Color Theory Primer Part 4: Color Models
March 23, 2008 by Susan Gunelius
Filed under Marketing
The fourth part of the Brandcurve Color Theory Primer will provide an overview of the common color models used online and in print. It’s important to understand the difference in color models as you develop the color palette for your brand.
RGB
RGB stands for red, green and blue, which are the base colors in the RGB color model. This color model is based on light – for example, your computer monitor or television uses RGB color. By adding these three colors together through beams of light, different colors can be created visually. For example, at zero intensity for each colored beam of light, the color the eye sees on screen is white, but as each RGB colored beam is added, different colors are created based on each beam’s intensity until full intensity of all three color beams are reached and black is created on screen.
CMYK
CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and black, which are the base colors in the CMYK model (also called process color or four color). This color model is based on subtracting color to create different colors and is used in color printing (or offset or high-resolution printing). This color model works the opposite way that the RGB color model does. The base for CMYK is white (like most paper). Other colors are created by subtracting colors from the white background by darkening them through the use of cyan, magenta, yellow and black, which can create a wide array of colors (though not as many as RGB).
PMS
The color system created by Pantone Inc. is called PMS (Pantone Matching System). This color model is created specifically by Pantone, so each color is unique, although CMYK and RGB equivalents do exist. However, Pantone will tell you that the CMYK and RGB equivalents to PMS colors are not exact. This is something you’ll need to understand before you choose specific PMS colors for your brand. Make sure the difference between the PMS, CMYK and RGB equivalents is something you can live with or you might end up spending a lot of extra money every time you want to print something because you’ll need to add in that special PMS color you chose for your logo.
I hope that gives you a basic understanding of the most common color models you’ll hear about when discussing color with designers and printers.
Check back within the next day or so for Part 5 of the Brandcurve Color Primer or subscribe to the Brandcurve feed, so you won’t miss any color branding lessons.
Follow the links to read more of the Brandcurve Color Theory Primer:
Photo Source: Flickr
Tags: Color theory, color primer, RGB, color branding, color marketing, CMYK, PMS, Pantone
RGB – Huh? Backwards: At zero intensity, we see black, and at full (and even) intensity of RGB we see white.