Expert: Tom Rouze - 6/12/2006

Question
Hi Tom,
Sorry if this sounds silly, I have been trying to do my homework but, I just need some help...I am doing a logo and need to save in a variety of file formats for a variety of uses. When I save the original illustrator file for Web RGB, PDF and printing cmyk. In each format the colours appear differently when printed and when seen on the screen. How can you maintain colour consistency between files for web and printing ? I used the swatch library to select colours required. Thanks for any help

Answer
Hello Andrew,

This is not silly at all. I'll try not to get to involved with the answer.  
Matching monitor to print is very difficult because the way the logo is being viewed.
The monitor uses light to show the image color and a printed piece uses light reflected from the piece to show color.  Two totally different ways of viewing color.
The next part is that monitors project in RGB, printed pieces use CMYK pigments.  
One way to try to overcome this difference is to work within the color gamut that works for print and web (monitors).  You will get close to in colors but unless you are looking at a calibrated monitor and the printed piece is in spec you may still see a huge difference.
Some colors are better than others but don't compromise your project for veiwing on the monitor if you are using a printed piece.  Every monitor shows color differently so what you see on your monitor will not be the same on your customers or print supplier.
Consistant color control is a very involved process that needs to be checked and recalibrated regularly but that's a different topic for another question.
My suggestion is work from the printed piece and the values specified in the file you're working on.  These are consistantly reproducible in the printing world with the proper measurement tools.
Colors on the monitor are not consistant among each other.  There are monitors that are better for color consistancy than others but they are generally more expensive and still have to be calibrated to the printer.
I hope this helped.  If you have any other questions or would like to know more about this please let me know.

Thank you,
Tom