Lahutusvärvisüsteem

A lahutusvärvisüsteem, often translated as subtractive color system, describes a model where colors are produced by absorbing certain wavelengths of light and reflecting others. This is in contrast to additive color systems, which create colors by mixing light sources. In the subtractive model, white light, which contains all colors of the visible spectrum, is shone onto a surface or through a filter. The material then absorbs specific wavelengths of this light, and the wavelengths that are not absorbed are reflected and reach the observer's eye, thus creating the perceived color.

The primary colors in a subtractive system are typically cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY). When cyan is applied, it absorbs red light. Magenta absorbs green light. Yellow absorbs blue light. Mixing these primary colors in varying proportions creates secondary and tertiary colors. For example, mixing cyan and yellow results in green, as both absorb red and blue light respectively, leaving only green light to be reflected. The theoretical combination of all three primary subtractive colors in equal proportions would absorb all light, resulting in black. However, in practice, due to impurities in pigments, a pure black is rarely achieved, which is why black (K) is often included in printing processes, forming the CMYK system.

Lahutusvärvisüsteem is fundamental to how we perceive color in the real world, particularly with opaque objects and in printing. When you look at a red apple, for instance, the skin of the apple absorbs most of the blue and green wavelengths of white light and reflects the red wavelengths, making the apple appear red to you. Similarly, printing inks work on this principle, absorbing light from the paper and reflecting the desired color.