inktpunten

Inktpunten is a Dutch term used in printing and graphic reproduction to refer to the individual ink dots that compose a printed image in halftone or digital printing. Each inkpunt is the smallest physical unit of ink deposited on the substrate by a printing device, and the collection of points determines tone, hue, and detail.

In halftone printing, tonal gradations are created by varying the size and density of inkpunten within a given area. The arrangement of points (the halftone screen) and the screen ruling influence perceived sharpness, moiré, and color balance. In inkjet or nozzle-based printers, each nozzle deposition can be thought of as an inkpunt, though the dot geometry may vary with print mode and resolution.

The quality of a reproduced image depends on inkpunt characteristics such as dot size, dot gain (the spread of ink beyond the intended dot area), and dot placement accuracy. Color printing uses multiple inkpunten from different colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, black), and precise registration between color channels is essential to avoid color fringes.

In practice, professionals measure and control inkpunten with densitometers or spectrophotometers and use color-management workflows to maintain consistency across devices and substrates.

Etymology: the term derives from Dutch inkt (ink) and punten (points/dots). It is descriptive of the physical element of ink deposition, not a brand or technology.

See also: halftone, screen ruling, dot gain, densitometry, color management, raster image processing.