To know which color system to use when creating any file, you must analyze what its purpose will be. It is not the same if it is going to be published on a digital portal or if it will only be printed.
This is going to be very important when choosing the color system to use to create it. In this article you will see the difference between RGB, CMYK and Pantone systems and you will learn which is the best to print your files.
Differences between RGB, CMYK and Pantone systems
Let’s go by parts. The first thing we have to understand is that there are mainly three models or color systems: RGB, CMYK and Pantone. These three types are based on additive colors, subtractive colors and direct inks.
– He RGB system It is named after the acronyms of the colors it uses: red, green and blue (in English, Red, Green, Blue). They are the colors used on screens, such as those of computers, televisions, mobile phones and tablets.
It is an internationally recognized color mode that is based on additive synthesis, which means that a color can be represented through the addition of the three primary colors of light. That is, mixing and superimposing the three main colors to obtain the desired color.
– He CMYK system is a color mode that uses the subtractive colors used for printing. It is named after the acronym for the colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key -Black-). In fact, they may look familiar to you as they are the colors of the printer cartridges. Because there are four main colors that are used, it is said that it is based on a four-color system or “four-ink printing system.”
They are called subtractive colors because the mixture of the colors cyan, magenta and yellow on a white background results in the color black. However, it is not a pure black, but rather a greenish black.
– He Pantone system It is based on direct inks. It is a system created by the company Pantone Inc., which has defined more than 1,100 colors that are distinguished by a number followed by a letter, which are called solid colors.
This color identification and comparison system is known as PMS system -Pantone Matching System, in Spanish Pantone Matching System. This system allows you to bring Pantone colors to any printer.
The only drawback with this color model is that the options are much smaller than those provided by the CMYK system. However, it is a widely used mode for logos or corporate designs since, as they are standardized colors, it is a way to ensure that the color is the same everywhere.
What is the best color profile for printing?
Now that you know the differences between them, you may be wondering which is the best option for your printing. What you should know is that between RGB and CMYK always CMYK will be better for printing.
Although you should also think about what type of file you want to put on paper. The Pantone system is suitable for certain company identification files, because you make sure they look good.
However, if you are going to print a brochure, a piece of art, or photographs, you should know that the The best option will be CMYK because, in this case, the Pantone system can be limiting in terms of its range of colors.
