🚀 go-pugleaf

You really can't duplicate a gold effect with RGB or CMYK colors. The metallic nature of gold really calls for a metallic ink. Your best simulation will be a gradient with dark brown, to a dirty yellow (gold color) and back to another brown, not exactly the same as the first. Angling the gradient may help.

Natalie,

I'm not 100% sure what you mean by "i need it to be in gold".

If you are talking about actually printing gold ink, you need to create a separate channel to represent the art to print in gold. Choose one of the Pantone golds, but understand that it will appear rather ungold-like on screen. But it will accurately represent the portion of your art that is to be printed in that color. The actual gold ink used would be selected by you and/or your printer, it will print properly.

But if you are looking to simulate the metallic appearance, but print in the standard CMYK colors, you need to be a bit of an artist to create the highlights and shadows of the shiny metal. You can do this in Photoshop or Illustrator -- but you should have some tear sheets of, say, jewelry, coins, or other gold objects that you can use to help to simulate the effect.

Neil

And then there are foil stamps, very nice high-end stuff. There are a few different ways to try to pull-off a gold look. Aside from the gradients already mentioned, you could try a flat color like 30C, 100Y. But, you've left the discussion wide open when you neglected to specify what exactly it is you are trying to do. I'd use Illustrator per Neil's suggestion if you plan on using a spot gold or a foil stamp or a gradient because all of the elements can remain vector for sizing flexibility.

John,

I agree with your comments, except that 30c+100y is a bit greenish. Most gold I see is warmer toned. And for 4/C simulation, there is no single flat tone that could believably simulate gold.

Neil

Hi everyone. I need it to have a gold effect in appearance for a web page. But also for printing, but thats not really of concern as i can just give the printing company my requirements. I hope this answers it....? Thank you again for all your help.

Hi everyone. I need it to have a gold effect in 'appearance' of the logo artwork for a web page. But also for printing, but thats not really of concern as i can just give the printing company my requirements. I hope this answers it....? Thank you again for all your help. I am a beginer and still learning so i hope i have explained myself good enough...

Er, I meant 30M + 100Y. Great she can get the printer to do it, should come out pristine.

John,

You omitted a smiley in that post! Hopefully, Natalie will study use the posts here as a jumping off point.

Neil

Natalie,

A metallic gradient may go to (almost) white, especially if the adjacent part is made steeper, dragging the midpoints (the diamonds above the slider) closer (Illy speak).

Obviously, the appearance/colour of gold depends on the alloying, the light, and the surroundings, from greenish to reddish.

And equally obviously, the appearance in print must meet expectation rather than reality, for most people pure yellow or with a reddish (more copper) rather than a greenish (more silver) tinge.