RGB

RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is an additive color model where red, green, and blue light are added together in various combinations to reproduce a broad array of colors for digital displays. This fundamental color system forms the basis of virtually all electronic color reproduction, from smartphone screens to televisions to digital projectors. In professional design platforms like Snapied, understanding RGB color is essential for creating digital content that displays accurately and consistently across different devices and applications.

The RGB model works by emitting light rather than absorbing it (as in print's CMYK model), with each pixel on a display containing three sub-pixels—one each for red, green, and blue. By varying the intensity of each color component on a scale typically from 0 to 255, millions of colors can be produced: when all three colors are at maximum intensity (255,255,255), the result is white; when all are at minimum (0,0,0), the result is black. Primary colors in RGB are created by maximizing one component while setting others to zero—pure red is (255,0,0), pure green is (0,255,0), and pure blue is (0,0,255). Secondary colors combine two primaries—yellow (255,255,0), cyan (0,255,255), and magenta (255,0,255).

Professional designers must consider several technical aspects of RGB color in their workflows. The RGB color space is device-dependent, meaning the same RGB values may appear differently on different screens due to variations in display technology, calibration, and color profiles. To address this, color management systems and standardized RGB color spaces like sRGB (standard for web and consumer devices) and Adobe RGB (wider gamut for professional photography) help ensure more consistent color reproduction across devices. When designing for digital media, working in RGB mode is essential, but designers must be aware that converting RGB designs to CMYK for printing will often result in color shifts, particularly in vibrant colors that fall outside the more limited CMYK gamut. Understanding these technical considerations, along with the creative possibilities of RGB's expansive color range, allows designers to create visually striking digital content that reproduces as intended across the diverse ecosystem of modern display technologies.