CMYK an RGB Color Model Introduction

Every image has a color palette. They could be black and white, grayscale, duotone, RGB, CMYK and so on. There are 2 common color palette used in image processing; RGB (Red Green Blue) and CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Black). Processing an image in unsuitable color could bring it to wrong color and disapointing result. To know this color differences is important for people who dealing with image processing.

RGB formed from three main color; Red, Green and Blue on a black media. Your monitor uses RGB color. To display a color other than red, green and blue, monitor will mix two of that three color or mix all color with certain value. FOr example, yellow produced by mixing red and green. Magenta is mixed of blue and red, etc.

CMYK or CMY formed from four main color; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black on a white media. CMYK used in printed images on paper. Most printer use CMYK method to produce an image.

Because monitor uses RGB and printer uses CMYK that's why the printout will not produce exact color as you see on the monitor. To obtain optimal result between color in monitor and printout, you have to calibrate the monitor.

Conclusion: for displaying purpose, use RGB to match your monitor, otherwise for printing purpose, use CMYK.