Concept
CMYK
The four-color subtractive print model (cyan, magenta, yellow, key/black) used by most production print engines.
Definition
CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black). It is the four-color subtractive ink model used by most production printers. In DTF production the CMYK channels handle the colored portion of the artwork, and a separate white channel handles the underbase. The print engine converts incoming sRGB color into CMYK at intake using a color profile. Decorators submitting files do not need to convert to CMYK in advance. Submitting in sRGB with a 300 DPI resolution produces the cleanest result because the press has the widest possible source gamut to work from.
Related Terms
Color Profile
An ICC file that maps colors between a source color space and the print engine output for consistent reproduction.
sRGB
A standard RGB color space used as the source gamut for most digital print workflows including DTF.
White Underbase
A layer of white ink printed beneath color ink so the design reads correctly on dark or colored fabric.
Color Separation
Splitting an artwork file into individual ink channels for each color the press will print.