What’s the difference between additive and subtractive color mixing
Additive and subtractive color mixing are two different processes used to create colors.
1. Additive Color Mixing:
This process involves combining different colors of light to create new colors. It is primarily used in display technologies like televisions, computer monitors, and projectors. In additive color mixing:
- Red, green, and blue (RGB) are the primary colors.
- When all three primary colors are combined at full intensity, white light is produced.
- When no primary colors are combined, black is produced.
- Mixing different intensities of red, green, and blue creates different colors. For example, mixing red and green light creates yellow, while mixing red and blue light creates magenta.
2. Subtractive Color Mixing:
This process involves combining different colors of pigments or dyes to create new colors. It is primarily used in traditional printing processes, painting, and physical color mixing. In subtractive color mixing:
- Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) are the primary colors.
- When all three primary colors are combined at full intensity, black is produced (hence the addition of the "K" in CMYK).
- When no primary colors are combined, white is produced.
- Mixing different amounts of cyan, magenta, and yellow creates different colors. For example, mixing cyan and yellow creates green, while mixing magenta and yellow creates red.
In summary, additive color mixing uses light and RGB primary colors to create colors, while subtractive color mixing uses pigments or dyes and CMYK primary colors to create colors.