Kleurscheiding

Kleurscheiding, also known as color separation, is a fundamental process in printing and digital imaging where a full-color image is broken down into its constituent color components. This process is essential for reproducing images accurately using subtractive or additive color models.

In traditional printing, color separation typically involves separating an image into four primary colors: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK). Each of these colors is printed with a separate plate on the printing press. During the separation process, the original image is scanned, and filters are used to isolate the amount of each primary color present. This results in four individual grayscale images, often called separation films or digital files, each representing the density of a specific ink. When these inks are applied to paper in the correct proportions and registration, they combine to recreate the original full-color image.

In digital imaging and display technologies, color separation often refers to the process of converting an image from one color model to another, such as from RGB (Red, Green, Blue) to CMYK for printing. RGB is an additive color model used for screens, where light is combined to create colors. CMYK is a subtractive color model used for printing, where inks absorb light. The conversion process involves complex algorithms to ensure that the perceived colors remain as consistent as possible between the two models. Color separation is a crucial step in ensuring that what is seen on a screen can be faithfully reproduced on a printed page or a different display.