Colours

Depending on whether you're designing your own assets for screen or print, it's important to set up your colours correctly. Use RGB for digital assets and CMYK for anything being printed. Use Pantone if you need exact, consistent colours. This is useful for logos or brand elements.

CMYK for printing

All commercial printing is done using CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). Make sure your document and all placed images are in CMYK colour mode, not RGB. Most design programs allow you to convert or export files to CMYK. Do this before sending artwork for print. Different conversions may produce slightly different results. 

CMYK is known as the process colours. 'K' stands for key (black), which adds detail and depth.

RGB for digital assets

Use RGB when designing for screens, such as websites, social media graphics, or digital presentations. RGB is the colour mode used by all screens and has a wider, more vibrant colour range than CMYK. It’s not suitable for printing, so always convert to CMYK before sending artwork to print.

RGB stands for red, green, blue and is based on additive colour mixing.

Pantone colours

If your brand uses a specific colour that must match exactly, use Pantone colours. Pantone inks are mixed separately and provide consistent colour accuracy. They are ideal for logos and brand-critical elements. Pantone colours can only be used in the Litho printing process and can be a more expensive option than CMYK.

Special colour capabilities

The Iridesse digital press in Print Services offers the use of special colours to enhance the finished product:

• white
• gold
• silver
• clear.

Contact our design team if you have any questions about using these colour options.