CMYK screen printing is a technique that refers to the four primary colors Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. The color model is also important in the whole printing process.
Every image is separated into CMYK in full-color printing in specific dot patterns of different sizes and frequencies. So, here’s the guide on the CMYK printing technique that is important to know.
What Is CMYK Screen Printing?
CMYK screen printing is a process to reduce color and minimize production costs. This process uses seven colorways and it can be minimized into Cyan- Magenta- Yellow- Black (CMYK).
You can get the same tone or effect as the seven colorways by using CMYK. In addition, you can decide on the color that can be blended with other options to create a design file and minimize the screen.
There is an interesting fact that the “K” in CMYK stands for a key. It is because cyan, magenta, and yellow plates are aligned with the key of the black.
A key plate is an important part of the screen printing process to print the detail in an image or a design. Meanwhile, the key plate usually uses black ink to provide the image lines or contrast.
However, you can use black ink instead of the combination of CMYK to produce deeper tones and dark colors. The CMYK works best by entirely masking color on a white or lighter background.
Is It Different from RGB Print?
RGB and CMYK screen printing might be different in some aspects, like the color spectrum, space, and model. Here are some differences between CMYK and RGB print as follows:
1. CMYK
CMYK is known as a subtractive color spectrum, which means the inks work on a lighter background. The ink leaves the Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow and subtracts the red, green, and blue. So, black is absent in this process.