Colour In graphic design we refer to most colour as ‘process colour’. What is process colour?

Colour

In graphic design we refer to most colour as ‘process colour’.

What is process colour?

It is colour made up of ‘C, M, Y, K’ or Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (K=key).

They are called the process colours and are the inks/pigments

used in the ‘four colour’ process printing (also called ‘full colour’).

Each colour makes it’s own separation film/plate.

CMYK plates...and combined colours

in printed version‘Production for Graphic Designers’ by Allan Pipes, 4th Edition

Published by Laurence King Publishing

Plate: a metal or plastic sheet with photo sensitive face onto which an image is chemically etched changing the

characteristics of the surface or cutting below the surface.

Blanket: the intermediate rubber roller on an off-set lithography press which transfers the image from the plate to

the paper.http://lapanvpchang.blogspot.com/

Plate: a metal or plastic sheet with photo sensitive face onto which an image is chemically etched changing the

characteristics of the surface or cutting below the surface.

Blanket: the intermediate rubber roller on an off-set lithography press which transfers the image from the plate to

the paper.http://www.wizardpress.com.au/952.html

Subtractive colour: is the CMYK process, made of pigments.

Adding combinations together creates a broad range of colours.Nothing creates white (blank paper) everything mixed together creates black.

This black is not quite convincing enough, that is why black is added as it’s own colour.

Colour

When designing for the web, what colours do we use?

Colour

When designing for the web, what colours do we use?

RGBWhat does this stand for?

Colour

When designing for the web, what colours do we use?

RGBWhat does this stand for?

Red, Green and Blue (or Blue/Violet)

The white light all around us is created from mixing all these colours together. When there is no light we get shadows, or

black.

It is almost the exact opposite of CMYK. It is how colour is displayed on your monitor.

Additive colour: is the RGB process, made of light.Different colours are absorbed to create a broad range of colours.

We see no light as shadows or black.Where all the colours mix together we get pure white light.

What is the relationship between the two?

CMYK RGB

What is the relationship between the two?The are pretty much the opposite of each other.

One can’t truly depict the other.One is pigment the other is light.

CMYK RGB

Converting one to the other creates many problems. What might they be?

CMYK RGB

Converting one to the other creates many problems. What might they be?

Proofing colours on screen compared with the finished print.Getting corporate colours accurate on the web and in print.

CMYK RGB

Colour

What are spot colours?

Colour

What are spot colours?

They are special inks created as a single flat colour, separate from the CMYK colours.

They are specified as PMS or as ‘Pantone Matching System’ colours.

Pantone are an industry standard of over 1000 coloursthat printers recognize and can match perfectly around the

world.

Colour

What are spot colours?

They are special inks created as a single flat colour, separate from the CMYK colours.

They are specified as PMS or as ‘Pantone Matching System’ colours.

They are expensive to produce because they throw an extra plate in separations. But they can also be converted to CMYK.

They are helpful to keep corporate colours consistent.

Eg. Tiffany and Coke.

Colour

What are spot colours?

They are special inks created as a single flat colour, separate from the CMYK colours.

They are specified as PMS or as ‘Pantone Matching System’ colours.

Swatch books are the easiest way to identify and choose these colours. They are expensive and can fade.

They are available in coated, uncoated and CMYK conversions.Special metallic and fluorescent ones are also available.

Adobe software provides Pantone swatch books in their software.

Colour

Creating grays using CMYK.

Tints and shadesThese can be created using CMYK.

Shades Tints

Tints and shadesShades can be created by adding percentages of black

or combinations of opposite colours.The 100% magenta above has

20%, 40%, 60% then 80% of black added.

Shades .

Tints and shadesTints can be created by dropping a colour back by

percentages.The 100% magenta above becomes

80%, 60%, 40%, 20% then 0% (white).

. Tints

Grays and shadesThe gray #1 is 50% black, gray #2 is C 45,M 40,Y 40,K 0.

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Grays Shades

Grays and shadesShade #3 in 100% magenta, 20% black,

shade #4 is C 25, M 100, Y 25, K 0.Grays can be successfully created without black.

This colour theory is used in the printing process so less ink is used and paper dries quicker.

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Grays Shades

Grays and shadesThese are also affected by the stock and it’s characteristics.

Coated/uncoated, sizing and colour of stock.

Refer to Colour Point and Newscolour Tint Books.

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Grays Shades

ColourColour Theory Worksheets