CMYK Hard Copy Color Charts: Over 10,000 Colors for Print Publishing (Color Reference Guide Book, Band 2) - Softcover

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When is CMYK an appropriate color mode choice? When your main objective is to create for print publishing. Examples include the following: business cards, brochures, and paperback or hardcover books, to name a few.

Print uses ink to produce color, whereas electronics use light. Print uses a subtractive color model based on cyan, magenta, yellow, and black—CMYK. Electronics use an additive color model based on red, green, and blue—RGB. Due to these differences, print renders color differently in comparison to electronics. Inherently, ink cannot create the bright colors light produces.

Additionally, RGB has a vast color range in comparison to CMYK. The RGB color space includes 16,777,216 colors. Theoretically, there are only 1,000,000 colors within the CMYK color space. Adding black (K) to any CMY color combination creates a shade of a color. Therefore, the calculation does not include the K value.

Furthermore, each printing company has an ink density maximum. The combined total CMYK percentage value may not exceed the limit set by the printing company. If you are using a printing company with a 240% ink limit, they may suggest (60%, 40%, 40%, 100%) with a combined total value of 240% as their recommended alternative to flat black versus (60%, 60%, 60%, 100%) with a combined total of 280%.

Most modern design software allows working in CMYK mode or incorporates a CMYK preview mode. However, even when working in CMYK mode, you are viewing an approximation of how color will appear on a printed end product. Light is producing the approximation, not ink. Generally, the actual colors on the printed product will vary in darkness and dullness. Thus, the need for hard copy color charts.

Hard copy charts printed by your printing company of choice using your intended paper quality produces the most accurate results. What the charts show is how colors render in print versus electronic sources. The higher the quality of paper, the lower the difference. The charts assure choices will render acceptably well on your printed product.

When choosing CMYK colors, think in terms of vividness versus brightness. Use colors comprised of cyan, magenta, and yellow. If you choose to add black, do so judiciously. Using black unwisely can result in a muddy shade.

CMYK Hard Copy Color Charts does not include shades. This book focuses on the most vivid and clear colors possible within the CMYK color range. Albeit, the gray scale chart utilizes black.

The gray scale chart includes scaled values for flat black, cool black, warm black, and rich black. Flat black is best suited for small font, fines lines, lesser quality paper, and black & white print. Cool black compliments artwork primarily featuring cool colors. In the same vein, warm black compliments warm colors. Rich black is a good choice when a design does not necessarily lean toward cool or warm color choices.

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