How to Convert From CMYK to HEX

The free design program GIMP has a color conversion tool.

The CMYK color model is used in printing, and the HEX system is used in Web design. Hex codes are often referred to as HTML colors. In the CMYK model, C, M, Y and K each have a value percentage that corresponds to the level of cyan, magenta, yellow and black making up an image. A Hex color, on the other hand, features three pairs of two-digit codes expressing the combination of red, green and blue. Converting a CMYK color code to Hex can be done using GIMP, a free graphic design program.

Things You'll Need

• GIMP freeware application installed

Instructions

1. Launch GIMP and click on the “Foreground Color” box, located in the main toolbox.

2. Select the “CMYK” tab, which is labeled with a printer icon, and the four color fields will appear. Type the desired percentages into the fields or double-click and drag the respective scrollbars to adjust the values. The HTML notation field will change as you adjust the CMYK percentages.

3. Highlight the text within the HTML notation field and then copy and paste the code into a word-processing document for future reference.

4. Readjust the CMYK values as desired to convert additional codes to Hex.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use GIMP to convert Hex codes to CMYK percentages. Insert an HTML notation into the specified field. Click on one of the other color code tabs to refresh the dialogue and then click back onto the “CMYK” tab. The value percentages adjust accordingly.

• You may be able to find free CMYK-to-Hex color converter tools online but these utilities may not be 100 percent reliable.

References

• GIMP: Color Model
• GIMP: CMYK

Resources

• GIMP: Home Page