What Is CMYK?
Updated · Vorex Packaging
CMYK is the four-color printing model that builds images from cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black) inks. Printers lay tiny dots of these four inks in different amounts to reproduce full-color artwork and photos, so packaging artwork should be set up in CMYK rather than the RGB colors used on screens.
Screens create color with light in RGB (red, green, blue), while printing presses use ink on paper in CMYK. Some bright screen colors, especially vivid greens, blues and oranges, cannot be reproduced exactly with four inks, so they shift when converted.
Why it matters for packaging
- Artwork sent in RGB is converted at print time, and colors may change in ways you did not expect.
- Converting to CMYK yourself lets you see and adjust the shift before approval.
- Rich blacks, made with black plus other inks, look deeper than black ink alone on large areas.
CMYK or Pantone?
CMYK is efficient for full-color designs and photography. When a single brand color must match exactly across every print run and material, a Pantone (PMS) spot color is often used for that color instead. The board also affects color: the same CMYK values look darker on kraft than on white board. Always review a digital proof, and request a physical sample when color accuracy is critical.
