> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.printery.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# CMYK Color Values Reference
> Common CMYK color formulas and values for print design
## CMYK Color Reference
Essential CMYK color values for print design, including safe colors, common combinations, and best practices.
**Remember**: CMYK values are profile-dependent. These values are optimized for ISO Coated v2 300% and GRACoL profiles. Always proof colors for critical projects.
## Primary and Secondary Colors
### Pure CMYK Colors
| Color | C | M | Y | K | Hex (approx) | Notes |
| ----------------- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ------------ | --------------------------- |
| **Pure Cyan** | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | #00A9E0 | Bright cyan, primary ink |
| **Pure Magenta** | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | #E6007E | Bright magenta, primary ink |
| **Pure Yellow** | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | #FFF000 | Bright yellow, primary ink |
| **Pure Black** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | #000000 | Key (K) ink only |
| **Process Red** | 0 | 100 | 100 | 0 | #ED1C24 | Magenta + Yellow |
| **Process Green** | 100 | 0 | 100 | 0 | #00A651 | Cyan + Yellow |
| **Process Blue** | 100 | 100 | 0 | 0 | #2E3192 | Cyan + Magenta |
**Use**: Basic colors, building blocks for other colors
### Black and Gray Values
### Black Formulas
| Type | C | M | Y | K | TAC | Use Case |
| ------------------------- | -- | -- | -- | --- | ---- | -------------------------------- |
| **Pure Black** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 100% | Text, thin lines, overprinting |
| **Rich Black (Standard)** | 60 | 40 | 40 | 100 | 240% | Large black areas, backgrounds |
| **Rich Black (Cool)** | 70 | 40 | 30 | 100 | 240% | Cool-toned black backgrounds |
| **Rich Black (Warm)** | 40 | 50 | 50 | 100 | 240% | Warm-toned black backgrounds |
| **Rich Black (Neutral)** | 50 | 40 | 40 | 100 | 230% | Neutral deep black |
| **Rich Black (Maximum)** | 80 | 70 | 70 | 100 | 320% | Deepest black (check TAC limit!) |
**Rules**:
* **Text**: Always pure black (K100) for sharp edges
* **Large areas**: Rich black for depth
* **Check TAC**: Rich black can exceed limits
### Gray Scale (Pure K only)
| Gray % | C | M | Y | K | Hex | Use |
| ------------ | - | - | - | -- | ------- | ----------------- |
| **10% Gray** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | #E6E6E6 | Very light gray |
| **20% Gray** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | #CCCCCC | Light gray |
| **30% Gray** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | #B3B3B3 | Medium-light gray |
| **40% Gray** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | #999999 | Medium gray |
| **50% Gray** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | #808080 | Middle gray |
| **60% Gray** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | #666666 | Medium-dark gray |
| **70% Gray** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | #4D4D4D | Dark gray |
| **80% Gray** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 | #333333 | Very dark gray |
| **90% Gray** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | #1A1A1A | Almost black |
**Advantage**: Single ink = no registration issues
**Use**: Neutral grays, text, simple graphics
### Warm Gray Scale
| Gray % | C | M | Y | K | Appearance | Use |
| ------------------- | - | -- | -- | -- | ---------------- | ------------------ |
| **Light Warm Gray** | 0 | 5 | 10 | 10 | Slight warm tint | Subtle backgrounds |
| **Warm Gray 1** | 0 | 10 | 15 | 20 | Warm light gray | Backgrounds |
| **Warm Gray 2** | 0 | 10 | 15 | 35 | Warm medium gray | Text gray |
| **Warm Gray 3** | 0 | 15 | 20 | 50 | Warm dark gray | Dark accents |
| **Warm Gray 4** | 0 | 20 | 25 | 65 | Very dark warm | Near-black warm |
**Character**: Slight brown/beige cast
**Use**: Softer, warmer feel than pure gray
### Cool Gray Scale
| Gray % | C | M | Y | K | Appearance | Use |
| ------------------- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ---------------- | ----------------------- |
| **Light Cool Gray** | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Slight blue tint | Tech/modern backgrounds |
| **Cool Gray 1** | 15 | 5 | 0 | 20 | Cool light gray | Modern designs |
| **Cool Gray 2** | 20 | 10 | 0 | 35 | Cool medium gray | Professional look |
| **Cool Gray 3** | 25 | 15 | 5 | 50 | Cool dark gray | Tech aesthetic |
| **Cool Gray 4** | 30 | 20 | 10 | 65 | Very dark cool | Modern near-black |
**Character**: Slight blue/purple cast
**Use**: Modern, tech, professional aesthetic
***
## Common Colors for Print
### Red Values
| Color Name | C | M | Y | K | Hex | Notes |
| ------------------- | -- | --- | --- | -- | ------- | ----------------------- |
| **Bright Red** | 0 | 100 | 100 | 0 | #ED1C24 | Maximum CMYK red |
| **Cherry Red** | 0 | 100 | 80 | 10 | #CE0037 | Slightly darker, punchy |
| **Fire Engine Red** | 0 | 95 | 85 | 0 | #F02B2B | Vibrant red |
| **Burgundy** | 20 | 100 | 80 | 30 | #8B1A1A | Deep wine red |
| **Crimson** | 5 | 100 | 90 | 10 | #C41E3A | Rich crimson |
| **Dark Red** | 25 | 100 | 100 | 25 | #6B0D0D | Very dark red |
| **Pink** | 0 | 50 | 0 | 0 | #FF7BAC | Bright pink |
| **Hot Pink** | 0 | 80 | 10 | 0 | #FF1493 | Vibrant pink |
| **Rose** | 0 | 40 | 20 | 10 | #D98695 | Soft rose |
### Blue Values
| Color Name | C | M | Y | K | Hex | Notes |
| --------------- | --- | -- | -- | -- | ------- | ---------------- |
| **Bright Blue** | 100 | 60 | 0 | 0 | #0066B3 | Strong CMYK blue |
| **Navy Blue** | 100 | 80 | 20 | 30 | #003366 | Classic navy |
| **Royal Blue** | 100 | 80 | 0 | 0 | #2B3990 | Rich blue |
| **Sky Blue** | 60 | 10 | 0 | 0 | #5EC8E5 | Light blue |
| **Cobalt Blue** | 100 | 70 | 0 | 10 | #0047AB | Deep blue |
| **Teal** | 100 | 0 | 30 | 20 | #007A7C | Blue-green |
| **Turquoise** | 70 | 0 | 20 | 0 | #00B8D4 | Bright teal |
| **Baby Blue** | 40 | 10 | 0 | 0 | #9BD3DD | Pastel blue |
### Green Values
| Color Name | C | M | Y | K | Hex | Notes |
| ---------------- | --- | -- | --- | -- | ------- | ------------ |
| **Bright Green** | 80 | 0 | 100 | 0 | #00A550 | Vivid green |
| **Kelly Green** | 90 | 0 | 85 | 0 | #00843D | Irish green |
| **Forest Green** | 100 | 30 | 100 | 30 | #004D2C | Dark forest |
| **Olive Green** | 40 | 20 | 100 | 30 | #5B6D24 | Earthy olive |
| **Lime Green** | 50 | 0 | 100 | 0 | #8BC53F | Bright lime |
| **Mint Green** | 40 | 0 | 30 | 0 | #98E4B8 | Pastel mint |
| **Emerald** | 95 | 0 | 60 | 10 | #009B77 | Jewel green |
### Yellow and Orange Values
| Color Name | C | M | Y | K | Hex | Notes |
| ----------------- | - | -- | --- | -- | ------- | ---------------- |
| **Bright Yellow** | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | #FFF000 | Pure CMYK yellow |
| **Golden Yellow** | 0 | 15 | 100 | 0 | #FFD700 | Warm yellow |
| **Mustard** | 0 | 25 | 90 | 20 | #D4A017 | Deep mustard |
| **Bright Orange** | 0 | 60 | 100 | 0 | #FF8200 | Vivid orange |
| **Burnt Orange** | 0 | 70 | 100 | 20 | #CC5500 | Deep orange |
| **Peach** | 0 | 30 | 40 | 0 | #FFD6AD | Soft peach |
| **Coral** | 0 | 60 | 50 | 0 | #FF6F61 | Coral tone |
### Purple and Brown Values
| Color Name | C | M | Y | K | Hex | Notes |
| --------------- | -- | --- | --- | -- | ------- | -------------- |
| **Purple** | 60 | 100 | 0 | 0 | #6B3FA0 | Vibrant purple |
| **Deep Purple** | 70 | 100 | 0 | 30 | #4A1A6B | Dark purple |
| **Lavender** | 30 | 40 | 0 | 0 | #B695C0 | Pastel purple |
| **Plum** | 50 | 100 | 30 | 10 | #7D3C98 | Rich plum |
| **Brown** | 40 | 60 | 100 | 30 | #664228 | Standard brown |
| **Dark Brown** | 50 | 70 | 100 | 50 | #3D2817 | Deep brown |
| **Tan** | 15 | 25 | 40 | 0 | #D2B48C | Light brown |
| **Chocolate** | 35 | 60 | 85 | 40 | #5D3A1A | Rich chocolate |
***
## Skin Tone Values
### Natural Skin Tones for Print
| Tone | C | M | Y | K | Notes |
| ---------------- | - | -- | -- | - | ----------------- |
| **Very Light** | 0 | 10 | 15 | 0 | Pale complexion |
| **Light** | 0 | 15 | 20 | 0 | Fair skin |
| **Light-Medium** | 0 | 20 | 25 | 0 | Light with warmth |
| **Peachy Light** | 0 | 25 | 30 | 0 | Warm undertones |
**Key**: Low cyan, moderate magenta, higher yellow
**Avoid**: Too much magenta (looks sunburned)
| Tone | C | M | Y | K | Notes |
| ---------------- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ------------------ |
| **Medium** | 5 | 30 | 35 | 0 | Average complexion |
| **Medium Warm** | 10 | 35 | 45 | 5 | Warm medium |
| **Medium Olive** | 25 | 35 | 50 | 10 | Olive undertones |
| **Medium Tan** | 15 | 40 | 55 | 15 | Tanned skin |
**Key**: Some cyan for balance, good magenta, yellow
**Balance**: Cyan prevents orange cast
| Tone | C | M | Y | K | Notes |
| --------------- | -- | -- | -- | -- | --------------- |
| **Medium-Dark** | 30 | 50 | 60 | 20 | Deep tan |
| **Dark** | 40 | 60 | 70 | 30 | Rich brown |
| **Very Dark** | 50 | 70 | 80 | 50 | Deep complexion |
| **Deepest** | 60 | 80 | 90 | 60 | Darkest tones |
**Key**: Significant cyan for richness, high all values
**Avoid**: Pure black tones (unrealistic)
### Adjusting for Undertones
**Cool undertones** (pink/red):
* Increase: Magenta by 5-10%
* Decrease: Yellow by 5%
**Warm undertones** (golden/yellow):
* Increase: Yellow by 5-10%
* Decrease: Cyan by 5%
**Neutral undertones**:
* Balanced CMY ratios
* No dominant color
**Always proof**: Skin tones critical to get right
***
## Paper-Safe Colors
### Colors That Print Well
**Blues that reproduce reliably**:
| Color | C | M | Y | K | Reliability |
| ----------- | --- | -- | -- | -- | ----------- |
| Navy Blue | 100 | 80 | 20 | 30 | Excellent |
| Royal Blue | 100 | 80 | 0 | 0 | Excellent |
| Medium Blue | 80 | 50 | 0 | 0 | Good |
| Sky Blue | 60 | 10 | 0 | 0 | Good |
**Avoid**:
* Electric blues (C100 M0 Y0 K0): Look duller than screen
* Very bright cyans: Significant shift from RGB
**Reds that reproduce reliably**:
| Color | C | M | Y | K | Reliability |
| ---------- | -- | --- | --- | -- | ----------- |
| Bright Red | 0 | 100 | 100 | 0 | Excellent |
| Cherry Red | 0 | 100 | 80 | 10 | Excellent |
| Burgundy | 20 | 100 | 80 | 30 | Good |
| Crimson | 5 | 100 | 90 | 10 | Good |
**These match**: Screen to print well
**Avoid**: Neon pinks (can't reproduce in CMYK)
**Greens that reproduce reliably**:
| Color | C | M | Y | K | Reliability |
| ------------ | --- | -- | --- | -- | ----------- |
| Kelly Green | 90 | 0 | 85 | 0 | Excellent |
| Forest Green | 100 | 30 | 100 | 30 | Excellent |
| Emerald | 95 | 0 | 60 | 10 | Good |
| Olive | 40 | 20 | 100 | 30 | Good |
**Avoid**:
* Neon lime greens: Major shift from RGB
* Very bright yellow-greens: Hard to reproduce
**Always safe colors**:
* **Pure black**: K100
* **Pure gray scale**: K only (any %)
* **White**: Paper (C0 M0 Y0 K0)
* **Warm grays**: Slight MY tint
* **Cool grays**: Slight C tint
**Why safe**: Single or minimal inks, no registration issues
***
## CMYK Color Strategies
### Maximum Saturation Colors
**Brightest possible in each hue**:
| Hue | C | M | Y | K | Notes |
| ----------- | --- | --- | --- | - | ----------------------- |
| **Red** | 0 | 100 | 100 | 0 | Maximum CMYK red |
| **Orange** | 0 | 60 | 100 | 0 | Brightest orange |
| **Yellow** | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Pure yellow (brightest) |
| **Green** | 100 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Maximum green |
| **Cyan** | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Pure cyan |
| **Blue** | 100 | 100 | 0 | 0 | Brightest blue |
| **Purple** | 60 | 100 | 0 | 0 | Vibrant purple |
| **Magenta** | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | Pure magenta |
**Use**: When maximum saturation needed within CMYK gamut
### TAC-Safe Rich Colors
**Rich colors that stay under TAC 300%**:
| Color | C | M | Y | K | TAC | Use |
| ----------------- | --- | --- | --- | -- | ---- | --------------------- |
| **Rich Navy** | 100 | 80 | 20 | 30 | 230% | Deep blue backgrounds |
| **Rich Burgundy** | 20 | 100 | 80 | 30 | 230% | Elegant dark red |
| **Rich Forest** | 90 | 30 | 100 | 30 | 250% | Deep green |
| **Rich Purple** | 70 | 100 | 0 | 30 | 200% | Deep purple |
| **Rich Brown** | 50 | 70 | 100 | 50 | 270% | Chocolate brown |
**Advantage**: Rich depth while staying within most TAC limits
***
## Color Mixing Guide
### Creating Custom Colors
**Formula**: Reduce saturation, add white (reduce all values)
**Example - Pastel Blue**:
```
Start: Royal Blue (C100 M80 Y0 K0)
Reduce to 40%: C40 M32 Y0 K0
Result: Soft pastel blue
```
**General rule**:
* Multiply all CMY values by 0.3-0.5
* Keep K at 0
* Result: Pastel version
**Common pastels**:
* Pastel Pink: C0 M30 Y10 K0
* Pastel Blue: C30 M10 Y0 K0
* Pastel Yellow: C0 M0 Y40 K0
* Pastel Green: C30 M0 Y30 K0
**Formula**: Add black (increase K)
**Example - Dark Navy**:
```
Start: Royal Blue (C100 M80 Y0 K0)
Add 40% black: C100 M80 Y0 K40
Result: Very dark navy
```
**Rules**:
* Increase K by 20-50%
* Can also reduce CMY slightly to compensate
* Check TAC limit
**Effect**: Deepens color, reduces brightness
**Formula**: Add gray (increase all CMY evenly, add K)
**Example - Muted Green**:
```
Start: Bright Green (C80 M0 Y100 K0)
Add gray: C80 M20 Y100 K20
Result: Sage/muted green
```
**Rules**:
* Add small amounts of opposite colors
* Add 10-30% K
* Reduces vibrancy, increases sophistication
**Use**: Professional, elegant designs
**Mixing opposites for neutral**:
**Complementary pairs**:
* Red (M100 Y100) + Green (C100 Y100) = Brown
* Blue (C100 M100) + Orange (M60 Y100) = Gray-brown
* Yellow (Y100) + Purple (C60 M100) = Gray
**Use**: Create custom browns, grays, earth tones
**Example - Custom Brown**:
```
Mix: C40 M60 Y100 K30
Result: Rich chocolate brown
```
***
## TAC (Total Area Coverage) Reference
### TAC Limits by Profile
| Profile | TAC Limit | Example Safe Color | Example Over Limit |
| ----------------- | --------- | ------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| **ISO Coated v2** | 330% | C100 M100 Y100 K30 (330%) | C100 M100 Y100 K40 (340%) |
| **GRACoL 2006** | 300% | C80 M80 Y80 K60 (300%) | C100 M100 Y100 K10 (310%) |
| **SWOP 2006** | 300% | C80 M70 Y70 K80 (300%) | C90 M90 Y90 K40 (310%) |
| **PSO Uncoated** | 260% | C60 M60 Y60 K80 (260%) | C80 M80 Y80 K40 (280%) |
| **Newsprint** | 240% | C50 M50 Y50 K90 (240%) | C70 M70 Y70 K40 (250%) |
### Calculating TAC
**Formula**: C + M + Y + K = TAC
**Example**:
```
Color: C80 M60 Y40 K50
TAC: 80 + 60 + 40 + 50 = 230%
Status: ✓ Safe for all profiles
```
**Check before finalizing**: Ensure colors don't exceed profile TAC
***
## Best Practices
**Always**: C0 M0 Y0 K100 for text
**Why**:
* Sharpest edges
* No registration issues
* Overprints safely
**Never**: Rich black for text (fringing risk)
**Minimize**: Colors using all four inks
**Problems**:
* Registration issues
* High TAC
* Color shifts
**Better**: Three-color builds when possible
**Example**:
* Instead of: C50 M40 Y40 K20
* Use: C60 M50 Y50 K0 (similar result, better registration)
**Always proof**:
* Brand colors
* Skin tones
* Large color areas
**Methods**:
* Soft proofing (Acrobat Overprint Preview)
* Physical print proof
**Before**: Large print runs
**Best practice**: Use CMYK color picker in Figma
**Avoid**:
* Designing in RGB
* Converting at end
* Surprises from gamut shift
**Result**: What you design is what you get
**For brand colors**:
* Record exact CMYK values
* Test print and approve
* Save in brand guidelines
**Include**:
* CMYK formula
* Pantone equivalent (if applicable)
* Acceptable variation range
**Consistency**: Critical for brand materials
***
## Learn More
Understanding color models
Pure black vs rich black
Troubleshoot color problems
Achieve accurate print colors
***
**Golden rule**: When in doubt, use proven CMYK formulas from this reference rather than converting RGB colors. These values are tested and optimized for print reproduction.