Converting RGB to CMYK in Illustrator

I often find the need to convert RGB files to CMYK (and visa versa) in Adobe Illustrator. The trouble is I always forget how to do it! Therefore I've drawn up a simple 3 step process to help.

  • RGB ain't CMYK - and image by bryhal@rogers.com
    RGB ain't CMYK - and image by bryhal@rogers.com

Being a web guy I live in the world of RGB and the thought of CMYK and the finality of print scares me (alot!). However, I reguarly need to convert a logo to CMYK in Adobe Illustrator from a graphic that is in RGB colour mode. To do this in Illustrator you simply do the following:

  • Go to File » Document Color Mode and check CMYK

Yeh I know it's simple but being a AI newbee, I have spent ages searching for a solution before remembering. This process also works in reverse (CMYK to RGB):

  1. Go to File » Document Color Mode and check RGB.
  2. Select everything in your document and go Filter » Color » Convert to RGB.

A good way to check what colours are being used in your document is to:

  1. Open up the colour pallette.
  2. Bring up the menu by clicking the little arrow in the top right hand corner and select "Small List View". This brings up (suprise suprise) a list view of all colours with a little symbol representing the colour mode type (ie: RGB, CMYK...etc).
  3. Now click on an element in your document and the list will jump to the colour being used. You can then determine whether it's CMYK or RGB...etc

Hope this helps?

Dave

Posted a few months ago by David Smith

Tagged as: Adobe, Illustrator, Design, Tip, Colour

David is a web designer and a front end developer for DeepBlueSky Digital. He's reponsible for designing nice things and then making sure they don't break in Internet Explorer. Currently he's mostly interested in javascript and HTML5. You can follow Dave on Twitter as @get_dave or @deepbluetweets.

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2 Comments on this post

  1. said “Remind me” last month
    Gravatar for

    Thanks, it is really helpful. I'm a GD, I really forgot got such function for converting into CMYK/RGB colors because I only using that converter you mentioned to convert the CMYK/RGB color into gray. Haha.. now then remind me, thanks again

     

    cheers

  2. Jack said “Thankyou!!!!!” a few months ago
    Gravatar for Jack

    I was about to spend the next hour individually clicking complex rgb vector art and changing it to cmyk in the colour field. I knew their had to be a simple way - thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

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