How to Get Brighter Prints for Your Print on Demand Products - RGB vs CMYK

If you’re still wondering whether you should be designing in RGB or CMYK format when it comes to print on demand products, then this video has the answers. We’ll go in-depth comparing RGB and CMYK color formats, and how to get the best print color for your products using real examples.
Links in video:
RGB Color Add: contrib.pbslea...
How to Get The Most Vibrant Colors for Print - RGB vs CMYK Explained (with Examples)
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Intro 00:00
Which format should you use? 00:25
Color modes 01:08
Why did my printed product come out differently? 01:55
How RGB works 02:53
How CMYK works 03:39
RGB & CMYK in Print on Demand 04:25
How to get brighter prints 06:04
Final Tips 07:20

[@Printify]

Help us enhance your Printify KZbin experience and get a chance to win exciting prizes by filling out our short survey: printify.typeform.com/to/j42yJRFp#v=Rj8sEI1ts3M The more surveys you fill out, the higher your chances of winning. Watch more videos to find more surveys!

[@dbdoc3519]

Very Good! As a retired professor of printing technology, this was the best explanation of RGB and CMYK in under 10 minutes I have come across. My years in education were on the production side not the design side of the print world. Students had to take their RGB design and create CMYK separations, film or direct to plate, and then run the job on a large printing press. Viewing this short video would have helped them understand the process in a short amount of time.

[@Printify]

Thanks for your feedback! We really appreciate it!

[@Puritymovement]

Great! Simple and straightforward!!!❤❤❤

[@aeneapalma9022]

This was a great video! I can’t believe only 31 views? Such useful and informative content, excellent delivery, awesome production visuals, examples, simple concepts. All around goodness! I pity the fools who don’t watch it (as Mister T would say). :)

[@Printify]

Hey Aenea, thank you so much! We're happy you liked the video and found it helpful, and we really appreciate the feedback! 😊

[@morgannwilliams967]

I agree!!!

[@adamfaith2321]

I work with very large high resolution digital photographs and art with enhanced colours wayout of CMYK gamut. I use an old HP Z5200 42" printer with HP Everyday Quick Dry photo paper using HP 772 original inks for proofing. I get amazing bright images when sending the image data to the printer in RGB mode, the colours really pop!. The images produced come out very close to what you see on a 65" monitor. Depending on the type of images, most prints are very close in appearance with each other when sent to the printer in RGB or CMYK but when I push the colours wayout of gamut range I get amazing results sending data in RGB mode. I use a German company to manufacture the final works and they specify the data in RGB for photographic images, they also get the same results of bright colours especially in the blues and greens as I do with their Epson printers. The RIP software works very well these days. With the improvement of inkjet technology and media products the future is bright. The only thing I find odd is most printing companies aren't doing this yet with the available built-in RIP software with the inkjet printers.

[@Printify]

Hey Adam! Thanks for sharing these insights!

[@scorch3948]

Which company is this?

[@Quatrawinner]

Just to point this out, the monitor you use also has an effect on how the color range looks during design. You should really be using an IPS style monitor with either 100% sRGB compatibility or AdobeRGB compatibility. At the very least use an IPS monitor. If you really wanted to get super technical, you could buy a CMYK printer and the software with it to get a live test so to speak of your design. But ordering samples is a cheaper alternative over all.

[@Printify]

Hey there! You're right - thanks for the clarification. 🙌 And, yes, we agree that ordering samples will be the cheaper alternative in this case!

[@aeneapalma9022]

Haha! I just realized the video is brand new!! I’m used to watching old stuff I guess! Hopefully this means you have a real winner!

[@shubhamkothari2709]

Just Wow!! This was one of the most beautiful videos I've watched on this topic!

[@Neil-Aspinall]

One thing I learnt the hard way, I was talked into a 'pigment' ink printer which may be great for archival reasons but a big disappointment in color reproduction.

[@Gle7N]

Gosh! The only explanation I have ever needed. Wish I'd come by it when I was still in puberty .... haha

[@Printify]

Glad to hear ! Never to late to educate! =)

[@Thatsmessedupman]

I thought it was a good video but missing the detail on getting brighter prints. I would have liked the longer explanation of how to get brighter colors other than use contrasting colors or how to better use contrasting colors because we're not going to be printing color wheels. I have found switching to CYMK mode I lose the blacks or the image always seems more washed out. Maybe that's from a loss of brightness but it's always seems like less contrast and I would have thought with having black ink CYMK would be darker. Although it seems when printed it looks better. But on the screen switching from SRGB to cymk Just appears hazy and dull.

[@Printify]

Hey there, Thanks for the feedback about how to use contrasting colors. We'll definitely note down this suggestion. Switching to CMYK mode will result in a "loss of brightness" but that's simply because there's no light (from a screen) that's creating this extra bright look. Keep in mind that DTG garments are printed with a white underbase in order to get better color, so it's important to use the darkest black if you want a less washed out look. The best way to know how your design will really look printed is always to order samples. :)

[@addickted2gaming723]

Thank you for this video, I learned a lot and will rethink about my color palette.

[@BuckeyeBunny]

Thank you for this explanation! Fourthwall's website and customer service tells users to upload PNG files in CMYK format, but that's not possible for PNG files! 🤦‍♀ DTG companies need to relay your simple instruction of design in RGB, soft proof/preview in CMYK, and export the PNG files in sRGB. Sadly, though, not everyone uses Adobe products, so previewing in CMYK isn't always possible (such as in the old version of CorelDraw that I use). I just tell my customers that the prints will not be as vibrant as portrayed on their screens.

[@Printify]

Sounds like you already know the drill! Happy to hear you enjoyed the video. 😀

[@MissMolly3377]

Awesome. Thank you. I need a video showing how to prepare your photos for the best possible prints, using, both, DTG and sublimation. 😕

[@Printify]

Hi there! We recommend checking out these videos to get started - How to digitise your artwork kzbin.info/www/bejne/bn7XeZt5Z759qbcsi=M8ILBckYFgYeCjGP - How to set print file resolution in Adobe kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWfbpph4e66cr6ssi=Q619R9yIFX50dfcL If these don't answer your questions, check out this article: - The Digitize Image Guide - Perfect Every Print printify.com/blog/the-digitize-image-guide-make-every-print-perfect/

[@SimplybeingR]

That for asking this...I need to know this for sublimation!

[@eyekelly1530]

This was so informative! Thank you.

[@mochannel2482]

Thanks for the explanation. Great job!

[@yuuning]

thank you for making this video!

[@basilsalmi5200]

Great video, Thanks

[@InstantPlayerClassic]

Some printers like kornit and oval jet are cmykrg plus white so it all depends how the technology is setup

[@Printify]

Hey, True- some are equipped with newer technology now. Thanks for pointing this out!

[@rasterfixate]

Firstly - this is a darn good video. Like reeeeally good. I have a question. If I design in CMYK and then convert to RGB and then upload, when you convert back to CMYK will my color saturation remain as I designed it in CYMK, within reason? And what happens if I just upload a CMYK image? I'm trying to figure out the best way to design and have the output be as close to what I see on screen.

[@Printify]

Hi there! Thanks, and happy you enjoyed the video! Our print partners use special RIP software to convert designs from RGB to CMYK, so, yes, the colors should come out as expected, within reason. At the moment, our system is set up to convert designs to RGB if you upload in CMYK, and then the print facility will convert it back to CMYK. Excessive conversions like this can result in color loss and lower quality, which is why we recommend uploading in RGB. We recommend ordering samples to get the best understanding of how your designs will turn out. Some merchants will even print a color wheel or chart on both black and white t-shirts to see how different colors will turn out with different print providers. Hope this helps, but let us know if you have more questions!

[@Interiorgraphichasan]

excellent ,awesome ............. none of us know about the video's. speech, attitude ,style and loving face just wow.......... love u from Bangladesh. I learnt a lot of from this .......

[@Printify]

Hey, we're happy you liked the video and learned a lot! 😃

[@samuelperezjr5659]

Wow the information given in this video is so detailed!…thank you!!!

[@thepurpleufo]

Very good. Thank you.

[@JoudyAli-so9yq]

pleas help me I'm freaking lost its super grate explanation but my mind is rock

[@Printify]

Hi there! Don't worry, we're here to help. This article can answer most of your questions: printify.com/blog/rgb-vs-cmyk/

[@Ions11]

This woman needs to host a children's television show. Verfy helpful video, though. Thanks!

[@Printify]

Well that certainly would be fun! 😄 Glad the information was helpful!

[@letsgetdowntobusiness-]

Awesome video! I learned so much! make more!

[@Printify]

Hey, we really appreciate this feedback! Thanks! 😎

[@juliopelaez9200]

So, in the end what should I use? If I start a project in RGB and it’s going to print duller than what I’m seeing on screen how can I compensate for that difference? It’s disappointing seeing a vibrant piece on a screen and doesn’t match the final printed product, for example digital art prints.

[@Printify]

Hi there! That's a reasonable concern, thanks for sharing. Ultimately, the design should be uploaded to the Printify platform in RGB. We recommend designing in RGB, as you'll have a bigger color range, but previewing in CMYK as you go to understand better how it'll look printed. If you preview as you go, you can adjust the colors as needed. We also encourage ordering samples to see how the true print will look. A good idea might be to order a sample with a color wheel or chart of your most frequently used colors to see how each color will turn out. :)

[@billymelgar4411]

What an amazing video.

[@lisamackay1017]

I write and illustrate children’s books…self publish through kdp. There can be a huge difference from what I see on my screen and what I see on my author’s proof copy of my books. I use procreate for my artwork. Do you have any advise on how I can bridge the gap between the two? You can buy color palettes…but they are SO expensive! What would be simple and not too expensive for someone who is on a budget? Thank you!

[@pekabhoo9653]

Question: Why not just upload a CMYK image? What the customer sees is what they get. Why upload RGB at all?

[@Printify]

Hi there! At the moment, our system is set up to convert designs to RGB if you upload in CMYK, and then the print facility will convert it back to CMYK. Excessive conversions like this can result in color loss and lower quality, which is why we recommend uploading in RGB. We recommend ordering samples to get the best understanding of how your designs will turn out. Some merchants will even print a color wheel or chart on both black and white t-shirts to see how different colors will turn out with different print providers. Hope this helps, but let us know if you have more questions!

[@pekabhoo9653]

@@Printify Thank you very much for your reply. Appreciate it.

[@reitillet7926]

I am still a bit confused. So, the CMYK option in the Preview tab is only there to give us an idea of what the actual product will look like? I am asking because I want my Mockups to be truthful and close to what my customers will actually receive in the mail, so they won't be disappointed, and so I thought presenting my Mockups in CMYK would be a way to do that, but you are saying that we should keep it in RGB so that the print providers can efficiently print the design? So then, I should not present my mockups in CMYK?

[@Printify]

Hi! We recommend that you design in RGB and preview in CMYK to get an idea of how it'll print. An RGB design file should be uploaded to our mockup generator. As for mockups, those can be in CMYK to portray the printed product more accurately. We've also recently added a CMYK view for our mockups as well so you can choose to view it in CMYK or RGB. Hope this helps, but let us know if we can clarify further! :)

[@reitillet7926]

@@Printify Okay so, portraying my mockups in CMYK won't affect the design that will be sent to the print provider? It's the design's file that's saved in RGB that print providers receive to print, right?

[@ralton7817]

one thing not explained, you need the image file to be sent to you in RGB then you convert it to CMYK, so why can't I simply send the CMYK file ?

[@Printify]

Hi there! Ultimately, the design should be uploaded to the Printify platform in RGB. We recommend designing in RGB, as you'll have a bigger color range, but previewing in CMYK as you go to understand better how it'll look printed. If you preview as you go, you can adjust the colors as needed. We also encourage ordering samples to see how the true print will look. A good idea might be to order a sample with a color wheel or chart of your most frequently used colors to see how each color will turn out. :)

[@P-Funk69]

This is bringing me back to art school.

[@Printify]

Thanks P-Funk, now make sure you do your homework and create some awesome designs and sell them!

[@junkeewear6014]

100% newbie here I'm probably will watch this 100 more times.

[@Printify]

It's here for you to watch as many times as you need! 💚

[@gracianapiaggio]

Thank you! great video!! Fantastic explained!!! One question: when I convert my RGB files to CMYK for textil printers, which is the best way to edit the colors to get the most accurate colors in CMYK? Thank you very much!

[@Printify]

Hi! Happy you enjoyed the video. We recommend always designing in RGB, as you'll have access to a larger color range, and then previewing in CMYK to understand better how it'll look printed. The printer will convert from RGB to CMYK using their special software, and this'll ensure the most accurate colors. Ordering samples is always a good idea as well to see how the true print will look. :)

[@normski4ash]

Very interesting, absolute lightbulb moment ! Thankyou. So. I have opened a raw image into Photoshop, via ACR, where I just hit the auto button, and converted it to CMYK, by "Image - Mode - CMYK colour". Back to bridge, opened the same file again and left it in RGB. Can't see any difference, or very little. Increase canvas width to double, drop RGB photo next to CMYK photo, the sky is a bit darker, but don't really see anything else. So I then saved both images as jpeg's and opened in viewer on my 27" iMac, take them to full screen, view the rgb, then the cmyk and OH WOW ! now there's the difference ! Question is then, should I work in CMYK in PS, to get the image I want, then convert to RGB before saving for print ? and just work in RGB for web ?

[@Printify]

Hi there! Thanks, and happy you enjoyed the video! Our print partners use special RIP software to convert designs from RGB to CMYK, so, yes, the colors should come out as expected, within reason. At the moment, our system is set up to convert designs to RGB if you upload in CMYK, and then the print facility will convert it back to CMYK. Excessive conversions like this can result in color loss and lower quality, which is why we recommend uploading in RGB. We recommend ordering samples to get the best understanding of how your designs will turn out. Some merchants will even print a color wheel or chart on both black and white t-shirts to see how different colors will turn out with different print providers. Hope this helps, but let us know if you have more questions!

[@melissapugh1479]

Can I use the CMYK mock up mode on printify, so what the buyer sees is what the buyer gets?

[@Printify]

Hi! Yes, you can! Here are some more details about that :) help.printify.com/hc/en-us/articles/17587268548241-How-can-I-create-realistic-mockups-for-my-designs

[@adelepartington4703]

Thank you for the explanation, great video. I used another print service (I am in Canada), and they told me that the reason my final prints turned out muddy was because my file was not CMYK. If I want to export a image from Procreate I can create it in CMYK, but the export functions, do not include CMYK, only JPG, PNG, PDF, etc. What is the best export format to use?

[@Printify]

Hi! CMYK is a color profile whereas JPG, PNG, PDF is a file format. Not all formats support CMYK color profiles. JPG supports CMYK color modes, but PNG does not. However, if you want a transparent background for your design you'll need to export as a PNG. We suggest consulting with your print service to see what they suggest. :)

[@linvidh]

Great video! If I create a custom color swatch T-shirt with one of your print providers, should I assume the results will be the same or very similar across the provider’s different fulfillment centers? For instance, if I use SwiftPOD to print my color swatch test shirt, will my sample (coming from the TX fulfillment center, as it’s closest to my address) look exactly the same as another sample coming from their CA fulfillment center? TIA!

[@Printify]

Hi there! As long as the print provider is the same we're confident the colors should not be different no matter which print facility is used.

[@JoKorotPresents]

Thanks for this video. I understand the difference between RGB and looking through light instead of opaque fabric, ceramic, etc., and why nothing printed will ever match the brilliance of RGB on a computer screen. Is it possible to get a really bright pink that is pure Magenta like the magenta ink in cmyk? I've seen Tshirts with neon colors and really bright colors but assume they are screen printed with ink colors specified, thus not DTG or sublimation? Is that correct?

[@Printify]

Hi! As different print providers may use different inks and it can also depend on the fabric, a certain shade of pink may look slightly different depending on which print provider you use and the specific product. To find the brightest and best pink for your design, we suggest creating a test order with various shades of magenta from different print providers to see which will give you the desired result.

[@trevors7905]

So why not design in CMYK from the beginning if the printer converts it to CMYK anyway?

[@Printify]

Hi there! At the moment, our system is set up to convert designs to RGB if you upload in CMYK, and then the print facility will convert it back to CMYK. Excessive conversions like this can result in color loss and lower quality, which is why we recommend uploading in RGB. We recommend ordering samples to get the best understanding of how your designs will turn out. Some merchants will even print a color wheel or chart on both black and white t-shirts to see how different colors will turn out with different print providers.

[@trevors7905]

@@Printify This makes perfect sense! Thank you for the explanation.

[@EinfachNoah]

the first video that tells me to use rgb instead of cmyk interesting

[@LindaWisdomphotography]

I know right! I'm a photographer who sells prints and I'm always told to save file as RGB. When it comes to graphics and illustrations, non-POD printers alway tell me to save as CMYK. Printify advise us to save ALL files as RGB no matter if your design is photographic, or graphic based!! My head hurts lol

[@owaizyusufi4989]

What about someone who is using CANVA instead of Photoshop? Can you please make a video with specific to CANVA that elaborate the size, color format ( rgb or cmyk ) of the design file. Update : If you already have any video for specific to CANVA users that would be helpful

[@Printify]

Hey! Same concepts would apply to Canva. :) The template size would depend on the product you're designing and the design file would still need to be uploaded in RGB to Printify. We don't have any specific videos on this topic just yet, but we do have one about designing in Canva if you're interested. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5rHoXV3aZuIrqs&ab_channel=Printify

[@DavidMontanez-wm1uf]

So if I have an image and I use Photoshop's CMYK mode, should I tweak the image a little bit for it to look good and then save it as sRBG?

[@Printify]

Hi David! There's a fine line between how much you should adjust an image in order to show what it really looks like, before going overboard and making it look completely different. That risks your customers being disappointed that what they see is not what they end up getting. If you feel like you need to adjust it, maybe run it past a buddy afterwards to make sure the image is still realistic to what customers can expect.

[@padkirsch]

But wouldn't it make sense to design in cmyk in illustrator, and export as sRGB .PNG? That way you know how your colors will be? Please advise. Thanks for the video

[@padkirsch]

On your print on demand site wouldn't you want people to see the colors as they will be printed? Thanks for the video. Please let me know. I know how RGB in CMYK works but I want these clarification so I know how to move forward. 🙂

[@padkirsch]

I mean I get that once you export to PNG it makes it RGB, so sRGB is best. But if you design in CMYK, wouldn't that make the colors more similar in the images and the print? Why to design in RGB and export as sRGB as the video suggests? Is it bad to design in cmyk and export as sRGB? This is what I wish to understand

[@Printify]

Hi there, While you can design in CMYK and export in RGB, you may be losing out on extra vibrancy during this process. Designing in RGB will give the printer more information and this will help your mockups stand out. Hope this answers your question and clarifies any confusion, but let us know if you still have questions. 🙂

[@Thatsmessedupman]

​@@Printify But why would you export as RGB if you design and saved in CYMK?

[@angrytedtalks]

Stop. I'm colour blind.

[@kamrantariq80]

How do I make CMYK artwork colours vibrant? They look soooo dull!!!

[@Printify]

Hi! You might want to try playing around with your color scheme. While you can't make colors brighter, you can give the illusion of brighter prints using contrasting colors. We talk about this around 6:00 :)

[@MichaelKrishtopa]

Maybe it's good idea to provide an option for advanced users to upload images in CMYK (with pre-defined color profile), instead of CMYK-RGB-CMYK conversion?

[@Printify]

Hi! This option may be considered in the future, but unfortunately, we can't give any estimates for when that might be. However, this is valuable feedback for us as we continue to improve our platform. Thanks for sharing!

[@juliawladysiak]

But I wont be printing it. I need rgb but indesign doesnt want to show them

[@PokeFangOfficial]

I wanted neon green ink on my shirts, I used the CMYK Pantone colors in illustrator for the neon green, but the prints came out a darker forest greenish color. Idk.

[@Printify]

Hi! True neon colors will be very difficult to achieve due to the nature of the CMYK color model and the type of ink used for direct-to-garment printing. We recommend creating your design using RGB, previewing in CMYK, and adjusting accordingly.

[@melissapugh1479]

So if I’m designing in procreate, should I be designing in CMYK, than what format should I save it to?

[@Printify]

Hey! You can design in CMYK, but we recommend converting to RGB before uploading to Printify, otherwise we'll have to convert it anyway and there may be some color loss due to excessive conversions. We also recommend ordering some samples just to see how different colors will turn out. You could order one product with a colorwheel or chart for example to get a full overview of the final colors.

[@lindaburridge5276]

Brilliant and informative thank you!

[@Printify]

Happy you liked it! 🌈

[@yakeenbb5178]

So if I understood correctly, the customer should receive the digital art in RGB format and CMYK is only for me to view how it will look move printed? I thought I was supposed to provide the art in CMYK format😅

[@Printify]

Hi there! If you are selling digital art and not a printed product then RGB would definitely be more useful. CMYK however shows a more realistic view of printed products, which is why it's better to show customers so they know what to expect.

[@MsSleeplessFreak]

This was very helpful. Thank you so much. As you explained and as I understood, everything we submit in RGB will still be converted to CMYK once it's for printing since the 4 colors in CMYK is what the printer will use. Does it matter or will the color change a lot, if for example you create the artwork first in CMYK, save it and then convert it to RGB for printing? I want to try using POD for my designs but worried that the colors will not be so good and my customers will see the difference.

[@Printify]

Hi, Glad you found the video helpful! You're correct that the print providers will convert to CMYK themselves using their specific technology. Previewing your artwork in CMYK is one way to give you a more accurate representation of what the final design could look like. There may be slight variations in color depending on the printer, inks, etc., but they should be minimal. We recommend ordering samples of your products to get the absolute best visual of how your designs will look printed. 🙂

[@jasminecommercemusic]

@@Printifythanks for taking the time to clearly answer this! I’ve run into this, where a print shop continued to tell me that it was a problem with my file (their prints looked nothing like the online image I downloaded- not even close). I went to another shop and he half-explained the RGB to CMYK color process and said that he can kind of “color match” before printing. I didn’t really understand what he meant, but ultimately the prints looked MUCH closer to the original online images. Very little difference. Now I *think* I understand even better from your video and reply here. I just don’t understand why the there was SUCH a big difference in color in the first shop, and can only imagine it was that they suck! 😂

[@pocopix]

So, is it better to design in CMYK and THEN convert to RGB?

[@Printify]

Hi! We recommend just previewing in CMYK and still designing in RGB so you get the full range of colors. :)

[@AmazingMiracles]

Does Printify accept CMYK files? I work in CMYK for the physical end product.

[@Printify]

Hi! No. Our system will automatically convert to RGB, which can potentially end in loss of color accuracy and quality.

[@jen_profit_machine]

So when we send you the file is it in CMYK mode or RGB mode?

[@Printify]

Hi there! Our print partners use special RIP software to convert designs from RGB to CMYK. At the moment, our system is set up to convert designs to RGB, so if you upload in CMYK it'll automatically convert to RGB anyway, and then the print facility will convert it back to CMYK. Too many Excessive conversions like this can result in color loss and lower quality, which is why we recommend uploading in RGB, so the conversion only happens once.

[@jillwirsing7544]

Thank you for the video! If you want to use the same design on t shirts as well as stickers, stationary, mugs, etc., can you use the same file designed in RGB?

[@Printify]

Hi, Yes, absolutely!

[@jillwirsing7544]

@@Printify Thank you!

[@aagg1500]

Hola. Gracias por la información. Una consulta: Para subir en Printify, recomiendas archivos .PNG o .JPG?. Entiendo algunas diferencias que hay entre ambos formatos, pero no se cual es mejor opción para imprenta. Gracias.

[@Printify]

Hey, Perhaps this video can clear things up for you! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHacaaenjbp9l7c&ab_channel=Printify

[@d.r.pickering4393]

If I just want to print black line art or a coloring book made with black lines, which color format will give me the darkest black? Should I still use sRGB or would grayscale be the best option? Thanks.

[@Printify]

Hi there! Thanks for the question- currently, when you upload your design to our Mockup Generator, we convert it down to sRGB anyway, so best to go with that to limit the amount of conversions. In the future, we might add a feature that if a product contains only a single image, we might keep its color space, but for now, that's not the case and we don't have an estimate of when that might be.

[@777SEER]

when I upload a PNG file probably in RGB for a shirt in Printify, I view it in CMYK, and leave it in CMYK, and proceed to the next page is that okay? OR do I need to tic on RGB before going to next page? confused

[@Printify]

Hi! Yes, that's fine!

[@StenR]

Why not just state that you don't support spot or Pantone colors in your printing process? Maybe that's obvious when printing on non-paper products, but from the comments and the fact that people are designing images in RGB mode, it seems to create a lot of confusion.

[@Dareanddoit]

Thank you for this video! So, to simplify, If we make a design in Canva ( because ww are not a professional designers), we export in a png format with transparency, this is a RGB file, right? Do we have to worry about how your partener's printers providers will 'see' this file? The printers will convert our RGB PNG file in a CMYK PNG file ? Do you suggest it is better to print this RGB PNG file first to see how will colors will look after printing? If you have a video about the neon colors on black shirts for example and other tips about how yo have bright colors on shirts, please let me know.

[@Printify]

Hi there! Everything on Canva is created in RGB. Printers use special software to convert the RGB design file to CMYK Our best advice is to design in RGB color mode, preview it if you can in CMYK to see the most accurate representation of how the colors will look, and then change it back to RGB before exporting to a Printer.

[@Dareanddoit]

@@Printify Thanks for your answer! Is there a software where we can preview in CMYK the design made in RGB ? Thanks again

[@alishagermany2590]

@@Dareanddoit Save PDF as CMYK, this will be the closest you can get to a preview on Canva

[@StyleIndiana]

If I understand correctly, for things like digital prints and even clothing, it would always be better to transform files into CMYK ready for printing. In contrast, when promoting items on line, it is always better to use RGB. Is this correct?

[@Printify]

Hey there, Not quite. You are correct that RGB format is used for anything online, but for anything that will be printed through Printify (digital prints, clothing, etc.), it's still better to use RGB, since we'll convert it to RGB anyway. This is because the printer will convert the file themselves with their specific method to convert to CMYK. What happens when the file is converted back and forth like that is that it loses that extra bit of color data that RGB could provide, potentially resulting in a slightly lower color match. Ultimately, we recommend doing everything in RGB, previewing in CMYK, and then reverting back to RGB before uploading to set a better expectation of what the final printed product might look like. Hope this answers your question, but let us know if you have more!

[@awikwok8385]

@Printify thanks a lot for explaination, I really strunggle after watching this video. I thought It's better to set early with CMYK profile, that's why I so confused when I print it the results is changing again and again 😢

[@OD_Adventures]

CAN I CHANGE a png file to rbg and how ?

[@Printify]

Hey! PNG is a type of file while RGB is a color profile. For example, PNG files support RGB color profiles. This video might help clear things up :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHacaaenjbp9l7c&ab_channel=Printify

[@user-ln8zh6qj2f]

My design has the combination of photo content and graphics, should I upload the artwork in RGB mode?

[@Printify]

Hi, Yes! We recommend uploading your designs in RGB, printers covert these files to CMYK later.

[@WayneKrassner]

Yeah, you said change it before you export put it back to RGB before you export can you explain why that is don’t you want to export it in the CYMK

[@Printify]

Hi, This is because it will be converted back to RGB anyway in the mockup generator and printers use their own special software for these conversions to get the closest match possible. Excessive conversions back and forth can lead to a loss in quality.

[@WayneKrassner]

@@Printify thank you

[@klarisse410]

Hello! Designing for large scale ads. Just interested if designing and exporting in RGB is also true for other print shops and not just in Printify. Does every printer have an RGB to CMYK converting mechanism? (Have also noted down to ask for samples, thanks!)

[@Printify]

Hi there! That would depend on the printer, however we based the information in this video from our print partners who all use industrial scale printing machinery in their facilities, so it's safe to assume that any other large scale printers would also probably use the type of conversion.

[@klarisse410]

@@Printify Hey, thanks for your insights and I truly appreciate the effort in replying to my query. That makes sense, and I moved forward with just consulting with the agency with their required specs. Thank you so much!

[@NM-nv5ib]

Question! Why is it important to convert it into RGB before uploading?

[@Printify]

Hi! In short, uploading your design in RGB will get you the best color match. If you upload a design using CMYK, we'll convert it back to RGB anyway (we realize this process is a limitation at the moment, but we're consistently working to make it better). Printers already have special software to convert the RGB design file to CMYK and excessive conversions back & forth like that could simply lead to a loss in quality.

[@linohype]

Hi, I wonder what happens with an image in ProPhoto RGB space uploaded to Printify. Do you also convert that down to the way smaller sRGB or do you pass that one unconverted to the print facility?

[@Printify]

Hi, Unfortunately, we do convert it down to sRGB at the moment because in our Mockup Generator you can add multiple layers, and when blending them, they all need to be in the same color space. However, we might add a feature in the future that if a product contains only a single image, we might keep its color space, but for now, that's not the case and we don't have an estimate of when that could be.

[@linohype]

​@@Printify that would be great, please push that on your agenda! thx a lot🤝

[@maskatron70]

Almost all of my prints are in sepia and I restore them on photoshop, I turned them from grayscale to RGB and then I click the sepia button, the place I get them printed out on has a new printer and everything is coming out looking to pink, they're pretty sure the printer is working fine, but I'm not sure what they are pink, would it make a difference if I turn them to cymk? Thanks.

[@Printify]

Hi there! Hmm it couldn't hurt to try since CMYK is a more realistic view of what's being printed. If that doesn't work though ,a good idea would also be to print a test strip of your prints with different tints and shades to figure out which one works better with your printer and your expectations..

[@maskatron70]

@@Printify thanks, I did notice when I turn it into cym on Photoshop it almost looks a little washed out, is that normal? Thanks.

[@Printify]

@@maskatron70 Hi! Yes, it'll look a bit different in CMYK mode.

[@jillwirsing7544]

I have another question…should you design in RGB 8 or 16? When you export your file as a png, would that covert to RGB 8 anyway?

[@Printify]

Hi! We recommend working in RGB 8. 🙂

[@jillwirsing7544]

@@Printify Thank you!

[@kuyadaTV]

why do we need to revert to RGB when exporting? Is it not good/safe to just save it in CMYK and export?

[@Printify]

Hi! This is because the file will be converted back to RGB anyway by us and the print provider. Excessive back-and-forth conversions like this can lead to a loss in quality.

[@Thatsmessedupman]

​​@@Printify But why would you convert to rgb and then convert to cymk if it's already in CYMK?

[@pennyluck9696]

I'm sure it's a great video but I'm still thoroughly confused and about to close my etsy shop after 3 complaints about colors not being anywhere near what they look like on the listings :(

[@Printify]

Hi there! There is a simple solution to avoid such unpleasant surprises with your beautiful designs. By setting your Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator image settings to CMYK, you will see on-screen colors close to the actual print. We would also suggest getting samples of your products and adjusting your mockups to show a truer reflection of what the print will look like.

[@pennyluck9696]

thanks... I don't use photoshop or adobe, i'm mostly using my own photos and some AI @@Printify Doesn't seem feasible to order samples of all 400 designs I have listed to check on the colors. I assumed the item would appear how the "preview" and mock ups look - I make sure they're all high resolution not sure what else I can do ...

[@Printify]

Hey@@pennyluck9696! Please reach out to our support team. They'll be able to look into it a bit deeper for you to check if there are any underlying issues.

[@dumbcat]

wait. design in RGB only to view a CMYK preview and find that some of your colors did not translate into CMYK? designing in CMYK seems to make more sense. then when you output to RGB only the colors that CMYK can reproduce will be included. please correct me if i am missing something. thanks

[@Printify]

Hi! While you can do this, you might be missing out on some extra vibrancy in certain colors during this process. Designing in RGB simply gives the printer more information to work with and this will also help your mockups stand out.

[@lemonyandzesty]

Most of the fun stuff to work with in softwares is all in RGB, blending modes and such. As long as you design with printing in mind from the start, and check your work with the CMYK previewer as you go, you'll be fine. Most printers these days are equipped to accept RGB, and prefer you to send your files in RGB.

[@joshpickup2581]

@@Printify surely it makes no difference what colour space you design in. The printer doesn't know whether you designed It in cmky. as long as you export it as Rgb then the printer is receiving rgb. im not sure why, as this person and lots of others have asked, that designing in CMYK (so that you are viewing the most accurate colours to what will be printed) and then reverting back to RGB for export would result in the loss of any information for the printer to work with. All this means is that you are essentially leaving on the 'preview cmyk' whilst doing your edit.

[@tHrEeTeARedDrAGoNfLy]

Hi, question. I am new to this. Why do you convert back to RGB when you upload the final product? I have been saving the final product in CMYK, I guess I figured it would print exactly as shown and that it wouldn't make a difference to convert it back to RGB. I tried printing for the first time and the colors were very close to the original CMYK image, only darker. Can you help me understand?

[@Printify]

Hi ! Our print partners use special RIP software to convert designs from RGB to CMYK. At the moment, our system is set up to convert designs to RGB, so if you upload in CMYK it'll automatically convert to RGB anyway, and then the print facility will convert it back to CMYK. Too many Excessive conversions like this can result in color loss and lower quality, which is why we recommend uploading in RGB, so the conversion only happens once.

[@tHrEeTeARedDrAGoNfLy]

@@Printify thank you for the speedy and informative response. That makes sense. 👌 🤗

[@BorSam]

@@tHrEeTeARedDrAGoNfLy Everything on screen is using RGB; even if you upload an image with a CMYK profile, it will convert to RGB, and every print ink is CMYK. Even if you print in RGB mode, it will convert to CMYK.

[@goodluckchilerens]

so feed printer rgb digital files will most likely get close to what we preview cmyk file online，and if we feed printer cmyk digital file，most likely we will get far from what we have seen cmyk file onlune right？ So we had better to feed printer rgb files right？

[@Printify]

Hi! Yes, that's correct. The file will be converted to RGB anyway, and the more it's converted back and forth, the more it'll start to lose quality.

[@goodluckchilerens]

@@Printify I used software called canva convert jpg to pdf ，they have pdf printing option both rgb and cmyk for people to download，indicate rgb option is good for online digital，cmyk is for professional printing，I’ve seen lot of KZbinr go with cmyk option for their art prints, by the way rgb pdf file size on canva is larger than cmyk, maybe they work differently with Printify

[@Printify]

@@goodluckchilerens Hi, You're correct that CMYK is used for physical prints. Our print partners use special software to convert from RGB to CMYK to ensure the most accurate representation of your design. If you upload to Printify in CMYK, we'll convert it to RGB before sending it to the printer, who will again convert it to CMYK using their method. The more a file gets converted back and forth, the more likely the print won't be as expected from the original design, which is why we recommend RGB. Hope this clarifies things, but let us know if you have more questions. :)

[@lizziemoo2502]

Will the color gold show up in t-shirts as gold? Or just a sort of a yellowish color?

[@Printify]

Hi there, While printers won't be able to give it a metallic shine, it should be able to replicate the color pretty closely. As different printers use different inks, there may be slight differences in color depending on which print provider you choose. If you're looking for a very specific shade, we recommend ordering samples to see how the colors will look. Some merchants even create a palette of different shades as a design and have it printed on a t-shirt so they can see how all the colors look side by side.

[@lizziemoo2502]

@@Printify Thank you! I just ordered some samples to see. 😃

[@Printify]

@@lizziemoo2502 Awesome! Let us know how they turn out. 😉

[@joergsonnenberger6836]

There are professional printers that will have an actual gold color. This is where Pantone(TM) and friends come in.

[@advanced8526]

Why is my Epson sc-t3170x printing purple hue for the Grey steel colors I'm looking for? Thanks

[@Printify]

Hey, This may have something to do with your printer color settings.

[@kentjensen4504]

VS is VERSUS not "VERSE".

[@Printify]

Thanks Kent

[@williamshalstead]

yeah so good teaching, BUT my colors still aren't bright in prints. what's the damn point

[@Printify]

Hi William! Unfortunately, that's just the physics of how colors look on-screen versus physical stuff. While colors from screen to print can be very close, it'll never be 100% exact simply because there is no light being projected from a physical item as it would be from your computer screen. To get the brightest looking prints we recommend trying high-contrast colors in your designs to make them stand out more.

[@freebirdmahasi1974]

6:05

[@adamcooper4959]

DTF or DTG?

[@Printify]

Hey Adam, The t-shirt examples in the video were DTG, but either way our system and the printers take RGB.

[@guldenbolat2224]

I am getting complaints from the customers for white designs especially on black and red shirts. White design looks really dull and shows thru the shirt color too much making the design looks more like gray on black and pinkish on red. I had to refund to quite a few customers because of this.

[@Printify]

Hi! This is sometimes the nature of DTG printing and is normal. In this case, an offwhite may work better than pure white. A lot of sellers have discussed this topic in our POD Rockstars Facebook group facebook.com/groups/printifypodrockstars and have shared some great tips regarding this. Try typing something like "white ink" in the search bar of the group and you'll see past conversations about this. :)

[@danpinho]

First mistake in less than a minute @0:56. Just stopped watching. sRGB is the smallest color space for the job, since 1998 we have Adobe RGB which is more suitable for print. It was created more than 25 ago but people still use a 60s format instead. Nice clothing though, makes people believe everything you say 😂

[@spires655]

This isn't true. CMYK is a holdover from the old days, when it was necessary. It's technically complicated as to why it's no longer necessary, but the ultimate reason CMYK hangs on is money. There are many inkjet printers that will use extra colors exceed the CMYK gamut, however manufacturers prefer the economic benefits of CMYK, which means your color printing remains dull and bad. It's time for designers to patronize printers and manufacturers who use technology that leaves the tired old CMYK restrictions in the dustbin of history where they belong.

[@chairfoam]

I really want to know what she's saying but Its just impossible to listen to because its like I'm watching a kids show on Jetix

[@Printify]

If you slow the video down to .75 speed, it sounds more like early episodes of Frasier…But either way, Leah is bringing you a ton of really useful info.

[@bullitt5337]

I feel like she thinks her audience is a bunch of 3rd graders with her tone

[@Printify]

Hi there! People access information at different levels which is why we try to make it easy for everybody.

[@itube5353]

Funny coming from one of the worst print providers

[@Printify]

Hey! We love feedback! Do you mind sharing specifically how we can improve?

[@antjamnow1286]

She looks like my ex girlfriend...

[@Printify]

She's not, we asked