What is CMYK? A Simple Guide for Beginners If you've ever worked with printing or graphic design, you've probably come across the term CMYK. But what exactly does it mean? CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black) — the four colors used in color printing. It’s a subtractive color model, which means colors are created by subtracting light. When you combine these inks on paper, they absorb (subtract) varying wavelengths of light, producing the colors we see. Why is
