The kind of graphics I do are used for a web site and also for printing with a Roland Versacamm wide format printer.
My question is for graphics for a web site do you design in RGB colors and when you design for printing are you using CMYK colors.
Or are you using one type of color over the other for both purposes?
Thanks Jimmy
We had a long discussion about this earlier this year.
Personally I prefer to work in CMYK, and you've been given a few reasons why from the others.Many users prefer RGB, and it may also theoretically give a better color representation.You must remember though, that you will never be able to print all the colors you see on screen and export to web, on your Roland Printer CMYK, not even near.Therefore I suggest that you either work in CMYK from the start, which will create reasonably accurate printing results, or that you work in RGB and with Proof Colors enabled in Draw, this to simulate what can actually be printed. If you don't, you'll most likely be disappointed with the printing result.
Edit: I see now that you were the original poster in the thread I linked to. Were you not satisfied with the answer?
Ronny Axelsson said: You must remember though, that you will never be able to print all the colors you see on screen and export to web, on your Roland Printer CMYK, not even near.
You must remember though, that you will never be able to print all the colors you see on screen and export to web, on your Roland Printer CMYK, not even near.
I would have to respectfully disagree with you on this one.
Depends on what CMYK colour space you're working in. In North America the default tends to be U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2. The Roland printer is MORE than capable of producing a MUCH larger gamut than that specified in the U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 profile. Working in the CMYK U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 colour space really restricts the output that can be achieved with the Versacamm.
The Roland Versacamm is a much different beast than an Offset Web Printing Press.
Dan
Ronny Axelsson said:RasterLink 5.
I believe RasterLink 5 does use embedded ICC profiles. Can you post screen captures of the RasterLink dialogs?
David Milisock said: I believe RasterLink 5 does use embedded ICC profiles.
So, unfortunately, this is as far as I get, and I am still not persuaded that using RGB is the way to go. I need proof.
Ronny Axelsson said:So, unfortunately, this is as far as I get, and I am still not persuaded that using RGB is the way to go. I need proof.
Ok so far I see that the input profile is sRGB and the input profile is swop.
Also try using pure colors and make sure that you use sRGB in CorelDARW when creating.
What pops up when you click condition management?
David Milisock said:Also try using pure colors and make sure that you use sRGB in CorelDARW when creating.
David Milisock said:What pops up when you click condition management?
Send me your privat e-mail and I'll send a proper gray balance test image to you.
Thanks David, I've sent you an e-mail.
What I would like to see is a scanned image of what you get when you print, for example the 12 color test file I posted earlier.How does it look when it is printed properly? Anyone?
Since no one has been able to show me any proof that RGB will actually be better (give a better result with substantially more accurate and vivid colors) also when printing to a CMYK printer, I will now put this to a rest.Still believing that it is easier to use CMYK all the way, and that the end result will be as good it can be.If anyone still thinks differently, please convince me.
Ronny Axelsson said:Since no one has been able to show me any proof that RGB will actually be better (give a better result with substantially more accurate and vivid colors) also when printing to a CMYK printer, I will now put this to a rest.
Sure seems like common sense to me.
~John
RunFlaCruiser said:Sure seems like common sense to me.
Not really it's just not possible to prove to you if what you print to is a CMYK printer. However if you use a non-swop hue 6 or eight color device with a properly prepared ICC media profile than the result hands down is repeatable and superior.
RunFlaCruiser said:(give a better result with substantially more accurate and vivid colors)
Here begs the issue, what is better and what is more accurate?
Better is subjective and so is accurate. What is better? How can accurate be an issue when the result of printing RGB to any device 4,6 or 8 colors has to be different, specifically when the hue used for (lets's say pure blue) cannot possibly match a monitor since there is not standard for the blue hues used in displays.
Now comes the better, I'm currently doing a 300 labels to be mounted on 4.5" x 2.5" aluminum plaques for a manufacturer. Unfortunately the only graphics they have were designed by some yo-yo for the web and what makes it even worse is that it is a medium bright orange.
If converted in CorelDRAW to CMYK the orange gets muddy and properly so as this is a proper Pantone/ICC controled conversion to a specific CMYK profile. However if I allow the sRGB file content to convert via the RIP directly to the media profile the result is a more bright orange color. This is still correct per the ICC as the conversion is to the media profile which has a wider gamut than the press CMYK can produce a more pleasing conversion.
Wil pure R,G or B print correctly? No! Will RGB colors that are out of gamutr for standard CMYK colors print in a more pleasing and brilliant manner? You bet! Will the process be repeatable? Absolutely.
Now having canned media profiles, improperly created media profiles or media profiles created in a manner that does not maintian pure colors will screw up the results.
The isse is that there is not correct way to convert a large gamut color model to a small gamut color model, all processes are subjective. It's like putting a big butt into a too small pair of jeans. The result could be fantastic or repulsive depending on your taste.
I've been trying to figure a way to demonstrate in mass (globally) the process of designing in RGB and outputting to an ink jet or digital printer so that users can grasp the pros and cons, it won't be for everyone. Much of it has been covered in the past with my writing on what I call expanded gamut printing which has been supported by CorelDRAW since X3. At that time only in CorelDRAW published PDF but since X5 in EPS, Distiller published PDF as well as CorelDRAW published PDF.
First the caveats,
those who use CMYK only may not benefit from this, printing presses are out, some ink jets and digital print engines may be excluded too, the test will determine that
those who have a RIP that will not allow the use of RGB and CMYK profiles simultaneously will have to use extra steps to test the effects
Non-postscript driver based devices only work RGB so the test is irrelevant
Those who use canned media profiles may be ay a disadvantage, a gray balance, pure hue, test for your media profile is mandatory, an understanding that pure RGB CMYK hues will shift somwhat because of pure gamut and the ink pigment not being standardized is also required.
Stay tuned I'll locate a good test image and create some files, as the files will be large I'll post them on my web site for down load and post instruction here.