A color chosen on a screen may change when printed because the display and the printed material produce color differently. A screen emits light. Paper reflects the light falling on it, and the ink and paper limit the colors that can be reproduced. Plan for those differences while the layout is still editable.
Keep one clearly identified working master and make destination-specific outputs from it. Record which version is intended for each use. Repeatedly converting a file between RGB and CMYK can change values and make it difficult to tell which appearance was approved.
Confirm the destination before choosing a conversion
For print, ask the supplier for the expected color space, output profile and file requirements for the actual process and stock. Some workflows accept tagged RGB material and manage the conversion later. Others require a particular CMYK condition. A CMYK profile describes a particular output condition, so use the one specified for the job.
For a digital graphic, confirm the platform or publishing workflow. A tagged sRGB output is a common choice for web images, but the project's actual requirements should determine the export. Keep any wider-gamut working original separately so a web version does not become the only remaining source.
The print handoff guide covers the broader supplier check. Resolve unclear color instructions before export, especially if a template, preset and written specification point to different profiles. Keep the supplier's answer with the job.
Understand profile assignment and conversion
A color profile describes how color values should be interpreted. Assigning a different profile changes that interpretation while retaining the values. Converting between profiles changes values to preserve appearance as far as the destination allows. These operations solve different problems.
If an image arrives without a profile, ask for the source information when possible. Applying a convenient profile can produce a plausible preview without establishing what the creator intended. Preserve the received file and resolve the interpretation before using it as a reference for other colors.
Check linked images and placed graphics as well as the main document. An unexpected profile on one asset can make it behave differently from the rest of the layout. Do not strip profiles from working sources simply to make their metadata look consistent.
Identify colors likely to change
Review saturated accents, deep shadows and neutral areas in an output simulation using the correct destination profile. A bright green or blue that looks strong on a display may lose saturation in a particular print condition. Determine whether the color's role survives that change: a category accent still needs to separate from its neighbors.
Compare the entire layout after a conversion. A shift in the image may alter the contrast behind a title even when the title color itself changes little. If a panel loses separation from the background, adjust the destination version with reference to the proof and record that adjustment.
For a 3D render brought into a design, settle the rendered image's appearance before matching graphic colors around it. The Blender color-management guide explains the render side of that process. A print conversion should start from an intentional image, with its profile retained.
Use proofing to make specific decisions
A soft proof can help predict how the destination limits color when the application, profile and display are configured appropriately. Compare a proof view with the working appearance and examine the colors already marked as important. Treat the simulation as guidance for that output condition.
For decisions that depend on an exact printed result, arrange a physical proof relevant to the actual process and material. Review it under appropriate, consistent lighting. A glossy paper sample and a matte uncoated sheet can give different impressions even when their file values are identical.
Send a question the proof can answer. You might ask whether a dark background separates from a black illustration or whether a pale accent remains visible. A general request to make the print match a bright screen leaves the comparison dependent on an uncontrolled display.
Keep numbers tied to their color space
Document brand values together with the profile or color specification they belong to. Identical RGB and CMYK numbers do not describe equivalent colors, and copying CMYK values into a different output condition does not guarantee the same appearance. Use the approved references and supplier guidance for the intended job.
Handle special colors and black ink requirements according to the printing arrangement. Ask the supplier about fine black type, large dark areas and any spot colors involved. These details depend on the process and cannot be solved by choosing one black mixture for every element.
Before delivery, reopen the exact print and screen exports and check their profile information along with their visible appearance. Name them by destination and retain the working master. Record color adjustments made specifically for a proof and identify the output they belong to. A future editor can then decide whether another destination needs its own adjustment.