Colour In graphic design we refer to most colour as ‘process colour’. What is process colour? It is colour made up of ‘C, M, Y, K’ or Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (K=key). They are called the process colours and are the inks/pigments used in the ‘four colour’ process printing (also called ‘full colour’). Each colour makes it’s own separation film/plate.
CMYK plates...and combined colours in printed version ‘Production for Graphic Designers’ by Allan Pipes, 4th Edition Published by Laurence King Publishing
Plate: a metal or plastic sheet with photo sensitive face onto which an image is chemically etched changing the characteristics of the surface or cutting below the surface. Blanket: the intermediate rubber roller on an off-set lithography press which transfers the image from the plate to the paper.
Plate: a metal or plastic sheet with photo sensitive face onto which an image is chemically etched changing the characteristics of the surface or cutting below the surface. Blanket: the intermediate rubber roller on an off-set lithography press which transfers the image from the plate to the paper.
Subtractive colour: is the CMYK process, made of pigments. Adding combinations together creates a broad range of colours. Nothing creates white (blank paper) everything mixed together creates black. This black is not quite convincing enough, that is why black is added as it’s own colour.
Colour When designing for the web, what colours do we use?
Colour When designing for the web, what colours do we use? RGB What does this stand for?
Colour When designing for the web, what colours do we use? RGB What does this stand for? Red, Green and Blue (or Blue/Violet) The white light all around us is created from mixing all these colours together. When there is no light we get shadows, or black. It is almost the exact opposite of CMYK. It is how colour is displayed on your monitor.
Additive colour: is the RGB process, made of light. Different colours are absorbed to create a broad range of colours. We see no light as shadows or black. Where all the colours mix together we get pure white light.
What is the relationship between the two? CMYK RGB
What is the relationship between the two? The are pretty much the opposite of each other. One can’t truly depict the other. One is pigment the other is light. CMYK RGB
Converting one to the other creates many problems. What might they be? CMYK RGB
Converting one to the other creates many problems. What might they be? Proofing colours on screen compared with the finished print. Getting corporate colours accurate on the web and in print. CMYK RGB
Colour What are spot colours?
Colour What are spot colours? They are special inks created as a single flat colour, separate from the CMYK colours. They are specified as PMS or as ‘Pantone Matching System’ colours. Pantone are an industry standard of over 1000 colours that printers recognize and can match perfectly around the world.
Colour What are spot colours? They are special inks created as a single flat colour, separate from the CMYK colours. They are specified as PMS or as ‘Pantone Matching System’ colours. They are expensive to produce because they throw an extra plate in separations. But they can also be converted to CMYK. They are helpful to keep corporate colours consistent. Eg. Tiffany and Coke.
Colour What are spot colours? They are special inks created as a single flat colour, separate from the CMYK colours. They are specified as PMS or as ‘Pantone Matching System’ colours. Swatch books are the easiest way to identify and choose these colours. They are expensive and can fade. They are available in coated, uncoated and CMYK conversions. Special metallic and fluorescent ones are also available. Adobe software provides Pantone swatch books in their software.
Colour Creating grays using CMYK.
Tints and shades These can be created using CMYK. Shades Tints
Tints and shades Shades can be created by adding percentages of black or combinations of opposite colours. The 100% magenta above has 20%, 40%, 60% then 80% of black added. Shades.
Tints and shades Tints can be created by dropping a colour back by percentages. The 100% magenta above becomes 80%, 60%, 40%, 20% then 0% (white).. Tints
Grays and shades The gray #1 is 50% black, gray #2 is C 45,M 40,Y 40,K Grays Shades
Grays and shades Shade #3 in 100% magenta, 20% black, shade #4 is C 25, M 100, Y 25, K 0. Grays can be successfully created without black. This colour theory is used in the printing process so less ink is used and paper dries quicker Grays Shades
Grays and shades These are also affected by the stock and it’s characteristics. Coated/uncoated, sizing and colour of stock. Refer to Colour Point and Newscolour Tint Books Grays Shades
Colour Colour Theory Worksheets