substractieve

Subtractieve, also written subtractive, refers to subtractive color, the system by which colors are produced by removing parts of white light through pigments, dyes, or filters. In subtractive color, each substance absorbs certain wavelengths and reflects others. The perceived color is the portion of the spectrum that is not absorbed. When multiple pigments are combined, they absorb more light and the resulting color becomes darker, moving toward black.

In practical use, the standard subtractive primaries are cyan, magenta, and yellow. These are used in color printing and color reproduction because mixing them absorbs light efficiently to produce a wide range of tones. Black is added in the CMYK color model to achieve deeper blacks and to improve ink economy. In traditional art, pigments are often described as red, blue, and yellow primaries, a historical approximation that reflects how pigments interact rather than a pure spectral model.

Subtractive color is influenced by the illumination and the substrate. The spectrum of the light source and the whiteness or tint of the base material affect the final appearance of colors. This concept contrasts with additive color, where colors are created by adding light (as in digital screens using red, green, and blue).

Applications span printing, photography, painting, and other processes where color is produced by selectively removing light. Color management and accurate pigment properties are essential to reproduce consistent colors across devices and materials. Limitations include pigment impurities, spectral purity, metamerism, and the dependence on substrates.