RGB vs. CMYK – Why the colors on your monitor might not perfectly match the colors on your sign

No, the colors won't match exactly, and here's why:

Due to the way colors appear on your computer screen versus the way they are printed, the colors on your outdoor business sign may look a little bit different from the design you worked with on your monitor. Whenever something on your computer is printed onto paper or any other type of material, the colors are converted from the electronic display (RGB) to the pigment on paper (CMYK). Even when you print something out at home there will be a difference between what you see on the monitor and what you see on the paper.

How come the colors look different?

Computers use RGB (red, green and blue) light to display color on the screen, while printers use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) ink to print colors. This is why corresponding colors look slightly different on paper versus on your computer.

The bottom line is that what you see on your computer cannot be perfectly reproduced on your custom outdoor sign. The shade of green you choose will be slightly off, for example. While the variance will be minor, it's important that you know there will be a difference.

Why do computer screens look different from printed signs?

Computer colors look different for a couple of reasons. To begin with, your monitor emits light while your customized sign reflects light. This accounts for a difference in the shade and quality of color. Also, all monitors display colors differently. LCD monitors have poorer color quality and resolution than tube monitors, and the way you calibrate your monitor changes the way colors look.

What do we do to help?

After you build your outdoor business sign on your computer, the colors you chose are converted from RGB colors into CMYK colors for printing. This conversion gets the colors on your sign as close as possible to the colors you chose.

If it is imperative that you match certain colors exactly, we can provide physical color samples for your final approval. The cost of these samples is $15. Please call us to request one at 1-800-899-6272. Please remember that the production on your sign will be deferred as you look over the colors.