other colors on the spectrum. Essentially, RGB is used on digital displays as a method of creating color, whereas CMYK uses pigments or inks to create a physical product, which is why there is sometimes a color shift. The color conversion from RGB to CMYK isn’t always perfect, and blacks can appear too rich.
Generally, the RGB method provides a wider scope of possibilities and more color varieties, when using this method for printing you can convert your file to a CMYK format to ensure that the product design meets your expectations during printing.
A good designer or printing company should be able to help you out with this, with advances in technology these days there’s no reason that you should be disappointed with your design when it goes to print. Most printing companies will automatically convert your design to fit the CYMK model, though it’s best to check before you pay out and end up with a product that doesn’t fit your brand identity.
Recommendations
The process of understanding printing and color theory isn’t always black and white. It’s recommended that you work with a designer to create the branding for your packaging to avoid any disappointment. This will really help you create a strong brand identity and help you stand out, as the designer can create something eye-catching and tailor it to the packaging you’ll be using on your product. Of course, it’s also a good idea to get a sample from the printer before you place your order, to ensure you’re happy with the color conversion.
To ensure the best product presentation, do not hesitate to contact us for any cannabis packaging-related inquiries, and we’ll be more than happy to help.
