wich format is best for web logo designing, CMYK or RGB
We use RGB format
I’d use RGB personally, reason being is that is what the screen is based on.
HOWEVER, I can see why using print based colours such as Pantone would be popular. For one - logos look different printed out rather than on screen, and secondly, logos can look different screen to screen (on the monitor I’m writing this on, I can’t see pale colours).
But yes, I generally use RGB values for colours (well, strictly HTML #'s mainly, but you get my drift).
To keep things simple…
If it’s intended to be mainly displayed on the screen, use RGB, if it’s intended mainly for print (such as posters, business cards, PDF invoices) then use CMYK 
Think about the end point. If the logo is likely to be published/printed keep in mind that some RGB colours will be richer on screen than in print (CMYK).
This is just a limitation of the colours that printing can produce, it’s a minor point but worth keeping in mind if you are going to produce a very colourful logo that may not translate well to print.
Usually a logo is designed with a lot of uses in mind, not just screen, even if it is going to be used for the screen.
So, you have to be able to use your logo in black and white first and color later and depending where is going to be rendered(paper, screen, banners, etc) you specify the colors. Design does not depends in RGB, CMYK, Pantone or whatever color system you are going to use in the end.
I recommend you to design your logo in a way that looks great in black and white, or two colors and later specify colors.
That’s true. When I design logos for people, I don’t even touch colour until they’ve decided on the font and logo they like.
In terms of whether to do it in RGB or CMYK, it needs to work in both. I usually start from the Pantone colours and then convert to CMKY and RGB using their settings.
Logos should NEVER be thought of as a web logo, print logo, TV, etc. A logo is an IDENTITY and needs to be thought of as a system that will work well no mater what. the logo for Ebay was made in the late 90 in print but ended up in all sorts of media. Also, colors display differently on different monitor… starting off a logo design based on what it looks like on YOUR monitor isn’t very wise.
That beings said, this is my preferred color selection logo design method:
- BLACK/WHITE version. Web or not, if it doesnt hold up well to desaturation… it needs to be rethought.
- Pick standard ink palette. Preferably using a REAL swatch book. ( as I said earlier , the panote colors displayed on the screen could be really off the mark from what they truly are)
- make a web color conversion. The best way is to have a calibrated monitor but…
Change the mode of your colors to RGB. Remember the swatch book? Hold it up against the colors on the screen until you get the best match possible. if you are slightly off is no big deal as each viewers monitor might display the colors slighly off anyways, but at least you have a STANDARD on which to base yourself.
you also naw have a CYMK ready logo…
cool, no?
Aditional tip: design in a VECTOR program. Or at least use shape layers and effects for your logo. I have been in situations where i get a 80px x 80px file as teh ORGINAL source file of a client’s logo. but they need it at a lager size on a webpage ( or otherwise)… Each time the logo has to be built from scratch, there will be inconsistencies , not to mention added delays and cost.
dresden_phoenix, I would also recommend that any logo (or image for that matter) is tested using filters to see how colorblind people will visualise the image, after all you wouldn’t want your brand “blinding” someone (due to color clashing effects) or being impossible to read for some people.
RGB - RED, GREEN, BLUE
CMYK - CYAN, MAGENTA, YELLOW AND BLACK
one for print and one for screen. When designing your logo, make sure it looks good both online and offline (in paper).
as for me, i use RGB.
Hi Webmaster Friends
Thanks for your informative posts.
True. That’s why it’s a good idea to design in black and white (or shades of grey). if it works in mono, there should be no problems.
Spark_Creative, actually that is wrong, being colorblind does not immediately mean we can only see in black and white (monochromes) - I say we because I myself am colorblind though mine is a red/green form (the most common worldwide). There are varying degrees of colorblindness and these are basically the equilivent of the eye either not being able to see a single color (Red/green/blue) in it’s entirity, not being able to see a single color (red/green/blue) partially, or not being able to see colors at all (which you stated). Just visualising an image in terms of black/white is a very poor indicator of what the average colorblind person can see.
Simulator: http://colorfilter.wickline.org/
Doing a Logo in Black and White first is not done for color blind people. It is made that way because in first place you need to express an idea, so it has to be possible to achieve that in a very simplified form and small sizes.
Choosing color is not an easy task, so you have to focus in the form, next color, then different uses and that is when you start to worry about Pantone, CMYK, RGB, Black and White, web, monochrome, screen, print, large, etc.
Focus on expressing the idea.
Sorry, that’s not what I was getting at. I know how colour blindness works - my dad is colour blind. What I meant was that if a logo works when converted to mono then colour blind people will have no trouble with legibility no matter what colours you use, provided the contrast stays the same. That’s not to say they’ll see the colours correctly, but that it will be legible.
Hi Spark_Creative
Thanx for unique info. your info are totally differ…but resonable!!!
I have using RGB for my design
That’s debatable actually, there’s an associated condition people with color blindness suffer that certain colors cause a “clashing effect”. When two highly contrasting colors (such as red / green) are put together, people who have the ability to see the colors (rather then grey) but cannot differentiate between them suffer from the two contrasts violently colliding to their eyes and when the clashing occurs it can make the overall contrast impossible to see effectively. It also causes you to suffer a really bad headache from looking at it too long (it’s pretty painful to look at the really violent clashes). I’ve seen it in t-shirt design, websites and even book covers!
CMYK - for print
RGB - for monitors
Well, I think that the question about designing doesn’t have nothing to do really with CMYK or RGB, design is design. Presentation is another thing, and if you mean that what system you may use to present a logo or any graphic for this matter has to do with the media used, RGB for screens, CMYK for printed materials generally.