What is CMYK offset Printing?

MorningPrint is running a CMYK offset gang printing service. We recommend that all files be created in CMYK and not just converted as this is not accurate for color matching. If you are trying to match a specific color please use a physical CMYK book or chart to aid you in this effort (please allow for slight shifts as each stock absorbs color differently and there are many external printing conditions that can shift colors slightly).

There are two types of color spaces that are used for graphics and print design:

CMYK: These are the colors used for printing. CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key. The K in CMYK stands for key since in 4 color printing Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow printing plates are carefully keyed or aligned with the key of the black key plate. Different percentages of each value are used to create many different colors.

RGB: (Red, Green, Blue) These are the colors your monitor uses to display everything. RGB has a larger color range that can express colors that seem vibrant and bold on screen, however these colors often times cannot be translated into CMYK and it is more limited color range. Because of this, your design can look different from the screen view to the actual printed CMYK result. We cannot compensate for the RGB values you may be viewing through your screen.

If you send us RGB files they will automatically be converted to CMYK. This may cause a color shift. Color shifts are usually not visible in color photographs; however, rich and solid colors (like a background) can be affected by a color conversion from RGB to CMYK. Most of the time, color shifts are minor and may not be noticeable.