Enter, the RGB to Color Name chart: http://web.njit.edu/~kevin/rgb.pdf

With this color chart, you can view colors catalogued by their standard name, their RGB description, their hex code, and even a few CSS numbers. So you can get really precise.

Without a color standard, a conversation between a designer and their client might go like this…

Client: I like the logo concept you sent me. I’d like to see it in purple.

Designer: What kind of purple? Red-violet, royal purple, indigo, or fuschia?

Client: Um, I was thinking like grape.

If the client had just viewed the RGB color chart, he could pick out exactly the hue of purple that he was looking for, saving both people valuable time:

Client: I like the logo concept you sent me. I’d like to see it in purple.

Designer: Do you have a specific purple in mind?

Client: Yes actually. I looked at that color chart you sent me and I like the one with the hexcode  8A2BE2, known as blue-violet.

Designer: Perfect! I’ll change the color and send it back to you right away!

Of course, as a designer, I am thrilled to send you multiple color options. But if you already have a specific color in mind, you can save us both time and pick out the RGB or hex code from the color chart.

P.S. Another option for communicating color is to send an image that contains the specific color you want. It will be easy for me to pick out the needed RGB codes and then apply them to your design.

In the printing world, color works just the opposite. Mix Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow and you get Black, or close to it. Take them all away and you ‘re left with a plain white paper. (most printers have an extra color, Black, or Keytone, to help make images really pop!)

The difference between these two color systems is the way light is used. On printed paper, light is reflected. A light beam falls on the paper, the paper soaks up some of the light and bounces back the rest, what you actually see. However, on a computer screen, the light beams directly from your monitor and goes straight to your eyes.

Each system has colors it’s better at displaying. Depending on which mediums you use to display your logo, you should have your logo file saved using the appropriate color system to get the most accurate color. If you use your logo primarily on the web, make sure you use the RGB color system. If you just want business cards to hand out, use CMYK settings. Or just get one of each.  (You CAN have your CMYK and RGB it too!) 

*To be fair, there are other color systems besides RGB and CMYK, but these are the two most common. Fancy cameras and photo manipulating programs often have their own special color systems.

Dpi relates to the resolution and file size of a bitmap image. The higher the dpi, the higher a resolution you have.

If you were publishing an image on the web, it is common to use a file with a resolution of 72 dpi.

With printed materials, most presses print at a resolution of 300 dpi, although some go higher.

Why should you care?

If you send your printer a 72 d pi image, you may wind up with a low-quality image that is pixellated or has “artifacts.”

Conversely, if you try to publish a 300 dpi image to the web, it is going to be huge and you will probably have to scroll alot to see the whole picture. Not to mention it will take longer to load than a smaller picture.

Therefore, always keep in mind the purpose of your image before setting it to a certain dpi.

NOTE: If you have an illustration that is a low resolution, but you need to turn it into a high resolution, contact us and we will show you how or fix it for you.