What is the Difference Between RGB and CMYK?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between RGB and CMYK color modes lies in their intended usage and color mixing processes. Here are the key differences:
- Usage: RGB is the primary color mode for digital designs, such as web, TV, or phone files, while CMYK is used for printed designs, like T-shirts, flyers, or business cards.
- Color Mixing Process: RGB is an additive color model, where red, green, and blue are the primary colors, and they combine to create white light. On the other hand, CMYK is a subtractive color model, using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks to create colors on the printed surface.
- Primary Colors: In RGB, the primary colors are red, green, and blue, while in CMYK, they are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
- Maximum Color Yield: RGB can produce a wider range of colors compared to CMYK, which has a more limited color gamut.
When working on a design project, it is essential to choose the appropriate color mode depending on the intended use. RGB is best for digital media projects, while CMYK is better for print materials.
Comparative Table: RGB vs CMYK
Here is a table comparing the differences between RGB and CMYK color modes:
Feature | RGB (Red, Green, Blue) | CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) |
---|---|---|
Primary Colors | Red, Green, Blue | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black |
Mixing Process | Additive (light) | Subtractive (pigment) |
Typical Use | Digital designs (web, TV, phone) | Printed designs (T-shirts, flyers, business cards) |
Maximum Color Combinations | 16.7 million colors | 16,000 possibilities |
File Size | Usually smaller | Usually larger |
White Creation | Combining red, green, and blue creates white light | Combining cyan, magenta, and yellow creates black |
Black Creation | Absence of light | Combining cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks |
RGB is best for digital designs and uses light to define colors, while CMYK is best for printing and uses pigment to define colors. RGB has a wider range of colors compared to CMYK, and converting between the two color modes may result in changes to the design's appearance.
Read more:
- Colour vs Color
- Hue vs Color
- Color vs Dye
- Achromatic vs Monochromatic
- Toner vs Ink
- Pigment vs Dye
- CCD vs CMOS
- Adobe Illustrator vs Adobe Photoshop
- Hue vs Saturation
- Blue vs Red
- Colorimetry vs Spectrophotometry
- Offset vs Digital Printing
- Cyan vs Turquoise
- Red vs Blue Light
- Colorimeter vs Spectrophotometer
- Metachromasia vs Metachromatic
- PNG vs JPEG
- Photoshop vs Lightroom
- CMOS vs TTL