PREDICTING THE COLOR OF TRICHROMATIC PRINTS

The colour resulting from the partial overlap of tiny dots of cyan, ma genta, and yellow inks in a matrix is difficult to predict. A method o f simulating it on the macro-scale has been devised by measuring discs with coloured sectors using a spectrophotometer. Here the separate co lours are mixed within the integrating sphere of the instrument. Altho ugh subtractive mixing occurs where colours overlap, the overall resul t to the eye/brain is interpreted by additive means. The result of mix ing known areas of coloured surfaces additively was predicted successf ully by Maxwell in the last century. His method, combined with the use of the CIE System, has been successfully used to predict the coordina tes of the mixture of coloured sectors measured on the spectrophotomet er. The theoretical model developed applies to trichromatic or polychr omatic printing, whatever the substrate. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, I nc.