CMYK for Printing

There is a rule in graphic and web designing: RGB for Web and CMYK for Print

There are a few color models used to define colors. The two most important ones here are: RGB and CMY. The RGB color model is an additive model, which means that we can achieve white color by increasing the values of its three "ingredients" (Red, Green and Blue)

On the other hand, the CMY (or CMYK) model is a subtractive one. In this case going towards white color means decreasing values of each color and we achieve black color by increasing the values of its three “ingredients” (Cyan, Magenta and Yellow)

CMYK is a color mode used in color printing. CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (black). In CMYK mode magenta + yellow produces red, cyan + yellow makes green, magenta + cyan generates blue and magenta, cyan and yellow on a white background produces black.

CMYK vs. RGB

CMYK, or four-color printing, generates a good final printout with excellent contrast. But the color seen on the screen may be different from the one that comes in the final print. This is because the computer screen follows a RGB system, and printers follow a CMYK system.

Why we can not use same coloring system for computer screen and printing? On one hand where computer screen release the light, a paper absorbs the light. A computer screen and a paper reflects colors on different wavelengths of light and that is why sometimes colors in same artwork displayed on a screen may not match with the colors in printouts. Even if we change the color mode of any artwork from RGB to CMYK using some software we can notice the differences in colors.

RGB to CMYK (for Printing)

Mostly scanners, digital cameras, and video capture systems save files as RGB and we work on artwork to correct levels or balancing or anything else before giving it for printing.  Do you work on RGB and after you modify it, you switch to CMYK to print?; or you switch to CMYK directly and you modify it later?

When start with RGB image I prefer to do all or most of image editing in RGB itself as some editing procedures are not available in CMYK. Converting to CMYK is the last step only when file is being sent to a print house. Conversion of RGB files to CMYK can be done in many ways and the method is different from software to software.

Most of the printers prefer your files be delivered in CMYK format. Some may accept RGB with ICC profiles attached, as this allows the printer to use color management methods when converting to CMYK.

If you are printing from your home or office printer, you can use RGB or CMYK. Try both and see which you prefer.

 

Is converting images to CMYK important?

Yes! It's very important if you are working on a print document. Commercial printers mostly accept RGB images without question but using images with a RBG color space can seriously screw up your image. Printers who accept RBG images auto-convert images to CMYK without checking the outcome and they do not bother to adjust levels, balancing etc.

Make sure you convert images to CMYK yourself, so you can do adjustments on the CMYK outcome if needed and keep 100% control over image quality.

Always remember

RGB:  Good for computer/digital use. Bad and not usable for printing

CMYK:  Good for offset and digital printing. Bad and not interpreted correctly on the computer.

PURPOSE OF A BOOK COVER

The purpose of a book cover (and I think it works for lots of Products)

I believe that the saying ‘Don't judge a book by its cover’ is no longer valid. In today's world of tough competition the First Impression is always the lasting one.

Just like any marketing tool, the book cover design is very Important. The design of the book cover plays a role, often a critical one in the sales of the book. It is the 1st thing what a buyer would see and catch their eye. I feel that a highly creative book cover design is more likely to be viewed by every customer rather than one without a book cover. You have less than 3 second to grab someone’s attention with a book cover in a sea of other books. That is the job of the book cover design, it needs to stand out, yet be relevant to the market, subject matter, and the content of the book. The main job of the cover is to get the customer to pick it up. It needs to present the title well and organize the other information so that it is clear to the customer if they decide to pick it up, and possibly inform the viewer of the content of the book.

Most of the time while people browsing in a bookstore mainly look at the book covers and titles. If the cover doesn’t interest them they almost never pick up the book and have a second glance at it. For example If you are a boy/girl of age 15, what grabs your attention would be very different from a man/woman who is 40. So, once the book is published, the only thing that will get it to sell, is its cover. This is because if you write a brilliant book for a 40 year old man/woman, but the cover is designed to attract a 15 year old boy/girl, there is a very slim chance that any man/woman of 40 will pick it up thinking that the book is for him/her and that is how a book cover helps in selling and marketing as well, as the cover must be designed to attract the target audience of the writer.

At the end of the day,  I feel that a cover design is a important feature of a book. The main features a book cover should have to grab the attention are:

1. Catch the book reader's eye while on the shelves or displayed and attract them to pick it up.
2. Main bold title, graphic and color are important.
3. While in hand - Provide first glance insight into the content.
4. Sub title, fly-leaf and back cover content is important.

If you got the book reader interested at this point they will probably look at the table of contents to view the chapter headings to see if the content is interesting. If that all goes well they buy it

So you can say that the purpose of a book cover is:

• Attract the reader
• To accurately describe what's in the book
• To sell book
  

I don't know about you, but I judge books by their cover every day.

Displaying here some of my designed covers. Would like to know your views on the post and my cover designs both.

Cultural Conflict

Globalization has leveled the world. Cultures are emerging. Everyday we meet with people of other countries, of another generation, social class etc. People from other cultures often act in a way that puzzle us. To these people, of course, we are the ones who behave in a surprising manner. The one thing that differentiate us is our culture. Our cultures are deeply-rooted and our unconscious values make us to act in a certain way and therefore, often it lead us to consider something normal what others think abnormal, as polite what to others is rude, and as rational what others find irrational.

One important thing about culture is that it keep changing and changes in culture also change our lives. Cultures are more than language, dress, custom etc. it is like a multi-layered bonding of a group of people. It is like a information that my group, society knows but others don't. It is like something that always with us and giving us ideas about judgment.

I think the only way to resolve any cultural conflict is that everybody accept the global culture. But what is a GLOBAL CULTURE?