Printing Neon Colors in CMYK: Is It Possible?

If you want to know if it is possible to print neon colors in CMYK, read on throughout this article and find out the answer to this query. New Street Real Estate

Experimenting with color printing might be an exciting thing to consider especially if you are into designing something. However, there might come the point in time wherein things become confusing, and you actually don’t know what to do. Have you also asked yourself if it is possible to print neon colors in CMYK? Or do you think you can convert neon RGB colors to CMYK for printing? Well, these things seem to be a challenge to the majority, so let’s discuss it below.

What is CMYK?

It is best first to be equipped with what CMYK is. Well, simply saying, CMYK refers to CYAN, MAGENTA, YELLOW, and BLACK. CMYK color is created with the use of a subtractive process, and this means that every additional color means more light is being removed to form it. If you combined C, M, and Y, you would not have pure black, instead, a dark brown color.

K or BLACK is used completely in order to remove the light from the printed picture in which the eye sees as black.

How about CMYK Printing?

On the other hand, you should also know what CMYK printing is. It is the standard option in the printing industry. CMY would cover most light color ranges, and the K gives it the ability to create darker deep colors.

The CMYK color offers a wider range of colors, but limited than the RGB color profile. This RGB color is being used through electronic devices that are emitting red, green and blue light as for creating other colors. And unfortunately, CMYK color and the RGB color don’t translate well.

Is it possible to print neon colors in CMYK?

There might be an instance wherein you created a design, like for a logo, that is made with RGB colors. Could you print your design in CMYK?

Generally speaking, you cannot print neon colors in CMYK, and that is because of certain factors. On the other hand, take note again that RGB is known to be additive so the more color you add, the closer that you will get to white.

Nevertheless, CMYK is subtractive wherein the more color you add, like using neon colors, the closer you get to black or even muddy brown. CMYK offers a smaller range of colors than the RGB color.

Then, what to do now?

If you certainly need that particular neon color to be printed, there is a need for you to find a spot neon color and stipulate that in the printer you are using. And this would mean that the ink would be pre-mixed to create the neon color and would be laid on a plate, rather than mixing the CMYK inks to achieve your desired result. This also means that it will serve as the fifth color and could also lead to the extra cost.

Besides, neon colors aren’t like ordinary pigments or inks. Instead, they essentially reflect more visible light that falls on them. This neon is a fluorescent dye which absorbs an incoming ultra-violet light and turns such energy into a visible color like green, magenta or yellow which it then emits. And that is why they have to glow. So, your printer will not take inks with fluorescent dyes.

So, how to print neon colors?

Compared to standard printing jobs, printing neon colors is referred to be a custom job, and it could also be a more expensive way of printing as it requires special handling. With that, there is a need for you to consult with your local printer for advice before making a final decision.

You should also choose the right paper for this printing job and select the number of neon colors to be used. And bear in mind that neon inks are best used on a highly absorbent uncoated paper. Take note as well that neon colors would fade within a few weeks once placed in direct sunlight.

There you have it! This information presented above could definitely help you when it comes to dealing with printing neon colors or other things associated with CMYK printing.

Hit like, share and comment now!