What are CMYK and RGB color modes? Which should I use for my book's images?

CMYK and RGB are two different color modes that describe how colors are created. RGB stands for red, green and blue. RGB uses light to produce color: the more illuminated light involved, the lighter the image. RGB produces the widest range of color. RGB colors are typically used on computer monitors, digital cameras and televisions — any device that uses light to produce an image.

CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and black. This category of color uses the combination of ink pigments to produce color. The less ink used, the lighter the image; the more ink used, the darker the image. Printing projects typically use the CMYK color category.

Any images or design files you want to print on your book's cover or interior pages should be submitted to us using CMYK color mode, not RGB. We do have the capability to convert a file from RGB to CMYK, but the final colors may not look like the originals, and it will cost you an extra fee. In order to have the best control over the end product of your cover and interior color images, use CMYK color mode because it is the mode used by our printers.