Short answer: RGB/HEX describe colour on screens, CMYK describes colour made from four printing inks, and Pantone (a spot-colour system) names specific pre-mixed inks for consistent brand colour. A complete logo package should record all three where they apply.
RGB and HEX: colour made of light
Screens mix red, green and blue light. RGB values (for example 67, 56, 202) and their web shorthand, HEX (#4338CA), describe colours for websites, apps, video and social media. Screens can show very bright, saturated colours, especially vivid blues, greens and oranges, that ink on paper can’t fully reproduce.
CMYK: colour made of ink
Most full-colour printing builds colours from cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink dots. CMYK values (for example 85, 80, 0, 0) describe those mixes. Because ink sits on paper or fabric rather than glowing, some RGB colours look duller in CMYK. Results also vary with the paper, the press and the printer’s settings.
Pantone: a named, pre-mixed ink
Pantone is a widely used spot-colour system. Instead of mixing CMYK dots, the printer uses a specific pre-mixed ink, matched to a numbered reference. It’s the usual choice when a brand colour must look the same across different jobs, and it’s common in screen printing and some signage.
Which do you need?
| Use | Usual colour reference |
|---|---|
| Website, apps, social media | RGB / HEX |
| Brochures, business cards, digital print | CMYK |
| Screen printing, consistent brand colours | Spot colours (for example Pantone) |
| Vinyl and signage | Vinyl or paint colour codes from the supplier, often matched to Pantone |
| Embroidery | Thread colours chosen by the embroiderer, matched to your references |
Why colours look different on screen and in print
Different processes have different ranges of colour (gamuts), and screens vary too. A colour picked on a bright laptop may not exist in ink. That doesn’t mean something has gone wrong; it’s physics. If accuracy matters, ask your printer for a physical proof and compare it under good light.
Matching colours during a redraw
When we redraw a logo, we match the colours visible in your reference as closely as possible. If you have official values, whether HEX, RGB, CMYK or Pantone, send them and we use them. Without them, colours come from the image, and JPG compression and screen settings can shift those slightly. Read more in our artwork preparation guide.
Keep a colour record with your logo
Save a simple note or style sheet next to your logo files listing each colour in HEX, RGB, CMYK and Pantone where available. It saves guesswork every time a supplier asks. If you’re starting from a blurry file, a logo redraw is a good moment to set this up. For print-specific files, see print-ready vector artwork.
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