Color Part 2: Formats and Systems
There are several color formats and systems available for mixing and specifying colors. Here, we explain three of the most common systems: RGB, CMYK, and Pantone colors. RGB color "RGB" refers to the colors of light that mix to create colors. There are three basic
colors of light - red, green and blue. When combined, they create an entire rainbow
of colors, either by reflecting off, surfaces or by shining onto surfaces. In design, RGB color is only used in website design and other designs that are only
meant to be seen on your screen (software user interfaces, HTML email, PowerPoint
presentations, and TV or movie graphics). If you send a design to be printed, or print a design that has been created in the
RGB color space on your home printer, the printout may not match what you see on
the screen - RGB colors on the screen tend to be brighter than what is printed on
paper. This is because the colors onscreen are created with light, which adds
brightness of its own to the colors. When printing on paper, the light is taken out of
the equation. The other reason for this is that an RGB color can be "out of gamut"
for CMYK printing, meaning that some of the colors cannot be replicated with
printing inks. CMYK color CMYK color is also known as four-color printing, full-color printing, or process
color printing. CMYK color refers to a certain type of printing process. In CMYK printing, cyan,
magenta, yellow, and black (the "K") inks are printed on the paper as tiny dots
(referred to as a "screen" or "line screen"). These dots are so tiny that when they
combine visually, they create a rainbow of colors. This process is used in projects where printing the full range of color is required -
in projects with full-color photography or when more than three colors overall are
used in the design. For the production of CMYK printing, digital printing is a more economical choice
than full-color press printing. However, in digital printing, the types, colors, and
thicknesses of paper available are often limited, based on the printing machine's
specifications and capabilities. The accuracy limitations of CMYK printing are that the results between different
printing methods - digital printing versus press printing - can vary, sometimes
greatly, depending on the printer's range, how it is calibrated, and the particular
color you are trying to print. Even the results from different digital printers or
presses can vary, so color accuracy may be an issue, particularly if you're printing
items at different times or with different printers. There are also colors that cannot be reproduced using the CMYK process - such as
metallics, and very bright colors. To expand the color range, additional colors can
be added to the mix to increase the range, for six- or seven-color printing.
Alternatively, Pantone colors can be used to increase the range - going to five-color
(or more) printing to get the color accuracy you need. Pantone color Pantone color is also known as the Pantone Matching System, PMS color, or Spot
color. This color system is based on a set of inks that are mixed to create solid colors,
which are then used to print your materials. These colors fall in a prespecified
range, found in several swatch books produced by the Pantone company. An
analogy for this system is the colored paint chips found at the hardware store - you
can preview the colors exactly as they will appear in the final print job. Also, since
the colors are mixed before printing, instead of being created visually out of tiny
dots on the page, they're much more accurate and consistent from print job to print
job, as well as to the colors initially intended in the art, than CMYK color. Pantone colors can be "screened" - a process in which fewer dots of color are used
per inch, which makes the color appear lighter. Thus, more colors appear to be
being used in a project, without increasing the printing costs or number of colors. Pantone colors are often used on logos or stationery packages (business cards,
letterhead, and envelopes), to enable those pieces to be printed on a press using
one, two or three colors, which is less expensive than four-color printing (see CMYK
color, above). Using Pantone colors on your logo also ensures accurate color
representation for your logo in all applications - so that your carefully chosen
corporate color will always be the same, regardless of the printing firm you choose
to print a particular piece of collateral. Using the right color format throughout your job will save you money and make
your marketing materials look their best. About the Author Erin Ferree, Founder and Lead Designer of elf design, is a brand identity and graphic
design expert. She has been helping small businesses grow with bold, clean and
effective logo and marketing material designs for over a decade. elf design offers
the comprehensive graphic and web design services of a large agency, with the one-
on-one, personalized attention of an independent design specialist. Erin works
closely in partnership with her clients to create designs that are visible, credible and
memorable ? and that tell their unique business stories in a clear and consistent
way. For more information about elf design, please visit: Logo design at http://www.elf-design.com
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Choosing Networking Functions
Time is a concern for all of us. We only have so much of it to give to our work, and then some to our families, our churches and some to ourselves. In today's business climate it is essential to spent our time wisely to maximize our productivity and satisfaction with our lives.
The Power of a Survey
How many times have you been asked to participate in a survey? If you are anything like me then the answer is probably hundreds. I am often being stopped in the street and invited to take part in a survey that will only take a few minutes. I do feel sorry for these marketers as I usually decline and say that I am too busy. More often than not the survey is in relation to something that I am not interested in anyway. There must be a lot of people who do take the survey because opinion polls are constantly being quoted for a variety of issues. These survey results are extremely powerful in persuading consumers that a particular product has been voted the best in a survey. We are often influenced, possibly subconsciously, by these survey results and buy the particular product that came out on top.
The Marketing Recipe: Money, Marketing and Me ? 3 Keys For Success
You have a great product or service? Now, how should you market it?
Why Target the Matures
The "Matures" are the generations that came along between 1909 and 1945. Born to and tempered by economic uncertainty, older Matures were nurtured by the New Deal and served in the mightiest armed force fielded by any nation. The Matures' core values are a roll call of traditional American culture: Honor; optimism, selflessness, dedication to a higher purpose (self-sacrifice equals virtue).
Lack Of Business Isnt Always The Problem
When you're just starting out in business, it's a safe bet that you need more clients. But what if you have been up and running for a while, and you're still not making as much money as you would like? You may be in the habit of thinking that attracting new clients is the answer, but this isn't always the case.
Michael Jackson, Classic Marketing Blunders And Your Wallet!
You couldn't help but be captivated by the unbelievably cute kid with the amazingly controlled falsetto voice and electric dance moves. He was only 10 years old, when he exploded onto the music scene, along with his brothers as the lead singer of the Jackson 5, but he had the stage presence of a twenty year veteran. Before or since, I haven't seen a child that talented, that gifted, that dynamic, that charismatic!
Case Study: How to Get a Big Boost in Response by Taking Your Marketing to the Extreme
Want a big boost in response and quick sales from your next direct marketing effort? Then take your marketing to the extreme. What do I mean by extreme? I mean unconventional, break the mold, out-of-the-box, reaches-out-and-grabs-people-by-the-lapel marketing.
How to Measure the Benefit Your Product or Service Offers
Measuring the benefit of your product or service means putting a specific value on the advantage it offers. For example, it's ineffective to say your light bulbs are brighter and last longer than the competition's. You've got to let people know that they're 50% brighter and last two times as long! Your dry cleaning methods aren't just better, they're three times more likely to remove stubborn stains than traditional methods. Your chiropractic techniques aren't just effective, they're clinically proven to reduce back pain for 95% of patients. And so on.
When The Stars Align - Choosing the Right Entertainment
Savvy event producers follow the Golden Rule: know thy audience. When they set out
to create a special event, the first thing they do is slip into the shoes of a typical
guest. Understanding their audience helps them choose the right location for the
event, determine ticket prices, and select the proper advertising and promotional
vehicles.
Blowing Your Own Horn
Opportunity Assistance Business Resource Center
http://www.opportunityassistance.com
Five Marketing Tips to Double Profits
It's a startling fact: almost all entrepreneurs aren't marketing their businesses effectively. Marketing goes much deeper than advertising. It begins with having the proper mindset. These five ideas will send you on the right path to building a solid marketing foundation for your business.
Knowing When To Charge More and To Charge Less
More And More
Knock, knock. Whos There? Your Target Market, Are You Listening?
Have you ever had a conversation with a person who wasn't listening to anything you said?
AIDA From A Different View - I Call It the 5 Ws
My childhood was my foundation for how I write and how I think. I caught on at an early age that writing is an art and it has a very distinct way of reaching out to people depending on how you apply it. I used my own method of writing and applied it to the criteria my teachers needed. You see, the criteria is always changing from teacher to teacher or professor to professor but the method that is applied can be easily molded into place to make it fit perfectly.
Like Brushing Your Teeth
What do the following things have in common: brushing your teeth, regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, paying your bills on time, cleaning your gutters, spending quality time with your spouse and kids??
7 Tips for Successful Postcard Marketing
Simple low-cost postcards have become a valuable business tool for modern marketers. They can produce a surge of traffic to your web site or a flood of high-quality sales leads.
Whats Your Marketing Attitude?
Entrepreneurs pay a lot of attention to the mechanics of marketing. They take workshops, read books, and hire consultants to find out how to do the best job they possibly can. With my own clients, I often discover that their knowledge of marketing techniques is quite good already. What they might lack is the right kind of marketing attitude.
How Well Do You Know Your Prospects? Find Out With This 10-Point Quiz
It's crucial to know your prospects if you want to market effectively to them. Take this quick 10-point quiz to see how well you know and understand your prospects.
Marketing On The Cheap: Speak Out!
No matter what business you are in, you probably have something to sell. Furthermore, if you have something to sell, you have something to say. So say it to as many people as possible, and don't wait for them to come to you. You need to go to them. Take your business, your product and yourself, either directly or indirectly, out of the office or store and onto the local speakers' circuit. Don't have one in your area? Think again.
The Power of Thank You
Sometimes we loose site of the small things in life that are incredibly important. As a child growing up in America, most people are taught from a very young age to say Thank You in appreciation of a courtesy extended by someone.
|
