Subtractive color

SubtractiveColor

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BYR color wheel

Pigment Colours - Classification

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CMY

Subtractive color involves the way colors are produced by the removal (or absorption) of light. This model is primarily used in the context of color printing, painting, and other mediums where color is produced by the application of pigments or dyes. Unlike the additive color model, which deals with the emission of light to create colors, subtractive color explains how colored materials create color by absorbing certain wavelengths of light and reflecting others.

Principles

The subtractive color model operates on the principle that colors are created by subtracting (or absorbing) parts of the spectrum of light. When white light (which contains all wavelengths of visible light) hits a colored object, certain wavelengths are absorbed by the object, while others are reflected or transmitted. The color we perceive is the result of this selective absorption and reflection.

The primary colors of the subtractive model are cyan, magenta, and yellow. When combined in various proportions, these colors can produce a wide range of colors. For example, combining cyan and yellow will produce green, as cyan absorbs red light and yellow absorbs blue light, leaving green light to be reflected.

Applications

Subtractive color is a fundamental concept in color printing where inks of the primary subtractive colors are layered in varying densities to produce a wide spectrum of colors. This is evident in the CMYK color model (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black)), which is a standard in the printing industry. The addition of black ink (Key) helps in creating deeper shadows and richer dark tones that are difficult to achieve with cyan, magenta, and yellow alone.

In painting and other forms of traditional art, subtractive color principles guide artists in mixing pigments to achieve desired colors. Understanding how different pigments interact and which wavelengths they absorb or reflect can help artists create more vibrant and accurate colors in their work.

Challenges

One of the challenges with subtractive color is the purity of the pigments or dyes used. Impurities can lead to muddy colors or unexpected results when mixing. Additionally, the substrate (the material on which color is applied) can affect color perception due to its own color and absorption properties.

See also

• Additive color
• Color theory
• Color wheel
• CMYK color model
• Color printing

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