Tips

Beyond CMYK

When we talk about printing, you might think of specific color models like CMYK. But not everything is CMYK, and depending on the printing device, other models can be used. Of course, every process has its conditions, and printing in RGB is no exception.

Before professional printing methods like offset and flexography, we create life-size mockups for an initial review. This process allows you to have a prototype for examination, identify potential flaws, and prevent higher costs in final production due to potential details and issues. There are two ways to create a prototype or mockup.

  • Proof: This sample is produced by professional devices like EPSON. It's printed on real material and uses the CMYK color model. However, the initial cost of the mockup and printing with this device is quite high, and not every company has a Proofer. The accuracy of this process is high, and it has a 95% color match to the final mass-produced sample.
  • Prototype: This is a cheaper sampling method, printed using digital devices like plotters. This process can also be printed with the RGB color model. The cost of creating a sample is low, but the color accuracy is not high. The goal of this method is to simply see the overall structure, review the text, or present it in meetings.

Digital devices like plotters can also use RIP, which converts the file correctly for CMYK printing. But this software is expensive and not installed on most plotters. For this reason, the CMYK model may not produce good results when printed on them, and RGB, although inaccurate, gives a satisfactory result.

"The RGB color space is not for professional printing, but for sampling, you can have a real mockup for review at a low cost."