Process colors are valuable in color printing. They come from just four basic ones: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK), which makes it possible to make various hues in the finished product. Mixing these in different proportions produces all other colors. The colors are applied one at a time in the printing process – called “four-color” or “color separation” printing.
Cyan, magenta, and yellow inks are “primary colors.” By adding black ink to these three hues, it’s possible to produce what’s known as a full-color or four-color print. Although black isn’t a primary color (because you can make it by combining others), it’s there for ease of understanding.
The four primary base colors are usually printed sequentially: cyan, magenta, and yellow, followed by black (CMYK). But there is no hard and fast rule about sequencing: that depends on the desired end effect.
Cyan, magenta, and yellow are called primary because they cannot be made by mixing other colors. It is necessary to add black ink to create what’s known as a full-color or four-color print.
Unlike traditional printing’s unique colors, process colors are employed in color printing. The process colors include cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK). These four shades are mixed in various proportions to create all other colors. Each shade is then printed as a distinct color separation after dividing the color image into these four shades.
Compared with traditional printing, process-color printing has several advantages: It can produce a broader range of colors more cheaply. Nevertheless, its disadvantages include less accurate and less vibrant hues than those generated by traditional printing and a more complex process overall.