How to Achieve K-Only Black and Neutral Greys

This Solution Article is relevant if you want an element of your design to be printed in "K-only Black".

If you submit raster images (PNG/JPG) to Launch Lab or TCG Smith, our system automatically converts them from RGB to CMYK to ensure they are compatible with our printing process. 

When your design includes grey or black elements, you may want to ensure the resulting colors are composed of "K-only" black. K-only black is a setting that uses 100% black ink alone, without mixing in cyan, magenta, or yellow. By using a single ink plate, you eliminate the risk of "ghosting" or blurry edges that can occur if multiple color plates are slightly misaligned. This makes it the industry standard for small body text and barcodes, where clarity is more important than visual depth.

To achieve K-only black during the CMYK conversion process in Launch Lab or TCG Smith, your RGB values must be perfectly neutral. This means the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) components must be equal (i.e., R = G = B). For example, an RGB value of (0, 0, 0) represents 100% black (K), while an RGB value of (127, 127, 127) corresponds to 50% black. This 1:1 mapping ensures that grayscale values in RGB are converted directly to the K channel in CMYK.