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A-4 Desktop Color Primer
The subtractive primaries are cyan, magenta, and yellow; they absorb red,
green, and blue light, respectively (plate 7). Combining any two subtractive
primaries creates a new color that is relatively pure or saturated. For example,
you can make red by combining magenta and yellow, which absorb green and
blue light, respectively. White occurs when no colorant is applied.
Combining all three subtractive primaries in theory yields black, but due to
deficiencies of cyan, magenta, and yellow colorants, combining these three
primaries actually yields a muddy brown. Black colorant is added to
compensate for the deficiencies of cyan, magenta, and yellow colorants.
Consequently, color printing uses four process colors: Cyan, Magenta,
Yellow, and blacK (CMYK). The use of black toner helps in producing rich,
solid blacks and allows for improved rendering of black text.
The CMYK colorants used in offset printing and by your iR C2100/2100S
copier/printer are to some degree transparent. When one layer of colorant is
applied on top of another, you see the effect of both. To create a range of
intermediary colors, a method is required for varying the amount of each
colorant that is applied. A technique called halftoning is used in offset
printing, while color print devices typically use a proprietary system for
applying ink or toner colors that is similar to halftoning.
Printing techniques
Until recently, most color printing was done on printing presses using one of
several printing techniques—offset lithography, flexography, and gravure,
to name a few. All traditional printing techniques require lengthy preparation
before a print run can take place. Short-run color printing, including
iR C2100/2100S printing, eliminates most of this preparation. By
streamlining the process of color printing, the iR C2100/2100S makes short
print runs economically feasible.