CMYK vs RGB: why printed colours look different from your screen

Your screen makes colour with light (RGB); a printing press uses ink (CMYK). Why bright colours look duller on paper, and how to get colours you expect.

You approve a design on your phone and the printed piece looks a little different: the electric blue is softer, the neon green is darker. Nothing went wrong. Screens and printing presses make colour in completely different ways.

Ink mixes darker; screen light mixes brighter.

RGB: colour made of light

Phones and monitors mix red, green and blue light. Light can produce extremely bright, glowing colours.

CMYK: colour made of ink

A press mixes cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink on paper. Ink reflects light rather than giving it off, so it cannot reproduce the most vivid screen colours. The range of colours ink can print is smaller.

How to get the colour you expect

Design in CMYK from the start if your software allows it.
Avoid neon greens, electric blues and bright purples for important brand elements.
Coated (art) paper shows colour more vividly than uncoated paper.
For exact brand colours, ask for a printed proof before a large run.
Keep the same colour values (hex or CMYK) in all your designs; a brand kit helps with that.