RGB to CMYK Color Converter

RGB is an additive color model — screens start black and add red, green and blue light to build up to white. CMYK is subtractive — printing starts with white paper and subtracts light by layering cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink. The two models describe color fundamentally differently, so converting between them is an approximation rather than an exact swap.

This matters practically: a bright screen color, especially saturated blues and greens, often can't be reproduced exactly in CMYK ink. Always check a proof or use this converter as a starting estimate rather than a guarantee of print-perfect color.

Where this comes up

• Preparing a logo or design designed on screen (RGB) for professional offset or digital printing (CMYK)
• Checking how a brand color will likely shift when it moves from a website to a printed brochure or business card
• Working with print vendors who require CMYK percentages rather than RGB or hex values