CMYK print colour and colour variance guide

CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and key black. These inks are used for most full-colour commercial printing. A bright screen preview is not a reliable promise of the printed colour: the file, paper and finishing all affect the result.

Check the colour mode before exporting

Screens display RGB colour using light. Some RGB colours, particularly very bright greens, blues and oranges, fall outside the colours that a CMYK print process can reproduce. Conversion can make them look less vivid or change their appearance.

Where your software allows it, prepare or convert the artwork to the CMYK setup required for the job before the final PDF export. Do not select an unfamiliar colour profile just because it contains “CMYK”: ask us if the specification does not make the requirement clear. Conversion changes the colour values in the file, so keep a copy of the original and inspect the result.

If your design starts in Canva, follow our Canva print-file guide and tell us if the exported file needs colour checking. Avoid repeatedly converting the same images between colour modes.

Look closely at black, tints and flat colour

Large black panels and small black text do different jobs. Rich black mixes black with other process inks, while text can need a simpler black setup. Check the product’s artwork instructions or ask for advice rather than applying one rich-black recipe to every object.

Very pale tints or small differences between two tint values may be difficult to distinguish in print. Review large flat areas for unexpected colour changes, and make sure text still has enough contrast against its background.

Paper and finishing change the appearance

Uncoated, silk and gloss papers do not make the same colour look identical. The paper’s own shade and surface affect how the print is seen, and a laminated cover can look different from an unlaminated inner page.

Choose the stock and finish before approving colour-sensitive work. Keep photographs consistent across the document, with suitable resolution at their printed size. Our article on colour in brochure design explains how palette and contrast affect readability.

Agree the right proof for the job

A PDF proof is useful for checking content, layout and page order. Viewed on an ordinary screen, it is not a physical colour reference. If you need close brand matching, a repeat order to sit beside existing print, or a particular material, tell us before production. We can discuss whether an appropriate proof or sample is available and what it will demonstrate.

Repeat print can be close, but small differences between runs are normal. Keep the approved file and record the stock and finish used. An older printed sample can help explain the target; it does not by itself guarantee an exact match on a different process or material.

Before you approve the file

• Check the required colour setup and review the exported PDF.
• Look for changes in bright colours, black panels, pale tints and photographs.
• Check that small text remains readable.
• Confirm the paper and finish, not just the design.
• Raise any colour-matching requirement before approving production.

Get help with a colour-sensitive job

Send us the brief with the product, quantity, material and colour reference you need to match. You can compare business cards, flyers and leaflets and brochures before settling on a specification.

Already ordered? Use your order’s artwork upload instructions. The artwork upload page explains the available routes. For a broader file check, see the artwork guide.