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Design Illustrator Foundations Creating an Icon Document Setup & Understanding the Interface

Posted by Nail Valiyev
Nail Valiyev
101 Points

When I created a new document and selected RGB I had the message saying color mode is different from the color space

which is defined by the document profile. Panel Content may not match new color mode. Could anyone explain me this? Didn;t get that.

2 Answers

Grace Faires
Grace Faires
5,435 Points
Grace Faires
Grace Faires
5,435 Points

Hey Nail,

Just wondering what the prompt specifically says? and do you have another document already open? Prompts tend to come up if the colour profile that you've chosen for a new document is different to the colour profile in your current workspace is set to something different, so for example, you've been working on something in CMYK and you're trying to import an image that's in RGB. To check what your document colour mode is, go to File > Document Colour Mode.

It's a good idea to get used to keeping an eye on your colour modes when you're working, they can cause you serious difficulties in the future if they don't match up! :)

As a rule of thumb, use RGB if designing for anything digital, and CMYK for print work.

I hope this is at least a little useful?? if it isn't, let me know and I'll try to elaborate :)

Nail Valiyev
Nail Valiyev
101 Points
Nail Valiyev
Nail Valiyev
101 Points

Dear Grace,

Thanks a lot for the answer. I did understand the differences between RGB and and CMYK. However when I select RGB, I get this kind of warning "The chosen color mode is different from the color space defined by the Document profile. Panel Content may not match new color mode." What should I change not to get this message?

This prompt comes out when I create the first document in ai or create any new document. So it doesn't really matter. It always appears when I want to create a new document and set up RGB.

The prompt doesn't appear if I use CMYK. Thanks a lot for your reply.

Grace Faires
Grace Faires
5,435 Points
Grace Faires
Grace Faires
5,435 Points

I just did a little bit of research, and I think it might be because your swatches are still in CMYK, so even if you've got a document open in RGB, illustrator converts the CMYK colours before using them in the document, which I think is what your prompt means about colour panels not matching.

Here's a link to the blog post I read: http://rwillustrator.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/cmyk-rgb-cant-we-all-just-get-along.html?m=1

Not so sure my explanation has done it justice, but there's a solution offered at the end of the post so hopefully that'll help! :)