Farbscheidung

Farbscheidung refers to the process of separating colors, particularly in the context of printing. In traditional four-color printing, also known as CMYK printing, Farbscheidung involves dividing a full-color image into its constituent color components: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. Each of these colors is then printed as a separate layer, with varying dot patterns and densities, to create the illusion of a wide spectrum of colors when viewed together. This technique is fundamental to modern printing, allowing for the reproduction of photographic and graphic images with remarkable accuracy.

The process begins with a color image that is scanned or digitally processed. Specialized software then analyzes the image and determines the appropriate amount of each CMYK ink required to represent every pixel. This data is then used to create individual printing plates, one for each color. During the printing process, these plates are inked and pressed onto the substrate (like paper) in precise succession. The overlapping dots of ink, when seen from a distance, blend together to form the original colors of the image. The black ink, in particular, is crucial for adding depth, contrast, and detail to the final print, as pure black is difficult to achieve with just the subtractive combination of cyan, magenta, and yellow. Farbscheidung is a sophisticated application of subtractive color mixing principles.