CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black). These four inks form the foundation of the CMYK colour model, primarily used in the printing industry. It’s a subtractive colour model, meaning inks are layered as tiny dots to create a vast spectrum of colours by subtracting light reflected from a white background. This contrasts with RGB, the additive colour model used in digital displays, which starts with black and adds coloured light to create an image.
While designers often work in RGB due to its wider colour range, converting to CMYK is necessary for print production. This conversion can cause slight variations in colour compared to what you see on screen. Therefore, it’s crucial to check how colours will appear in CMYK before mass printing to avoid any surprises in the final product.
