Subtractive colour mixing

Subtractive color mixing involves combining pigments or dyes, where each one absorbs (subtracts) certain wavelengths of light and reflects others. When you mix colors like red, blue, and yellow, each pigment reduces the light reflected, resulting in new, often darker or more muted colors. This process is fundamental in paints, printing, and dyes, where color results from the selective absorption of light rather than emission. For example, mixing cyan and magenta inks produces blue, as each absorbs different wavelengths and reflects the combined color. Subtractive mixing contrasts with additive mixing, where colors combine by adding light.