CMYK vs. Pantone: Getting Brand Colors Right in Print

Screens and presses produce color differently, so the color you approve on a monitor is not always what prints – unless you set it up right. This article goes deeper on color than our main artwork and dieline guide.

Why not RGB?

Screens use RGB (red, green, blue light), but presses use ink. Designing in RGB and printing it lets colors shift – often duller than the screen. Always build packaging artwork in a print color model.

CMYK: the four-ink standard

CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) mixes four inks to reproduce full-color images and most colors. It is the standard for photos and multi-color artwork, and it is cost-effective.

Pantone: exact brand color

Pantone (PMS) spot colors are pre-mixed inks that reproduce an exact, consistent color every run – the safest choice for a specific brand color or logo. If your brand lives or dies on one exact color, specify a Pantone.

How to keep color consistent

Build art in CMYK, and call out a Pantone reference for any color that must be exact. Tell us your Pantone and we match it on press, so every reorder looks the same. See finishes for how color and finish interact.

Get your brand color right

Share your artwork and Pantone references and we will proof the color before printing. Start with our artwork guide, then request your free quote or contact our team.