Understanding Color Subtraction
by Dave Burchell · Metrofuser · October 1, 2008 - page(s): 68-73
The trend in service for the past few years has been moving toward color and this trend makes understanding the process of image formation in color printing more important than ever. The process of creating an image in color has many similarities to monochrome, but there are important differences as well. Paramount in these differences is the use of multiple color toners and the utilization of producing color via color subtraction.
Color subtraction is the way that we perceive colors in the ordinary world. The light in the world around us contains all the colors of the rainbow, but not all light contains all these colors in all circumstances. The surface of an object has color if it reflects some of the light, and the color is determined by the frequency or the combination of frequencies of the light reflected. These frequencies still do not possess color on their own; rather, the light must be received by some means and interpreted as a color. These steps must all be taken into consideration when attempting to produce a color image on the printed page.
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