RGB or CMYK – we know which is right for each process

Having spent over 40 years in the design and print industry working with a CMYK colour space it has to be said that the best way of working for giclee printing now is RGB.

This makes the giclee process much more accurate and we can gain a wider colour gammit than ever before.

Taking that RGB is where colour reproduction starts, scanners and cameras grab images in RGB. If you want CMYK it converts afterwards then saves, so RGB is the purest, largest colour space.

This is fortunate as we can now run a totally RGB workflow. Our Canon IPF 8300 printer has pure RGB inks together with another 9 colours.

Our EFI RIP (the program that tells the printer which ink to put where) can use the RGB inks only, making it the perfect print method. Most RIPS will let you think they are working RGB but in reality its all smoke and mirrors in the computer.

We can also RIP and print CMYK if required or for litho print proofing.

When setting files up we prefer to use the following profiles.

RGB – Adobe 98 best or sRGB next best.

CMYK – FOGRA 39 best or FOGRA 27 next best.

We can usually convert what you send us to the best option for your requirements.

A calibrated IT-8 colour target which links with our scanning and photography for good balance. Line 13,14,15 and 16 are CMYK and 17,18 and 19 are RGB. The rest are mixtures and gradations.

The bottom section is the grey step wedge. This enables us to get the levels right so files are not too dark in the shadows or too burnt out in the highlights.