You’ve designed a gorgeous flyer on your computer. The colours pop, the logo glows, and everything looks amazing. But when the printed copies arrive… that vibrant turquoise has turned into a slightly confused greenish-blue.
What happened?
Don’t worry — your printer isn’t broken. The culprit is usually a little thing called RGB vs CMYK — two colour systems that speak completely different languages.
RGB: The Language of Screens
RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue — the colours of light that screens use to make images glow. When you mix all three, you get white. That’s why your phone, tablet, and laptop can show such bright, luminous colours — they’re literally made of light.
Perfect for:
* Websites
* Social media graphics
* Online ads and presentations
CMYK: The Language of Print
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black) — the four inks printers use to reproduce your design on paper. Unlike RGB, CMYK works by subtracting light, mixing pigments to create different shades.
Perfect for:
* Business cards
* Flyers and catalogues
* Posters and packaging
Why It Matters
Here’s the tricky part: some colours that exist in RGB can’t be printed in CMYK.
Those glowing neons and intense blues just don’t translate perfectly to ink. That’s why your digital design might look slightly flatter or darker once printed.
To avoid surprises, your artwork should be converted to CMYK before printing — so you’ll know exactly what to expect.
How Tiny Fish Helps
At Tiny Fish, we always check your files before they go to print — and yes, we look at your colour settings too. If your artwork is in RGB (hello, Canva fans 👋), we’ll convert it properly and make small adjustments to keep your brand colours consistent.
It’s part of what makes us a trusted print broker in Spain — making sure every job looks as good on paper as it did on your screen.
Quick Tip to Remember
RGB = for screens
CMYK = for print
Mix them up, and your colours might not get the memo.
At Tiny Fish, we make sure your colours print exactly how you want them — bright, balanced, and beautiful.