Physics of Color Printing
What do you think of when you hear the word “physics?” Though most people don’t conjure up images of warm colors when they hear that word, the physics of color printing is quite intriguing.
Technically speaking, the physics of color printing really begins with (can you guess?) ... color. Simply put, when a light source emits light, the spectrum from that source is distributed causing an intense light. As the light travels to your eye, you begin to perceive color in many different forms. Interestingly enough, color is not seen by everyone in the same manner. For example, you may decide that a color is certainly a bright yellow, while others may see a rather muted shade of orange -- color is truly remarkable.
When it comes to objects, color acts in a dissimilar manner. In order for an object to maintain color, it must act in accordance with the environment. Colors change in our mind’s eye as they are placed next to varying objects, which makes them appear drastically different. Some scientists believe that objects actually pick up the color of the surface that they are laid upon, but this is not always the case. Curiously, a few things even give off their own light, and this can change the color of an item as well.
As you can see, the physics that apply to color in general are complex. The physics of color printing act in much the same manner as the physics of color do, yet color printing happens within an automatic device. Color printing involves a mechanized process that plays with a light sources and transmits certain colors onto a material (usually paper). Still, the same basic physics that apply to color apply to color printing – the colors and shapes that surround a color print will impact the way that the overall object is seen.
Color printing is truly magnificent if it is done properly. However, the eye of a trained color expert will determine the overall printed product. It may seem like a great idea to place two dark colors on top of one another, but a printer may decide that these two colors will simply not work when the process is complete. In many ways, a printer is a lot like a fortune teller – they understand how an image will work before it is even laid out.
In many ways, once you understand the physics of color printing you may never look at another print the same way again. Are you really seeing what you think you see? How will one color look next to another? What sort of light will effect the overall product? Think about these things the next time that you create a color print, and your prints will gleam like never before.