CMYK

CMYK is a color combination and the abbreviation stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. It is commonly used for graphic designs that are printed physically on paper. Such prints often use white sheets as a base and specific color combinations using these four colors are created to make printing easier.

CMYK color model is also known as four colors and process colors. It is a subtractive color model that is used in printing and is also a way of describing a printing process. CMYK refers to the four ink plates- cyan, magenta, yellow, and key- that are used in printing. The key refers to the color black.

What is the CMYK Colour Model?

The CMYK color model works on lighter or white backgrounds by reducing the reflection of the light from the white surface. CMYK is called subtractive as it creates colors by ‘subtracting’ the white light. In this model, adding more ink translates to making the color or hue much darker and more visible to the audience.

This color model is commonly used for printing newspapers, magazines, and posters. that feature colorful graphic elements. Some common file formats that work best with CMYK include PDF, AI, TIFF, and EPS.

CMYK vs RGB - What’s the Difference?

CMYK and RGB are both popular color models that are used to create designs. However, understanding the difference between the two is essential to the quality of your work. In graphic design, CMYK is used for printed designs whereas RGB is used for digital designs. RGB is an additive color model with a range of colors that look vibrant on screen. CMYK is a subtractive color model with a comparatively smaller range of colors.

Designs created with RGB often look duller when printed and often have to be converted into CMYK to get the desired result. Similarly, the CMYK colors may look distorted on screen and may have to be converted to RGB to look vibrant.

Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.