Euroscale Colour Printing

The colour scale defines CMYK printing colours according to hue, saturation and print sequence, making colour results easier to check under standardised printing conditions.

What does this mean in practice?

A clearly defined colour scale makes it much easier to communicate exact colours between designers, printers and clients. This is especially important in professional print production, where even small differences in colour values can affect the final result.

Print files should always be created in CMYK rather than RGB. RGB is used for digital screens, while CMYK is the standard colour model for print. If artwork is supplied in RGB, colours may shift during conversion, and the printed result can look different from what was originally shown on screen.

If a specific logo colour or brand colour cannot be reproduced accurately using the standard CMYK colour range, this is not a problem. Spot colours can be used to achieve a more precise result. This is particularly useful for companies that need their printed materials to match their corporate design as closely as possible.

The colour scale previously known in Germany as the Euroscale was originally standardised under DIN 16539. Due to increasing international standardisation, this was later replaced by ISO 2846-1. However, the term “Euroscale” is still commonly used in the printing industry, even though it usually refers to the international ISO standard today.

Why colour accuracy matters in print

Consistent colours help strengthen brand recognition and create a professional impression. Whether you are printing presentation materials, folders, packaging or business documents, colour accuracy ensures that your brand appears reliable and visually consistent across different applications.

For the best results, colour values should be checked early in the design process. Professional print proofs or colour samples can help identify potential deviations before production begins. This reduces the risk of unexpected colour differences and gives you greater control over the final printed product.

In short, the CMYK colour scale provides an important foundation for reliable print production. For standard print colours, CMYK is usually the right choice. For highly specific brand colours, spot colours offer an additional level of precision.