Process color
Color printed by layering dots of cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink.
Also called process colors, four-color process printing
Process color builds every color from tiny dots of the four CMYK inks. It is how most magazines, flyers and photos are printed.
It is cheaper than spot color for full-color images, but the range of colors (gamut) is smaller.
Guides that cover Process color
- Mixing Additive vs Subtractive Color Additive vs subtractive color explained: how RGB light adds up to white, how CMYK ink subtracts toward black, and why screens and print differ. Read on.
- High & Low Key High-Key vs Low-Key Colors High-key vs low-key colors explained: how light and dark color schemes set mood in design, art and photography, with tips on using each well. Read the guide.
- Pantone What Are Pantone Colors? Learn what Pantone colors are, how the Pantone Matching System and color codes work, and how Pantone compares to CMYK, RGB and HEX for print. Read on.
- Privacy Policy Privacy Policy Read the Swatch.ing privacy policy: how uploaded images are processed, how temporary data is handled, and how cookies and analytics are used on the site.
- Terms of Use Terms of Use Read the Swatch.ing terms of use covering acceptable use, tool limitations, intellectual property and the conditions for using our free color tools.