RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

RGB uses light to define colours. RGB is the colour profile used for DIGITAL design spaces like websites, on-screen presentations, app design etc.

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black*)

CMYK uses pigment (ink) to define colours. It is the colour profile used for PHYSICALLY printing items such as posters, business cards, flyers, t-shirts etc.

We always supply your asset files in both RGB and CMYK so make sure to use the right ones for the right applications as this can have an adverse effect on colour accuracy.

_{*Why ‘K’ instead of ‘B’ for Black? K stands for Key Colour or Key Plate. Black is normally the Key colour in printing.}

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You will have already noticed that there are quite a few different types of file in your brand assets folder. So which one should you use and where should you use it? Here’s a breakdown of the most common file types:

JPEG (.jpg)

JPEG or Joint Photographic Experts Group, are the most common file format used. JPEG is a middle ground trade-off between file size and compressibility that swaps high quality for speed of loading, transferring and saving. Ideal for low resolution to medium quality images on websites, social media and photo sharing. JPEG is also supported by all browsers and image editing software.

Best for photography & image applications in RGB.

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‍TIFF (.tif)

‍TIFF or Tagged Image File Format, should be used when looking for high-quality resolution in print and professional applications. They are a lossless and non-compressed format so TIFF files are huge. Sending TIFF files over slow or weak internet connections can cause problems so they need to be sent via an FTP or Zipped. Unsupported by many websites due to size.

For high quality print applications in CMYK.

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‍PNG (.png)

‍PNG or Portable Network Graphics are similar in quality to TIFF files and ideal for complex images, vector logo graphics, illustrations etc. PNG allows for the best results when transparency is required, allowing PNG files to be placed within other images or webpages easily. 

Best for logos, illustrations etc where transparent backgrounds are required in RGB.

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‍SVG (.svg)

‍SVG or Scalable Vector Graphics assign code to each element within your design, allowing them to be read by your browser or app. This means they can be sized up or down dynamically to fit screens or windows without a loss in quality. As they are vector based they can retain pin-sharp detail & crispness regardless of resolution and are ideal for logos, icons etc.

For responsive web design and digital applications like animation. RGB only.

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‍EPS (.eps)

‍EPS or Encapsulated PostScript File Format is a vector file format developed by Adobe in the 1980’s. It is used in high-quality image printing and is compatible with most vector programs.

Used to send vector designs to printers in CMYK.

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‍PDF (.pdf)

‍PDF or Portable Document Format, are used when you need to send uneditable files easily regardless of the software, hardware, or operating systems being used by anyone who views the document. For this reason they are ideal for print projects and can be used to save bitmaps, vectors and combination files.

Best used to send print-ready artwork in CMYK. 

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‍Ai (.ai)

‍Ai files are native files used in Adobe Illustrator, a vector-based design program. Images can be resized without loss of quality. Adobe Illustrator is the software we most commonly use to create your designs and will therefore often be the ‘Master File’ containing logos, illustrations, icons etc. 

Ai files can be either RGB or CMYK but is especially useful to our clients when sending artwork, logos or images that will be recreated in large format print production in CMYK.

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A quick summary:

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Best files for RGB: PNG, JPEG, SVG.

Best files for CMYK: TIFF, EPS, PDF, Ai (large-format printing).

International Organisation for Standards (ISO) printing & stationery A Series sizes:

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A0 841 x 1189 mm

A1 594 x 841 mm

A2 420 x 594 mm

A3 297 x 420 mm

A4 210 x 297 mm

A5 148 x 210 mm

A6 105 x 148 mm

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Pantone is a colour-matching system universally used by many industries, including printing, graphic design, paint and the make-up industry, amongst others. Invented in the early 60s, the Pantone Matching System (PMS) allows designers & printers to colour-match specific colours regardless of the process used to produce them.

The majority of the colours for graphics are assigned a three or four-digit identification number followed by the letters U, C, or M. These letters represent paper stocks “uncoated”, “coated”, or “matte”, respectively. With these variations, designers and printers can see what their chosen colour would look like printed onto each of these different kinds of paper stock.

We choose Pantone colours by matching to either a Pantone Fan or Pantone Chips (essentially, a physically printed collection of colour samples). When we specify Pantone colours in print-ready artwork, you will see them displayed like they would be on a Pantone Chip.

More info about Pantone can be found on their website www.pantone.com

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Hex (Hexadecimal) colour codes are 6 digit codes based on the RGB colour model. They are used in digital, web and on-screen design applications. The code is written using a formula that turns each value into a unique 2-digit alphanumeric code. For example, the RGB code (224, 105, 16) is E06910 in hexadecimal code.

You will often see them expressed in a brand-book like this: Brand Coral Pink: #FF7F50

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We often use these terms interchangeably, but there is in fact a difference.

A typeface is a family of fonts that share aesthetic characteristics.

A font is a specific subset of characters with a unique style, size and weight.

For example Futura PT is a typeface while Futura PT Extra Bold is a Font.

However, only the most nerdy of type nerd will blink if you get this wrong. We do it all the time.

This can be a minefield if you get it wrong. CreativeBloq.com has a fantastic rundown of this subject. Here's a summary:

'Fonts are installed on our computers and as such they are considered to be software. Like other software, when you buy a font, you are actually buying a license to use it and agreeing to conditions set out by the seller. The license is a document that outlines those conditions. In the same way that copyright protects your work as a designer, enabling you to earn a living without people stealing your designs, a font license protects the typographer’s right to charge for the use of their creations. While copyright law is different in the US, UK and in other countries around the world, font licenses are written in a way that gives you the right to use the software regardless of territory.'

We recommend reading the full article which you can find here.

Some common types of licenses you can obtain:

Desktop License - This allow you to install a font on a computer for use in design programmes.

Webfont License - This allow you to embed the font into a website, email or digital ad.

Embedded Licenses - These let you distribute fonts on/in physical products like cars, or software programs.

Mobile App Licenses - These allow fonts to be embedded in phone/tablet apps.

ePub Licenses - These cover usage in commercial publications & e books.

Server Licenses - These enable web or cloud-based services and SaaS use cases.

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In most cases, we will try to use fonts or typefaces that are covered by either Adobe Creative Suite membership or Google fonts. We will ALWAYS make you aware of what we have used. It is CRUCIAL that you obtain the correct license(s) in YOUR NAME for any typefaces or fonts that we recommend. We're always on hand to help you out with this.

In publishing and graphic design, Lorem ipsum is a placeholder text commonly used to demonstrate the visual form of a document or a typeface without relying on meaningful content. Lorem ipsum may be used as a placeholder before final copy is available. It is also used to temporarily replace text in a process called greeking, which allows designers to consider the form of a webpage or publication, without the meaning of the text influencing the design. Lorem ipsum is typically a corrupted version of De finibus bonorum et malorum, a 1st-century BC text by the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero, with words altered, added, and removed to make it nonsensical and improper Latin.

A sample paragraph might read like this:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

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Some fun versions can be found here though.