We’re frequently asked “what does CMYK mean? What does CMYK stand for? What is CMYK printing?”
Simply, CMYK stands for four ink colours – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.
In Digital printing, the four CMYK colours are applied to the paper all at once. In Offset printing, the four CMYK ink colours are applied to the paper in successive layers. By overlapping these four ink colours in various concentrations, a huge number of other colours can be created. As a result, the combined visual effects of these four CMYK colours produce what is commonly known as Full Colour Printing.
Other names for the CMYK printing method include Four Colour Printing, Four Colour Process, 4CP, or simply Process Printing. Hence, all of the additional colours that can be created from the four CMYK colours are referred to as Process colours. The CMYK Process is used for printed matter that contains photographs and other designs of varying colours.
If you have any questions about CMYK colours or Full Colour Printing, just give us a call. We can offer guidance on just about any printing topic and can simplify the task of buying print.
