szubtrakciós

The Hungarian word "szubtrakciós" translates to "subtractive" in English. It is most commonly used in the context of subtractive color mixing. In subtractive color mixing, colors are created by subtracting certain wavelengths of light from a white light source. This is in contrast to additive color mixing, where colors are created by adding different wavelengths of light together.

The primary colors in subtractive mixing are typically cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY). When white light, which contains all visible wavelengths, passes through filters that absorb specific wavelengths, the remaining light is what we perceive as color. For example, a cyan filter absorbs red light, allowing blue and green light to pass through. A magenta filter absorbs green light, and a yellow filter absorbs blue light.

When these primary subtractive colors are combined, they absorb more light. Mixing cyan and yellow, for instance, absorbs both red and blue light, resulting in green. Mixing all three primary subtractive colors (cyan, magenta, and yellow) ideally absorbs all visible light, producing black. In practice, this often results in a dark brown or gray, which is why black (K) is often included in printing processes (CMYK) to achieve a true black.

This principle is fundamental to how printers, paint, and dyes work, where pigments absorb certain colors and reflect others, creating the perceived hue. The term "szubtrakciós" directly refers to this process of light absorption and removal.