How accurate is the color
you see on your monitor? back to reading room
What you see is not always what you get,
especially when talking about color on a monitor screen.

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Due to limitations in technology and the impact of ambient light conditions, what you see on your computer monitor is not necessarily what you will get in print. The rules for choosing colors are simple. Always use a printed swatch book, such as those from Pantone or Trumatch to specify color. If color is critical, order a physical proof to approve process color.

Although you may expect what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) color from your computer monitor, it can't accurately reproduce the entire print spectrum. You can improve the color accuracy of your monitor by choosing the right color profile and by calibrating it. However, even a perfectly calibrated and profiled monitor can only do so much. Since the brightness of the paper will determine the size and range of your printed piece's color space, a one-size-fits-all monitor, which only provides pretty good color, will never be a perfect predictor.

Be aware of the impact of ambient light on both your monitor's color and that of any print proofs you are viewing. For instance, fluorescent lights have a yellow cast that changes the appearance of flesh tones. Try to view color with neutral surroundings and lighting for the best viewing consistency and color predictability

A monitor displays colors with the additive primaries red, green and blue (RGB). Many proofs and all four-color print jobs use the subtractive primaries: cyan, magenta and yellow (and black for CMYK output). The two processes are so different by nature, that your monitor will always look a little different than a printed proof even with a highly calibrated and expensive system.