CMY

What it is

CMY is a subtractive color model: cyan, magenta, and yellow inks reduce reflected light from a white surface. It is the conceptual base behind process printing, usually extended to CMYK by adding black.

Basics

• Cyan absorbs red light, magenta absorbs green light, and yellow absorbs blue light.
• In ideal theory, cyan, magenta, and yellow together approach black; in practical printing, black ink is added for density and control.
• CMY is useful for comparing screen color with print-oriented color behavior.

Notes for later expansion

• CMY on a website is still shown through an RGB screen, so it is a screen representation of a subtractive model.
• When we later discuss print gamut, we should label the chosen print profile or keep it as an approximation.

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