Black-and-white illustrations, photographs, et cetera.
B/w, or black and white, is a term used to describe the appearance of text and images in a book or publication. Black and white printing is the standard for most books and publications, and is achieved by using a mixture of black and white inks on a white page. However, there are also some publications that use a limited color palette, usually just one or two colors in addition to black and white.
The term b/w can also be used to describe the appearance of a book or publication that is not printed in color. This might be done for aesthetic reasons, or to save money on printing costs. In some cases, a book or publication might be offered in both color and black and white versions.
There are a few different ways to achieve a black and white printing effect. One is to use a process called duotone, which combines two colors of ink to create various shades of gray. Another common method is to use a process called halftone, which generates a range of tones by printing dots of varying sizes.
Black and white printing is the most common type of printing for books and publications, but there are some cases where color printing might be used instead. For example, if a book or publication is mostly text with only a few images, it might be more economical to print it in black and white. Or, if a book or publication is aimed at a younger audience, it might use more colors to be more visually appealing.
In general, b/w printing is more versatile and less expensive than color printing, which is why it is the preferred option for most books and publications.
The black and white printing of books and other printed materials is an important part of the publishing process. Black and white printing allows for the use of different fonts and other printing techniques that can make a book more readable and visually appealing. In addition, black and white printing is less expensive than color printing, which makes it a more cost–effective option for many publishers.