Hi, I created a new canvas in adobe photoshop CS2.  My mode is set to CMYK.  I select a bright blue color on the color pallete and use the fill tool on the black canvas.  The bright blue now tooks like a dull bluish grey.  Is there something im doing wrong? How do people get bright colors with CMYK?

Make sure that you have proofing turned on (View -> Proof Setup -> Working CMYK)

What colour blue are you using? It might not be something that CMYK can produce accurately.

Hi, IN the color swatches, im using  C 100  M 95  Y 0   K12  from the "TRUMATCH" book..   I did look and i have the Proof colors unchecked but i do have the proof setup - working CMYK checked.   Which book in the color libraries is best for getting the brightest colors?  People who print cmyk on vinyl get awesome bright colors.  But in Photoshop, all my cmyk stuff is dull...    Thanks

I couldn't tell you, I never work in CMYK mode. :)

Photoshop gives dull colours when you have proofing turned off, and if your monitor isn't calibrated properly that could be why it doesn't show up on the screen right.

Sorry I can't be more help.

I do appreciate the help..  I'll have to try and research how to properly callibrate my monitor (lcd).  Thanks

With those CMYK values I get a rich purply blue, and no conversion shift between RGB and CMYK. But moving slightly away from that colour I get out of gamut almost immediately.

Actually, work in RGB first, and convert to CMYK when you are making it print ready (as in for publication - not inkjet where you'd LEAVE it RGB - and this is usually the LAST step in the process). If you START in CMYK, then you limit your color pallette from the beginning, and when you THEN convert to RGB you shouldn't see any difference because RGB can reproduce EVERY color within CMYK.

When picking colors, there will be a little teeny exclaimation point in a yellow triangle when you are picking a color that will be out of the CMYK color gamut - this is something that cannot be reproduced in traditional CMYK printing.

So... HOW do they get vibrant colors in some CMYK print jobs...? There are tricks the printer can do - one guy I heard about desaturates the image by something like 20%, then overprints it by something astronomical like 300% - this makes it VERY rich in a nice way, but if he didn't desaturate in the first place it would be almost neon unrealistic colors.

This is something you would need to call and discuss with the printing house that will be handling the publication.

But yes, more often than not, when you convert from RGB to CMYK your colors suddenly go "blah!" and dull. I find that selecting and duplicating specific colors or sections of the image, then going into the Channels Tab and adjusting individual colors (remember to turn the eyeball of CMYK back ON or all you'll see is a grainy B&W image you're working on which is JUST the Channel you've selected) I can get back MOST of what I lost in the conversion.

But just live with the fact that your most vibrant greens, blues, and reds will be lost - not gonna get 'em back because traditional CMYK CAN'T reproduce them.

Hope this helps-

-Lew ;-)

Very sound advice Lew,

Always, Always, talk to your printer or service provider prior to converting or working in CYMK.

CYMK is totally device dependent and there is no one solution.  The default photoshop North American Prepress setting are designed to meet the SWOP standard. It not an Ideal setting for a specific output device.

What is SWOP,  Specification Web Offset Publications.  It's a standard color target for large run web offset presses. The kind producing catalogs, magizine, and large run color.   It a common agreed upon standard that should result in reasonable color consistacy across presses, vendors and print runs.  As a result,  it not an ideal conversion for the best color on a specific device, press or workflow.  It's a comprise that the major agreed upon.

About how do they get such vivid color on vinyl?  It's hard to tell without knowing the equipment used. But several large format inkjets are not just CYMK.  Many have  6 or more color primary inks or special saturated inks. They typically  use special drivers or "RIPs"  to convert your RGB  or CYMK to produce optimun results at a greater color range then CYMK on its own.

The substrate or paper has an large effect on color reproduction.  Traditional CYMK inks are transparent.  Light passes through the pigment, reflects off the paper below so a highly reflective clay coat paper will produce better results then say recycled newsprint. Which is why Epson and Hp offer "special photo paper" its designed to among other things, to reflect more light back to the eye repoducing more saturated colors.

Hope this helps.

J. Stuart J.