An Introduction To CMYK, RGB, And PMS Colors

September 29, 2022 Box Printing

An easy guide to know about the CMYK, RGB, and PMS colors for creating perfect and enticing product packaging designs.

Color has immense vitality when it comes to business branding. So the right choice of color for printing packaging boxes can attract more customers to the brand than you think.

This article will tell you the difference between three color systems.

CMYK VS. RGB VS. PMS: What Is The Difference?

During packaging dielines, we are introduced to some terms like RGB, CMYK, and PMS. These terms are important enough for brands to know the basic difference between various types of colors and printing techniques for custom packaging of their products.

In this blog, we shall tell you some terminologies of color systems and introduce you to their use in customized packaging boxes.

Before talking about the RGB, CMYK, and PMS colors, first, we will discuss the process colors and spot colors here:

Process Color And Spot (Pantone) Color

Color has great importance when it comes to product promotion and/or building a business image. Studies reveal that accurate color choice can improve brand recognition by more than 87 percent.

Process color uses four colored inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, and key). They are also called the CMYK. This method saves you money because it uses limited printing plates. These colors are usually used when a specific color is required for printing. They are the perfect option for printing photos, painting, and complex illustrations/images.

On the other hand, spot colors are applied to premixed ink to the document or page. These colors are identified as color systems named Pantone matching systems. It is perfect for those documents where only a few colors are required. Newsletters and advertising brochures are examples of these types of documents.

Spot color system is an expensive printing option because it needs extra printing plates for particular shades. These shades can be fluorescent or metallic. If you need the exact color for your product packaging, spot color is the perfect option for you to opt for. Pantone is a prevalent spot color system.

Pro. Tip:

Sometimes both process and spot color are used on the same page. For instance, a company brochure may simultaneously include color images (process color) and a brand logo (spot color).

Different Between CMYK, RGB, And PMS

Here is a detail of the key difference between the Pantone matching system, CMYK, and RGB color system:

What Is RGB?

RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. This color system is a different color system, which means that product box colors become brighter with the addition of these colors. This system works on the basis of color vibrancy. RGB is the perfect color system for digital products, which you can see on digital devices like TV, laptop, or smartphone. R, G, and B colors can range from 0 to 100 percent of full intensity. In addition, it requires light to be visible. That is the reason that RGB is not used in product packaging. File formats for CMYK are JPEGs, PSDs, PNGs, and GIFs.

What is CMYK?

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black). It is a subtractive color system in which die is used to make color using reflected light. The color system is the perfect option for product packaging prints because it provides true colors. This color system is also known as process color. File formats for CMYK are PDFs, AI, and EPS.

What is PMS?

PMS stands for Pantone matching system or, in short, Pantone. PMS consists of premixed colors with higher accuracy and consistency while printing. Pantone colors are used for designing or printing brand logos on packaging materials.

Furthermore, every Pantone color has a specific code with either the letter ‘C’ for ‘coated’ or ‘U’ for ‘uncoated’ at the end, signifying the paper to be used to print. The coated paper provides an enticing appearance with striking prints. This color system is perfect for superior quality packaging, like custom rigid boxes or customized folding cartons.

On the other hand, Uncoated paper absorbs ink and does not provide a sharp and lucrative finish. A Kraft box is an example of this type of paper stock. Pantone U is used to print on Kraft paper material. Otherwise, Pantone C is used for other packaging materials like cardboard. It is a highly used eco-friendly paper base material that does not pollute the environment.

Uses Of Different Color Systems

The RGB color system is used in digital devices like TV, mobiles, and tablets.
CMYK color system is a perfect option for printing packaging boxes.
PMS color system (Spot) is used in offset and screen printing in large runs

Why is CMYK Better Than Pantone?

CMYK is an economical printing option for brands to print their product box packaging. It is highly used in the custom packaging of product boxes. On the contrary, Pantone (PMS) is the perfect choice when it comes to printing brand logos or other essential details.

The PMS color system is more expensive than the process color system (CMYK) because it needs extra plates for specific color shades. Here are great details about the Pantone color system.

You can select color system mode using Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop to create your ideas and packaging designs to get perfect printed results for your branded products. Moreover, you can easily convert RGB to CMYK using these apps.

Conclusion

Now you are familiar with different types of color systems and can choose any of them considering your brand’s needs. Start creating your top-notch quality packaging boxes that can attract your target customers to your brand and make your product unique from the competition. CustomBoxesMarket is your best packaging partner that provides you with the premium quality and enticing packaging of product boxes.

Are you looking for a guide on designing custom packaging boxes with their advantages? Check out this blog.