As we have already explained in another post of this blog, the choice of a colour palette for the corporate identity of a company is a very meditated process. It is a very studied selection with the aim of transmitting and evoking emotions in our audience in order to connect more with them.
Knowing the colour modes helps us to create consistency in our communications and visual identity. It will help ensure that the corporate colour is faithfully reproduced in physical or digital format.
What are colour modes?
Colour modes or colour formats are representations of the visible colour spectrum, the one perceived by our eye. This visible colour spectrum always depends on the hue, saturation and the brightness or amount of light it reflects (this can also be translated as the percentage of black). Light colours reflect more light than dark tones.
We must not forget that colour modes are only representations. Therefore, some colours may be found within some colour modes, while in others they may not appear. There are for example monochromatic colour modes, such as greyscale and 1 Bit mode.
Among the most popular colour modes we can find RGB, CMYK, HSB, Lab, Grayscale or Pantone. Let’s take a look at each of them to understand how they work and in which formats we should use them, as they are not designed to give the same result in the different final arts.
RGB colour mode
The RGB colour mode is based on the summation of the primary light colours. This is known as additive synthesis, where colours must be added together to make a new colour. These colours are Red, Green and Blue (RGB).
Colour is obtained by light spectra and not ink. Colours are formed by the addition of different light at different wavelengths. The colour white is achieved by the sum of the three colours (red, green and blue) in equal parts with the highest possible saturation. On the other hand, the absence of primary colours results in the colour black. Black is the absence of light. Without light the eye cannot perceive any colour.
RGB is the colour mode used for digital displays and devices. Your screen mixes red, green and blue light to produce bright colours. Websites, mobile applications, video, etc. are in RGB. It should not be used for printing systems.
RGB images contain a total of 24 bits per pixel and use 3 channels of information, one for each colour. The value of the channels ranges from 1 to 255.
Hexadecimal Code
The hexadecimal code is a numerical notation system used to represent colours in most web pages. It is a way of ensuring that colours look the same on different devices and browsers, as they all interpret the codes in the same way. It consists of six alphanumeric characters, representing the RGB colour values. The first two characters represent the value of red, the next two represent the value of green, and the last two represent the value of blue.
Each of these values can range from 0 to 255, which means that there are a total of 16,777,216 different possible colour combinations using this system.
Each of these characters can be a number from 0 to 9 or a letter from A to F. For example, the hexadecimal code for pure red is #FF0000, while the code for white is #FFFFFFFFFF.
CMYK colour mode
The CMYK colour mode is based on the subtraction of white using pigment mixtures. This is known as subtractive synthesis. The primary subtractive colours for this colour mode are Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK).
In CMYK colour mode, the pigments or primary subtractive colours are combined to obtain the other colours. Black always adds body and strength. It can also be used to accentuate tone or give depth to the print.
This colour mode is mostly used for images and graphic elements that need to be printed on a physical medium. CMYK colours do not appear as bright as RGB colours, as they lack the added advantage of the luminance component.
CMYK images contain a total of 32 bits per pixel, making use of 4 channels of information, one for each colour. The value of the channels ranges from 1 to 100.
HSB colour mode
The HSB colour mode is based on the human perception of colour. All its colours are described according to three fundamental characteristics. Hue, Saturation and Brightness (HSB):
- Hue: is the colour reflected through an object and is measured as a position on the colour wheel or colour circle. It is expressed in degrees (0° to 360°) and is identified by the colour name.
- Saturation: also called chromaticity, it is the purity of the colour and represents the amount of grey that exists in proportion to the hue. It is measured between 0% (grey) and 100% (full saturation).
- Brightness: is the relative lightness or darkness of the colour, measured between 0% (black) and 100% (white).
Lab colour mode
The Lab colour mode allows you to change the brightness of an image without altering the rest of its values. It is mainly used to transfer images from one system to another without losing their values, as it creates consistent colours regardless of the devices used to create or reproduce images. It has three channels, which hold up to 256 different tones:
- Channel L: Luminosity, from 0 (black) to 100 (white).
- Channel a: Green and red axis
- Channel b: Blue and yellow axis
As a curiosity, this colour model was proposed in 1931 by the Commission Internationale d’Eclairage as an international standard for measuring colour (then known as CIE L*a*b). In 1976, this model was refined and renamed Lab.
Greyscale colour mode
The Greyscale colour mode uses different shades of grey in an image. In 8-bit images, there can be up to 256 shades of grey. Each pixel in a greyscale image has a brightness value between 0 (black) and 255 (white). In 16-bit and 32-bit images, the number of shades in an image is much larger than in 8-bit images. Grayscale values can also be measured as percentages of black ink coverage (0% equals white, 100% equals black).
Normally, images generated with black and white or greyscale scanners are displayed in Greyscale mode. Although Greyscale is a standard colour model, the exact range of greys represented may vary, depending on the printing conditions.
What is Pantone colour?
Pantone is an internationally recognised company that develops numbering systems to identify colour quickly and accurately. Pantone colour codes allow different manufacturers to reference colours and thus obtain the correct colours without the need for direct comparison.
The Pantone colour charts show a wide range of colours with numerical and graphical codes that allow designers and industry professionals to select and reproduce colours consistently on different media and materials. However, the most commonly used medium for this colour mode is printing with spot colours (offset) or process colours or four-colour process (CMYK). For your information, metallic colours such as gold or silver are Pantone colours.
Pantone was initially designed for the printing industry, but is now used outside of this segment and has become a widely used palette in many different industries. You may be familiar with the term “PMS“, which stands for Pantone Matching System, a very useful numbering system in the graphic design industry.
RGB and CMYK colour formats in visual identity design
A company’s visual identity must be prepared to be reproduced in several different channels such as smartphones, websites, print media, outdoor signage, etc. Normally, a corporate colour palette has been previously selected, with its corresponding values in RGB and CMYK colour mode. It is important that we always know where our graphic elements will be reproduced. This is the only way to ensure that our designs are reproduced in the correct colour mode.
As we have previously mentioned, any element of our visual identity that is going to be used in light media (screens, smartphones, websites, televisions, etc.) we must ensure that they are always delivered in RGB colour mode.
On the other hand, for those channels where our visual identity is going to be printed by inks or pigmentation, digital printing or offset printing, such as brochures, magazines, vinyls, stickers, business cards and other merchandising items, we must ensure that the designs are printed under the CMYK colour mode. Sending the final artwork for printing in RGB will cause the colours to be altered in the final result.
Conclusion.
Colour is a very important tool for the graphic designer, and knowing how the colour modes work is key to any project. Knowing them allows us to have a consistency in the visual identity of a brand, regardless of the format in which it will be reproduced. It is important, not only for direct communication with your client or with external industry players, but also to be faithful in conveying the desired message and emotions to the target audience.
Hi, I’m Roberto Vidiella.
I am the founder and Creative Director of VIDI. I am passionate about graphic design, and through this blog, I try to deepen my knowledge and share what I have learned during my career. If you leave me a comment, you help me to keep learning and improving, and I’m really excited about it!