This image helped me conceptualize the differences between the RGB and CMYK color modes. RGB is used to display web-based images, as digital displays layer different values of red, green, and blue to create the target color. The more colors are added to the starting black background, the lighter the result (which is why the center of the diagram is white). Meanwhile, CMYK is the dominant color mode in printing. Instead of adding colors, CMYK masks colors from the starting white background by layering ink that reduces the amount of light reflected by the surface. It makes a lot of sense why CMYK is used to display images on white printer paper, whereas RGB is used to display images on black digital screens.
This image helped me conceptualize the differences between the RGB and CMYK color modes. RGB is used to display web-based images, as digital displays layer different values of red, green, and blue to create the target color. The more colors are added to the starting black background, the lighter the result (which is why the center of the diagram is white). Meanwhile, CMYK is the dominant color mode in printing. Instead of adding colors, CMYK masks colors from the starting white background by layering ink that reduces the amount of light reflected by the surface. It makes a lot of sense why CMYK is used to display images on white printer paper, whereas RGB is used to display images on black digital screens.