{"id":312468,"date":"2025-08-14T21:39:27","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T20:39:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inkbotdesign.com\/?p=312468"},"modified":"2025-12-03T17:13:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T17:13:00","slug":"rgb-vs-cmyk-vs-pantone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inkbotdesign.com\/rgb-vs-cmyk-vs-pantone\/","title":{"rendered":"RGB vs CMYK vs Pantone: Which to Use and When"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

RGB vs CMYK vs Pantone: Which to Use and When<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That electric blue on your screen prints as a dull purple on your business cards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem isn't your designer; it's a fundamental misunderstanding of how colour works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital screens use RGB (Red, Green, Blue) light to create vibrant hues, while printers use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) ink, which has a smaller colour range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For guaranteed consistency, brands like Coca-Cola and Cadbury rely on the Pantone Matching System (PMS), a universal standard for exact ink formulas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide isn't about complex theory. It's a simple framework to help you decide when to use each system so your colour is never wrong again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's Light vs. Ink. That's It.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Forget the acronyms for a second. The entire concept boils down to a straightforward distinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RGB creates colour by <\/strong>adding light<\/em><\/strong>.<\/strong> It\u2019s for screens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CMYK & Pantone create colour by <\/strong>adding ink<\/em><\/strong> that absorbs light.<\/strong> It\u2019s for physical things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s it. That\u2019s 90% of the battle. One is made of light, the other is made of pigment. They will never be the same, just as a photograph of a lamp is not the same as the lamp itself. Understanding this single point is the key to a consistent brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RGB: The Language of Screens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Any colour you see on a monitor, phone, or TV is an RGB colour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rgb<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is RGB, Really?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. It\u2019s an additive<\/em> colour model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of a completely dark room. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you point a red spotlight at a wall, you see red. Add a green spotlight, and the overlapping area becomes yellow. Add a blue spotlight, and the area where all three overlap becomes pure white. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You start with black (no light) and add<\/em> light to create a spectrum of colour<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This process allows for a massive range of colours\u2014approximately 16.7 million. Digital images can have such intense, glowing neons and brilliant blues. They are made of light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When You Absolutely MUST Use RGB<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The rule is simple: if it will only ever be seen through a screen, it must be RGB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n