Nearly all elementary school children learn that the primary colors are red, yellow, and blue, which combine to form many other colors, including green, purple, and orange. Many people are therefore surprised to learn that color printers, instead of using primary colors, print layers of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (or CMYK). The information below explains why this is.

Subtractive vs. Additive Coloring

Traditional color combining is an example of "additive coloring." If you add yellow to red, you get orange. However, this does not consider the medium (or paper) on which you're printing. The color white is the combination of all colors, while black is the absence of all colors. 

Therefore, white paper already inherently contains all the colors of the spectrum, and printers take advantage of that by adding a layer of ink to mask or subtract one or more colors to achieve the hue desired. Eventually, by subtracting all colors from the white page, you can achieve black.

Advantages of CMYK

The primary color model you learned as a child is ideal if you're displaying colors on a screen because it can be used to blend a greater range of colors. Moreover, the screen outputs plenty of light so that the colors appear vibrant. But it becomes problematic when printing onto a medium. Each layer of additive color on the page makes the resulting hue appear dark and murky. 

It becomes very difficult to print lighter colors like lime green, lemon yellow, or sky blue. Even though they appear vibrant onscreen, the additive printing process cannot achieve a good likeness. This is why the subtractive process is more effective; lighter colors require less masking, and therefore, fewer print layers. The CMYK process also uses less ink or toner, and therefore costs less. 

If your business needs a new printer or other office equipment, contact Bluegrass Office Systems Inc, the premier Canon® dealer in Lexington, KY. They are locally owned and have served Fayette County since 1981. They offer top-tier products, and their sales staff are friendly and knowledgeable. They also specialize in copiers, scanners, and multifunctional devices, as well as office equipment repairs. Learn more about them on their website or call (859) 293-0435 to discuss your printer options.