Available color systems are dependent on the medium with which a designer is
working. When painting, an artist has a variety of paints to choose from, and
mixed colors are achieved through the subtractive color method. When a designer
is utilizing the computer to generate digital media, colors are achieved with
the additive color method.
Subtractive Color. When we mix colors using
paint, or through the printing process, we are using the subtractive color
method. Subtractive color mixing means that one begins with white and ends with
black; as one adds color, the result gets darker and tends to black.
The CMYK color system is the
color system used for printing.
Those colors used in
painting—an example of the subtractive color method.
Additive Color. If we are working on a computer,
the colors we see on the screen are created with light using the additive color
method. Additive color mixing begins with black and ends with white; as more
color is added, the result is lighter and tends to white.
The RGB colors are light primaries
and colors are created with light.
Percentages of red, green, &
blue light are used to generate color on a computer screen.
Working With Systems
The Visible
spectrum consists of billions of colors, a monitor can display millions, a high
quality printer is only capable of producing thousands, and older computer
systems may be limited to 216 cross-platform colors.
Reproducing color can be problematic with regard to printed, digital media,
because what we see is not what is possible to get. Although a monitor may be
able to display 'true color' (16,000,000 colors), millions of these colors are
outside of the spectrum available to printers. Since digital designs are
generated using the RGB color system, colors used in those designs must be part
of the CMYK spectrum or they will not be reproduced with proper color rendering.
Working within the CMYK color system, or choosing colors from Pantone© palettes
insures proper color rendering.
