Why Does My Brand Color Look Different in Print Than on Screen?.

A screen makes color with light; print makes color with ink on a physical surface. That basic difference is why a vivid brand color can look excellent online but less bright, darker or slightly shifted when printed.

Screens use RGB: red, green and blue light combined to create color. Print commonly uses CMYK: cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks. RGB can display colors that ordinary CMYK printing simply cannot reproduce, particularly those very bright greens, blues and fluorescent tones.

What can you do?

First, keep a clear source value for the color — usually a HEX or RGB value for digital work and an approved CMYK or spot-color specification for print. It’s also worth asking the printer what file format and color profile they need before finalizing any artwork.

The Color Converter is useful for expressing a chosen color in RGB, HEX, HSL and CMYK. Treat the CMYK value as a practical reference rather than a final proof; paper stock, ink process, printer calibration and lighting all affect the physical result.

For important brand materials, always request a printed proof. It is the only reliable way to judge a printed color in the material and process that will actually be used.