How colour consistency works on a commercial press

If you've ever approved a design on screen and been surprised by the printed result, you've met the gap between RGB and CMYK. Here's what's actually happening — and how we keep colour consistent across a commercial print run.

RGB vs CMYK

Screens emit light in RGB (red, green, blue). Presses print in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). The two colour spaces overlap, but not perfectly — some vivid screen colours simply can't be reproduced in ink. Designing in CMYK from the start avoids disappointment.

Calibration

A well-run press is calibrated regularly so the same input produces the same output, sheet after sheet. Ink density, dot gain, and registration are all monitored and adjusted through the run.

Proofs

Before the full run, we produce a proof — a controlled preview of how the final colour will look. This is your chance to catch issues while they're still cheap to fix. Approve colour on a proof, not on a laptop.

Spot colours (Pantone)

When a colour must be exact — a brand logo, for instance — we use spot colours (Pantone), a pre-mixed ink applied as a separate plate. Spot colours are consistent in a way CMYK builds can't quite match, which is why they're the standard for brand-critical work.

Paper changes colour

The same ink looks different on coated, uncoated, and coloured stocks. Paper absorbs and reflects light differently, so the substrate is part of the colour equation — not an afterthought.

The takeaway

Consistent colour is the product of a controlled process, not luck. Share your brand colours with us and we'll make sure they print the way you expect.