CMY

CMY is a color model used in printing and color reproduction based on three subtractive primaries: cyan, magenta, and yellow. In subtractive color mixing, colors are created by removing light from white. Each CMY ink absorbs (subtracts) part of the spectrum: cyan absorbs red, magenta absorbs green, and yellow absorbs blue. When layered, these inks absorb more wavelengths and reflect less light, producing a range of visible colors. In theory, combining the three should yield black, but due to pigment impurities and ink formulation, the result is a dark, muddy color rather than true black.

To achieve deeper blacks and better contrast, printing often uses a fourth ink: black, denoted K in CMYK. The CMYK model is the standard for most commercial printing and photo reproduction. CMY and RGB are complementary parts of color workflows: RGB is an additive model used for light-emitting displays, while CMY/CMYK is subtractive and used for printing on white substrates.

Practical considerations include the fact that the CMY color gamut is generally smaller than the RGB gamut, making some bright greens and blues difficult to reproduce exactly. The precise appearance of CMY colors depends on ink chemistry, paper, and the printing process. Color management in modern workflows typically uses ICC profiles to translate digital RGB data into device-specific CMYK values, enabling consistent color across different printers and substrates.

Applications of CMY/CMYK span offset printing, inkjet printing, dye-sublimation, and other color reproduction workflows in publishing, packaging, and photography.