How black (CMYK) is correctly printed?
Just choosing standard black from the colour pallet of the program you use is not enough to get the black colour well-coated and printed. This usually leads to a very dark grey colour instead of black. One of the most common mistakes people make when creating large black fields is opting for a 100% black CMYK value. This turns the colour grey instead of black.
If you want the best black colour in your print, then consider the following chart:
|
Name |
CMYK Values |
Result |
|
Standard Black |
C=0, M=0, Y=0, K=100 |
Normal black, often dark grey |
|
Rich Black |
C=63, M=52, Y=51, K=100 |
(Photoshop) Full black |
|
Cool black |
C=60, M=0, Y=0, K=100 |
'cool' black |
|
Warm black |
C=0, M=60, Y=0, K=100 |
'Warm' black |
|
Designer black |
C=70, M=50, Y=30, K=100 |
Very deep, 'cool' black |
If using full-colour printing, the full-colour registration is 280%. So, if you are using black in full colour, you must pay attention that the black colour is not 100% cyan, 100% magenta, 100% yellow and 100% black. If you use this ratio, you are essentially getting a 400% mix, which leads to unwanted spots and interfering factors that make your printed material look bad.
Take a look at the image below to get an idea:
