# CMYK vs. RGB - Which Color Mode Do You Prefer? Poll.



## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

I just sat in on an online training for dtg artwork. It was recommended to print in CMYK for the best results. I am curious as to what the majority of owners use to get the best looking prints. Whether you are a user, distributor or manufacturer... let's hear your thoughts. I am always open to hearing what others are doing to make sure I am not "drinking my own Kool-Aid" per se. Please vote and/or leave a post. Thanks,

Mark


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## zoom_monster (Sep 20, 2006)

Mark, This is always an interesting subject. In the DTG realm, I've always printed from RGB. Being that I'm from the days of screenprint seps from a PC (bad WYSWYG on the monitor), If I know that 85%y + 72%= a target color on the print side I can learn to adjust. RGB definately looks better on screen, but going blindly into what a particular RIP will interpret the RGB data can sometimes drive someone batty, if they're trying to be really picky. That being said, and true to you actual question..... on the fly (quick input and print) RGB works the fastest and is OK. If I have to get real picky, speaking the language of CMYK at least gives me more control that I might need.


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## Catbox (Oct 3, 2007)

don't the DTG machines software convert all files to RGB by default? I might have misunderstood...


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

I myself print out of cmyk, for me I get the best results this way.I have tried all the different rgb settings, but for me cmyk is the best. Its where I get the best results


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

sunnydayz said:


> I myself print out of cmyk, for me I get the best results this way.I have tried all the different rgb settings, but for me cmyk is the best. Its where I get the best results


I guess it would be important to know what program you are developing your graphics in as well. BobbieLee, do you care to share whether you use Corel, Photoshop, Illy,...or something else? Thanks in advance.


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## AaronM (Mar 28, 2007)

All my expeience is with the FastT-Jet machine, but to my understanding the FastRIP for T-Jets is developed to use RGB images so that is what I have always used. Have always had good results regardless of what program I was printing from.


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

I mostly use corel Mark  sometimes photoshop and illustrater if the customer sends me a raster image.


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## sodrisc (Apr 6, 2006)

i found it easier to get results with photoshop and rgb, i just upgraded from elements to the full cs2 version of photoshop, i always assumed the print engine to be the same between them, i was very wrong indeed, definately more vibrant colours and finer detail printing from full photoshop.


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## cavedave (Dec 5, 2006)

You should be able to get good results from both RGB or CMYK. 
Its all a matter of setting up you color managment correctly in the application and ensuring that your RIP is configured with the correct input profiles, compatible with how you configured your applications.

But some interesting technical points you should be aware of.

Corel.
When you print (File-Print) from Corel draw to a PostScript printer (which is how FastRIP, MultiRIP etc.. work). Then all you data is converted to CMYK by CorelDraw.
You can in the printer setup tell Corel to leave RGB bitmaps as RGB.
But you cant stop the vectors being converted.
I would therefore say that working in CMYK is your best choice from Corel.

FastARTIST doesnt support CMYK bitmap (unless you link them), so you should stick with RGB in FastARTIST

When you create an underbase (there are various methods with different RIP's). But you can defintly get a better and more consistent underbase in RGB if you use the right method.

Pantone colors come in spot and process forms, there are various ways of trying to match these. But the process colors are all CMYK based, so if you want the software to automctially get the best Pantone match you need to be in CMYK.
That said because the color gamuts are quite small in DTG, you will probably find the best results are achieved by printing a swatch (RGB or CMYK) and then finding the closest color match on the swatch and using that value. 

Me personnaly I mostly use RGB, but then I mostly use PhotoShop and FastARTIST. When I work in Corel, I tend to use CMYK or ensure the color managment is setup so the CMYK profile Corel uses for output matches the RIP CMYK inputs.

Best regards

-David


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## Naga (Mar 11, 2008)

I have voted a little prematurely, as I have not yet started DTG printing.

But I am working mostly in Photoshop and for me, that is working in RGB with soft proofing. That will be the same when (if) I go live with DTG. I wouldn't dream about investing $ 15,000 (or more) in DTG without also investing in a spectrophotometer.


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

Naga said:


> I wouldn't dream about investing $ 15,000 (or more) in DTG without also investing in a spectrophotometer.


Excellent advice. We have one, and we do our own custom profiles.


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