COLOR (or colour)

Color Perception

Visible
color Gamut

RGB
color Gamut
Pantone
color Gamut

CMYK
color Gamut

The perception of color is very subjective.

Color Perception

RGB flow
Digital printing
• small numbers
• standard sizes
• “photo” colors
• merges

Other
sources

Offset printing
• large numbers
• various formats
• all colors, including
PMS, fluo and metallic

CMYK flow

Who uses what?

Color RGB

Display devices:
- computer screen
- TV
- digital camera
- scanner

Additive: start from black screen, add light in red, green, blue.
From black to white, adding light.
Color CMYK

Printing presses:
- offset presses

Subtractive: start from white sheet of paper, remove light (filter) with cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks.
From white to black, taking light away.
Color RGB vs. CMYK

RGB CMYK
Color CMY

An early example of 3 color process: CMY (1902)

Color C
Color C+M
Color C+M+Y
Color CMYK
Color 4 color printing
Color Pantone Matching System
Color UH red

C=0

M=100

1 ink multiple inks

in this case,
in this case, black as well no black in the red M=81

K=4

PMS186CMYK
Color CMYK vs. Spot

Advantages
Printing vivid colors with precise references
(impossible on 4c process or laser printers)
Color consistency between jobs and printers
Affordable if limited number of colors (3 or less)
Possibility of printing metalic and fluorescent colors
Disadvantages
Impossible to reproduce on laser printers
Cannot print color photos
Need to stock each specific color > cost
Advantages
Printing multiple colors, especially realistic photos
Use of 4 standard inks
Affordable if more than 3 colors
Disadvantages
More difficult to adjust (registration)
Limited gamut
Approximate reproduction of PMS colors
Risk of color variations due to adjustments

SpotCMYK
Color Work adjustments

CMYK colors

InDesign
Depending on your print method, adjust your colors:
- digital RGB
spot colors - offset CMYK

Failure to supply a file with the correct colors exposes your job to occasional
“interesting” color conversions in the computer-to-plate system.

You can load your color swatches from the UH Branding website, ASE file
RGB color
(PMS colors or 4c equivalents)

InDesign
Color Work adjustments

Photoshop preferences
Adjust the colorspace to Adobe RGB (1998), in the Edit menu, Color settings

Photo adjustments
Depending on your print method, convert your photos
- digital RGB
- offset CMYK

File saving
Save your photo in .ps format (photoshop)
(keeps layers and adjustments and is compatible with InDesign)

Photoshop
Color Work adjustments

Illustrator adjustments
Depending on your print method, convert your colors
- digital RGB
- offset CMYK
These colors will be imported into InDesign.

File saving
Save your illustrations in .ai format (adobe illustrator)

You can load your color swatches from the UH Branding website, ASE file
(PMS colors or 4c equivalents)

Illustrator