CMYK is a color system mainly used for printed materials. When submitting your artwork to a printing company, you may be asked to provide a file in CMYK format instead of the RGB format exported with the default settings. Here, we will introduce the characteristics of RGB and CMYK, as well as how to export artwork created in ibisPaint in CMYK format.

Exporting in CMYK format is a feature limited to Premium Members or users who purchased the Pro Upgrade. For details, see "Premium Membership / Ad Removal Upgrade (for iPhone/iPad, Android)" or "Premium Membership / Pro Upgrade (for Windows, Mac) ".

There are some important points you should know in advance when printing artwork created in ibisPaint. One of them is the difference between RGB and CMYK.

RGB is the color system used to display images on screens such as smartphones and computers. Because colors are represented by combining the three lights of Red, Green, and Blue (RGB), it is well suited for displaying bright and vivid colors.

CMYK, on the other hand, is the color system of inks used in printing. It represents colors by layering the four inks of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (Key Plate), or CMYK.

Most digital artwork editing data is in RGB format, but if a printing company recommends submitting data in CMYK format, you need to convert it from RGB to CMYK. However, because RGB and CMYK create colors differently, the range of colors that can be expressed in CMYK is more limited than in RGB. Colors that cannot be represented in CMYK are replaced with the closest possible colors. As a result, after converting to CMYK, the data may look slightly darker or the overall color tone may change.

As you can see, when creating data for print, it is important to understand these color changes before adjusting the settings and exporting. ibisPaint also allows you to change the export settings for your artwork, so when submitting work to a printing company, check the recommended settings in their submission guide in advance and switch between RGB and CMYK according to their instructions.

Tap ①[ Back ] and select ②[ Save Image ].

When the Save Image window opens, set ③[ File Type ] to PSD.

PNG is an image format designed for the web, so it cannot handle CMYK color information. Also, because JPEG degrades when saved, exporting as PSD is recommended when creating submission data for print.

Switch ④[ Color Space ] to CMYK and tap ⑤[ OK ] to save the image or data in CMYK format.

When exporting artwork in CMYK, you can also fine-tune settings such as the color conversion method depending on the printing company, the characteristics of the artwork, and its intended use.

Select how colors are reproduced during printing. There are various profiles depending on the type of paper, printing method, ink amount, and other conditions, and the profile recommended may vary by printing company, so be sure to check their submission guide. By selecting the specified profile, you can output colors closer to the actual printed result.
Also, if you select a profile that has not been downloaded, the download page will appear when you start exporting. Follow the on-screen instructions to download it. After the download is complete, the profile will be added and become available for use.

Rendering Intent is the setting that determines how colors that cannot be represented in CMYK are adjusted and processed when converting from RGB to CMYK.

①[ Perceptual ] :
If the image contains colors that cannot be represented in CMYK, this method adjusts not only those colors but also the overall colors to maintain balance. It prioritizes the visual appearance over reproducing the original colors exactly. Because of this, it is suitable for images such as photographs where the overall atmosphere is important.

②[ Relative Colorimetric ] :
While preserving the overall color balance as much as possible, this method replaces only the colors that cannot be represented in CMYK. Because the overall impression is less likely to change significantly, it is also used for printing general illustrations and manga. Unless you have a specific reason not to, this is the recommended option.

③[ Saturation ] :
This method replaces colors that cannot be represented in CMYK with the most vivid colors possible among the closest available colors. The overall colors are also adjusted to appear more vivid. It is suitable for images such as graphs and charts where color clarity is important.

④[ Absolute Colorimetric ] :
This method is used when you want to reproduce colors more strictly. Because it reproduces colors including the color of the paper, it is used for proofing, logos, and other cases where colors must match precisely. It is not commonly used for general production or printed materials. Also, if you select this setting, the following "Black Point Compensation" option becomes unavailable.

When turned on, this adjusts the density of black so that the impression of black seen on the display becomes closer to the black that appears in print. If turned off, no density adjustment is made, which may cause black areas to become crushed in print, so it is generally recommended to leave it on.