HSL to CMYK Color Converter

Two-Step Conversion Process

Since HSL and CMYK are fundamentally different color models, the conversion requires an intermediate step through RGB color space:

Step 1: HSL to RGB Conversion

// HSL to RGB Conversion Formula
function hslToRgb(h, s, l) {
  s /= 100;
  l /= 100;
  
  const c = (1 - Math.abs(2 * l - 1)) * s;
  const x = c * (1 - Math.abs((h / 60) % 2 - 1));
  const m = l - c / 2;
  
  let r, g, b;
  
  if (0 <= h && h < 60) {
    r = c; g = x; b = 0;
  } else if (60 <= h && h < 120) {
    r = x; g = c; b = 0;
  } else if (120 <= h && h < 180) {
    r = 0; g = c; b = x;
  } else if (180 <= h && h < 240) {
    r = 0; g = x; b = c;
  } else if (240 <= h && h < 300) {
    r = x; g = 0; b = c;
  } else if (300 <= h && h < 360) {
    r = c; g = 0; b = x;
  }
  
  return {
    r: Math.round((r + m) * 255),
    g: Math.round((g + m) * 255),
    b: Math.round((b + m) * 255)
  };
}

Step 2: RGB to CMYK Conversion

// RGB to CMYK Conversion Formula
function rgbToCmyk(r, g, b) {
  // Normalize RGB values to 0-1 range
  r /= 255;
  g /= 255;
  b /= 255;
  
  // Calculate Key (Black) component
  const k = 1 - Math.max(r, g, b);
  
  // Handle pure black case
  if (k === 1) {
    return { c: 0, m: 0, y: 0, k: 100 };
  }
  
  // Calculate CMY values
  const c = (1 - r - k) / (1 - k);
  const m = (1 - g - k) / (1 - k);
  const y = (1 - b - k) / (1 - k);
  
  return {
    c: Math.round(c * 100),
    m: Math.round(m * 100),
    y: Math.round(y * 100),
    k: Math.round(k * 100)
  };
}

Design Workflow Integration

Industry Use Cases

Adobe Creative Suite Integration

Web to Print Workflow

Bridge the gap between digital design and physical printing:

1. Color Selection: Use HSL for intuitive color picking in web design tools
2. Conversion: Apply our HSL to CMYK converter for print-accurate values
3. Testing: Create digital proofs with converted CMYK values
4. Production: Send CMYK specifications to print vendors
5. Quality Control: Compare printed results with digital previews