What is CMYK?
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black). While your computer monitor uses light (RGB) to create colors, a printing press uses physical ink.
Why This Matters for Your Business:
Most design software defaults to RGB because it has a wider color spectrum. However, a printing press cannot physically recreate “electric” greens or “fluorescent” blues.
3 Pro-Tips to Save Your Print Job:
Design in CMYK from Start to Finish: Don’t convert at the last minute. Set your InDesign or Illustrator workspace to CMYK immediately.
The “K” is Key: For crisp, sharp black text, ensure your “Black” is set to $100\% K$, rather than a mix of all four colors, which can lead to “ghosting” or blurry edges.
Check Your “Packaged” Files: If you are packaging an InDesign file, always double-check that your linked images are also converted to CMYK.
Ready for a Perfect Print?
Don’t guess on your colors. At Streeter Printing, we pre-flight every file to ensure your brand colors stay true from screen to paper.
