RGB and CMYK logo files: a practical color handoff

1. Ask how the logo will actually be produced

Start with the next real uses: a website, business cards, packaging or signage. Ask who will prepare the finished print layout and who approves its color. A reusable logo asset and an approved production file have different jobs.

Some print workflows accept profiled RGB and handle conversion downstream; others require prepared CMYK or spot-color artwork. Follow the receiving supplier’s specification. The International Color Consortium explains why converting to CMYK prematurely can be unhelpful for printers with an RGB input workflow.

• Which file format and color setup should we supply?
• Which output profile or printing condition applies, and on what material?
• Are any actual spot inks required?
• What proof will be reviewed, and who approves it?

Further reading: ICC: color management and printer input workflows

2. Separate color values, color spaces and inks

RGB is a color model; sRGB and Adobe RGB are different RGB color spaces. Keep the space with the numbers. For a standard web handoff, specify sRGB. A six-digit CSS HEX value describes an sRGB color; it is another notation for the RGB components.

CMYK percentages describe a process-ink build. Their printed appearance depends on the output conditions. Record the intended profile or printing condition rather than treating four percentages as a universal color recipe.

A spot color represents a separate premixed ink in the intended print workflow. A Pantone reference in a guide, a process-color approximation and an actual spot separation serve different purposes. Agree which one the job needs; a swatch name alone does not establish the production method.

Further reading: MDN: RGB models and color spaces · MDN: CSS HEX colors · Adobe: output profiles and printing conditions · Adobe: spot and process colors

3. Preserve the approved reference before conversion

Keep the approved master and its color settings. Make a separate delivery copy for the requested output. If the client supplies both RGB and CMYK specifications, check whether those are separately approved brand values before replacing either with your application’s automatic conversion.

Assigning a profile changes how existing numbers are interpreted; converting to another profile changes numbers to preserve appearance as far as the destination allows. They are different operations. Avoid assigning profiles at random until a preview looks closer.

For Illustrator PDF output, review the color-conversion setting, destination profile and profile-inclusion policy against the supplier’s request. Do not assume that selecting PDF or changing the document mode completes those checks.

Further reading: Adobe: assigning versus converting profiles · Adobe: PDF color-conversion and output options

4. Diagnose a mismatch before changing the brand color

Compare the approved master with the actual exported file in a color-managed application. Record which file, application and viewing condition show the difference. A screenshot of a color picker is weak evidence for approving an ink color.

Work through the following checks before generating another complete delivery. This is a practical troubleshooting sequence; the symptom alone does not identify the cause.

• Wrong values: inspect the exported object’s fill and stroke values against the approved record.
• Different interpretation: inspect source and destination profiles and any missing-profile warnings.
• Different preview: check whether one view is simulating paper or a different output profile.
• Output limitation: ask the supplier whether the target process can reproduce the intended color closely enough.
• Unacceptable compromise: present a revised process-color choice or an agreed spot-ink option for approval. Keep the original digital specification unless a change is approved.

5. Proof the intended output

Adobe documents View > Proof Setup and View > Proof Colors for soft proofing, including a custom output condition. Use the supplier’s relevant profile. The preview depends on the monitor, profiles and viewing environment; it is a simulation.

For color-critical work, arrange an appropriate physical proof with the supplier. Record the material and production conditions represented. A home-office print or a screen mockup may help a conversation, but do not present it as an approved production-color reference.

When assessing a physical sample, agree the viewing conditions with the supplier. Record what was approved and any limitations, especially if the same logo will later move to another substrate.

Further reading: Adobe: soft proofing and its limitations

6. Create a color record the next designer can use

Give each brand color a stable name and document the approved values separately from pending production decisions. The illustrative record below is for a fictional studio; it is a template, not a tested color match. Its CMYK fields deliberately remain unresolved until the print workflow is agreed.

Continue with: what to include in a logo usage guide

7. Label files and explain the intended use

Separate screen assets from supplier-specific print assets. Include the brand, variation and color treatment in filenames. Put detailed output conditions in the guide or readme so they remain understandable without a long filename.

For example, Harbor_Primary_sRGB.svg and Harbor_Primary_CMYK_Job123.pdf distinguish two intended uses. These names are illustrative; check the actual contents. Only use the second label after verifying the required CMYK output.

Adapt this client note once the print version is approved:

Use the Screen folder for the website and presentations. The Print_Job123 files were prepared for the production conditions listed in the guide. Send those details to the supplier with the files. A new printing process or material may require a new export and proof.

Continue with: the complete logo handoff checklist

8. Package the approved artwork with Logopack

Once the SVG and color decisions are checked, Logopack can assemble an organized multi-format delivery. A free account lets you preview your artwork and export the supplied demo pack; exporting your own artwork requires Pro.

In Colors, Auto from HEX uses a simple mathematical conversion, without an ICC profile. Manual CMYK lets you enter reviewed process-color values for the project. Use it to carry an approved specification into supported exports, rather than treating the automatic result as a verified print match.

CMYK EPS and PDF export support solid-vector artwork, with restrictions on gradients, raster images and effects. These exports do not provide printer-specific ICC conversion or PDF/X certification. The separate PDF Logo Guide remains RGB. Use an appropriate production tool for profile-managed files or actual spot-ink separations.

Use the generator to review the package, and check the current plan details before exporting. Keep any supplier-specific production file and approval record alongside the delivery. Export automation does not replace color approval.

Further reading: Preview your logo package · See current Pro features

Final color-handoff checklist

Check the files the client will actually receive, then save the color record and approval reference with that exact delivery.

• ✓Approved source colors and their context are preserved.
• ✓Screen exports match the agreed RGB/HEX specification.
• ✓Print assets follow the named supplier workflow.
• ✓Any spot ink is intentional and checked in separations.
• ✓Proof status and unresolved decisions are explicit.
• ✓Exported files reopen correctly; names agree with their contents.
• ✓The client knows which files to use and when to request a new production check.

Further reading: Adobe: previewing color separations