Colour Correction for Graphic Design - RGB v CMYK What's the difference?

Crafty Penguin
Dec 31, 2022
2 min read

Updated: May 25

Hands on a colourful, backlit keyboard, gaming in a dimly lit room with a blue glow, creating a focused, intense mood.

The use of colours in artwork is important, so colour correction for Graphic Design is critical. It is key to making sure your colours look correct in the media you chose. If you have had any experience with design you may well of heard of two acronyms RGB and CMYK.

As a graphic designer there are two main colour ways that you should be aware of.

RGB - Red, green, blue

CMYK - Cyan, magenta, yellow and black

Colorful sheets with gradient patterns and grid lines overlap vertically, showcasing hues from yellow to blue, creating a vibrant, abstract backdrop.

How do the colour spaces work with colour correction?

RGB is used for digital designs as this is used for screens, like computers and mobile phones. Screens use the three colours and mix them to to create the colour spectrum by varying the intensity of the light source. When red, green and blue are all mixed together in this format they create pure white.

CMYK is used primarily used for print. Printing machines create colour by mixing CMYK with physical inks. When all 4 colours are mixed together they create black.

Three overlapping circles in red, green, and blue with "R," "G," and "B." The intersections show various colors. Plain white background. — RGB

When should I use RGB?

If you are creating digital designs for online then RGB is the colour space you will need to use.

Use RGB for:

Social media posts
Online logos
Online headers
Website design
Digital apps

Three overlapping circles in cyan, magenta, and yellow form a Venn diagram, with "C," "M," "Y," and "K" letters inside each region. — CMYK

When should I use CMYK?

If you are creating designs to be printed then you should use CMYK.

Use CMYK for:

Brochures
Stationery
Business cards
Flyers
Magazines

How can I make sure my artwork is in the right colour space?

When using design software light Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator the software allows you to choose the right colour way for your artwork in its properties.

Photoshop window showing a menu with "RGB Color" selected. A cute penguin design is visible on a blue button, with pencils nearby. — Setting colour space in Adobe Photoshop

Ensuring you use the correct colour space as a graphic designer is important. It is also important if you are a small business owner preparing design work for third party printing. Using the right colour space allows your colours to appear the way you expected when having products printed.

I hope this blog has been useful, make sure you read my other blog posts. If you have enjoyed it make sure you follow me on social media to find out more about my business and my love of graphic design.

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Louise Cranstone-Spooner