changing color modes from RGB to CMYK

AF
Posted By
angus_farquharson
Apr 22, 2005
Views
608
Replies
8
Status
Closed
hi

I have noticed that when i change modes from RGB to CMYK then back to RGB again the colors do not change back to their original bright RGB "look" They stay CMYK muted even though the screen is back in RGB again. and when i repeat this process several times the colors get darker and darker until they are grey! why is this? why do the colors not go back to RGB when the mode is changed back agian to RGB?

thanks in advance
Related Tags
change cmyk color rgb

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SF
Scott_Falkner
Apr 22, 2005
Because when you convert to CMYK you convert to a smaller "gamut" CMYK cannot recreate every colour in the rainbow. Neither can RGB, but RGB does a better job. COnverting to CMYK changes the colour values of the pixels. The original colour as defined by RGB does not exist.

You know how eskimos have 100 words for snow? Convert one into english, then back, and it’s just "snow".
AF
angus_farquharson
Apr 22, 2005
ok – so it’s a destructive change then. once you convert, you cannot convert back again. So does that mean that professional graphic artists work in RGB and then only convert right before print press time? or do they only work in CMYK mode in photoshop on their PC?
B
BobLevine
Apr 22, 2005
You’ll never get a definitive answer to that. Everyone has their own way of working and the usual answer to questions like that is "it depends."

That’s my answer anyway. It depends on the image and what I need to do it.

Bob
PH
Photo_Help
Apr 22, 2005
angus,

Why convert to CYMK and them Back to RGB anyway? Just keep an RGB master and a CYMK master and go from there.
AF
angus_farquharson
Apr 22, 2005
because i read about a CMYK ‘preview’ mode to see how your colors are doing while you are working in RGB. also I just want to know for my own piece of mind and to develop a greater understanding of photoshop
PH
Photo_Help
Apr 22, 2005
So does that mean that professional graphic artists work in RGB and then only convert right before print press time?

Like Bob said. You should work in the format you need. I work in RGB and send the printer RGB files. They will convert to CYMK. I don’t have to worry about CYMK and we get great results from our print company. I am sure when they want something they do it all in CYMK since they don’t need anything in RGB. If I need a file from them they send it in CYMK and I then have to covert it to RGB.

Most people work exclusively in one or the other unless they work for clients in both web and print and then you just do what the client wants.
RW
Rene_Walling
Apr 22, 2005
because i read about a CMYK ‘preview’ mode

Check out the following menu:

View->proof colors

To change the proof setup

View->Proof Setup

(and your file remains in RGB the whole time)
AF
angus_farquharson
Apr 23, 2005
great – thanks – that was the answer i was looking for…

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