Color CMYK
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key – colors for print
What Is the CMYK Color Model?
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black). It is the standard color model for print design. While screens emit light (additive RGB), printers lay down ink on paper that absorbs light (subtractive mixing).
- Cyan (0–100%) — Absorbs red light
- Magenta (0–100%) — Absorbs green light
- Yellow (0–100%) — Absorbs blue light
- Key/Black (0–100%) — Added for deeper blacks and to save ink
Additive vs. Subtractive Color Mixing
The fundamental difference between screen and print colors lies in how they mix:
| Property | RGB (Additive) | CMYK (Subtractive) |
|---|---|---|
| Used in | Screens, monitors, TVs | Printing, paper, packaging |
| Base state | Black (no light) | White (paper) |
| Mixing result | Gets brighter → white | Gets darker → black |
| Primary colors | Red, Green, Blue | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow |
| Color gamut | Wider (more vibrant) | Narrower (muted by nature) |
Why Is "K" for Black?
The "K" stands for Key, not Black. In printing, the black plate is the "key plate" that carries the most detail and provides alignment for the other plates. Using a dedicated black ink also saves on the expensive C, M, and Y inks and produces richer dark tones than mixing all three together.
Common Print Colors
| Color | Swatch | C | M | Y | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure Cyan | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| Pure Magenta | 0% | 100% | 0% | 0% | |
| Pure Yellow | 0% | 0% | 100% | 0% | |
| Process Red | 0% | 100% | 100% | 0% | |
| Process Green | 100% | 0% | 100% | 0% | |
| Process Blue | 100% | 100% | 0% | 0% | |
| Rich Black | 60% | 40% | 40% | 100% | |
| Navy | 100% | 80% | 0% | 45% | |
| Forest Green | 80% | 0% | 80% | 45% | |
| Burgundy | 0% | 100% | 80% | 40% | |
| Orange | 0% | 45% | 100% | 0% | |
| Warm Gray | 0% | 5% | 10% | 40% |
cmyk(0,0,0,100) produces a flat, slightly grayish black. For deep, rich blacks, printers use values likecmyk(60,40,40,100) to layer colored inks under the black.CMYK Conversion Formula
To convert from RGB to CMYK:
K = 1 - max(R/255, G/255, B/255)
C = (1 - R/255 - K) / (1 - K)
M = (1 - G/255 - K) / (1 - K)
Y = (1 - B/255 - K) / (1 - K)And the reverse, from CMYK to RGB:
R = 255 × (1 - C) × (1 - K)
G = 255 × (1 - M) × (1 - K)
B = 255 × (1 - Y) × (1 - K)How to Use Color CMYK?
- 1Choose a base color using the interactive picker or enter HEX, RGB, HSL values.
- 2Generate matching color palettes, schemes, or color space transformations instantly.
- 3Click on any color code block in the results to copy it instantly to your clipboard.
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