Color Mode - RGB or CMYK?

[roy7zen]

Hi, a question for creators:

For those who have a (colored) comic here but plan to print it one day, on what mode would you choose to color your comics - on RGB or CMYK mode? Colors for both modes display differently, obviously. But just wondering if any of you found some sort of middle ground to this.

BTW, I'm new to this site. Just joined a couple weeks ago. Hope I posted this question on the right thread!

Thanks a bunch!
Royzen

[AffectedMind]

RGB - internet display
CMYK - printing

[YamamotoRyuunosuke]

Just as @AffectedMind said, there's no middle ground on this. It's one or the other.

[DeadAccount]

I suggest working in RGB and converting to CMYK profile later down the line. Even in RGB you can still proof colours by quick-previewing CMYK - i think it's done with "Ctrl+Y"

[nobody]

Definitely work in RGB when you're working digitally. You can convert to CMYK later for print. Some printers even want you to send them the file as RGB :/ And like @cryoclaire said, you can still proof colours while working (in Photoshop).

[zerofruits]

RGB. Since the comic is mainly done for online publishing. As others have said, you can still convert to CMYK when you prepare to print your stuff - but usually, it's no problem to print RGB files. The colors might come out a bit differently then what you see on your screen, but I noticed that most of the time, it's not that big of a deal (though I guess it always depends on the colors themselves and the quality of the print).

More importantly I think is the resolution of the file you want to print (300 dpi, 72dpi for anything you want to publish on screen)

[AnnaLandin]

RGB, since I'm posting it online. I'm in the process of putting together chapters 1-3 of Grassblades to print as a collected volume, and since I've done all of it in RGB, I do have some headaches now that I'm converting to CMYK - mainly, the glowy blue effects, since blue is one of those colours that are tricky to get right in print - but it's not too bad.

[DeadAccount]

Yeah, anything really bright and neony, like blues and purples tend to look messed up once you convert it to CMYK, but actually it tends to come out ok in print with some adjustment and it definitely looks worse on screen.

[AnnaLandin]

Yeah, anything really bright and neony, like blues and purples tend to look messed up once you convert it to CMYK, but actually it tends to come out ok in print with some adjustment and it definitely looks worse on screen.

Yeah, I did a quick test-print of a few pages on my home printer, and some pages came out looking okay, and others came out looking a bit dull/greenish, but my home printer isn't intended to print comics, and it's not TOO bad. I just need to tinker a bit with it.

[roy7zen]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the replies. Yes, my main concern with this issue are for the bright saturated colors for web view, as they lose their vibrancy when converted to CMYK, since I do have plans to print the comic on paper when I'm done with it.

Actually, I've also done a testing today, the comic I'm posting here was all done in RGB and still looks acceptable on paper, (almost no difference at all)... It isn't a huge problem that affects an entire piece, only for certain parts like "neony" stuff as cryoclaire above said.

[wbparham247]

I do RGB since I usually do stuff for online purposes but I've been having books printed recently and of course go for CMYK for those instances. When I was first learning the differences back in college I tried printing in RGB and found out how bad of an idea that was pretty quickly!

[scythe]

Always work/create in RGB. If you're concerned about a loss of saturation and changed hues, do some research into the proper way to convert to CMYK for printing. It's not as simple as just changing the color mode. Also, you can duffle with the levels and hue/saturation after conversion, to recapture at least some of the original image's vibrancy. But you also just have to accept that there are some colors and levels of brightness that simply cannot be replicated in print.