Business Card Design and Printing

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What is color?
Chapter 1

\Light waves reach our eyes in a number of ways: directly (when we stare into the sun or a light bulb), or indirectly (when light waves pass through a transparent object held between the source of light and our eyes (called transmission) or when light bounces from an object to our eyes (called reflection).

The red of an apple is an illustration of color perceived by light reflection. Why do we see it as red? The apple absorbs all wavelengths but red, which is reflected from the surface of the apple to the eye. The receptor susceptible to stimulation by this particular wavelength sends a signal to the brain. The brain upon receiving the signal says- "red". (Figure 3)

In other words, an opaque substance like an apple appears to be a particular color because it reflects the wavelengths corresponding to that color and absorbs those that don't. If it reflected all wave lengths without any one wavelength dominating the other, the substance would be perceived as white.

The principle remains the same for a transparent substance, such as colored glass or film. The transparent substance absorbs some wavelengths and transmits others. The transparent object such as the green bottle is seen as green by the same principle that the apple is seen as red. All wave lengths but green are absorbed. The green wavelength is transmitted rather than reflected to the eye. See Figure 4. And that is how we see color.  

Color and Paper
	CHAPTER 1:	CHAPTER 2:
	What is color? Reflection & Transmission Additive & Subtractive DimensionsSummary	What things influence the appearance of color? Influence of the proximity of colors Influence of Texture on perception of color Summary
	CHAPTER 3:	CHAPTER 4:
	How do printing inks work? Summary	Influence of paper whiteness and brightness Charactertics and absorbtivity of the paper surface Summary
Relevant Links
Specks in Printing Catalog Design Back Printing Ideas Gang Printing