Q97600: Printed Colors Different than on Screen: Blue is Purple, etc.

Article: Q97600
Product(s): Microsoft Windows Printing Issues
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 06-DEC-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11 
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.1 
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SUMMARY
=======

You may notice that the colors on your screen and the colors that you print look
different; for example, blue becomes purple and red becomes orange. This is not
a problem with your printer driver, with Microsoft Windows, or with your
printer.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Many Windows color printer drivers were designed using the cyan-magenta-
yellow-black (CMYK) color model. (You can tell if your printer uses this model
by looking at the ribbon. If it has four bands of blue, red, yellow and black,
its associated Windows printer driver probably uses the CMYK model.)

The CMYK model uses subtractive primary colors rather than additive primary
colors. The most common additive model is red-green-blue (RGB). An additive
model adds colors together to create the desired color. For example, to create
white, RGB adds all the colors together. To create black, RGB adds no colors,
leaving the screen (or whatever media) black.

The CMYK model subtracts cyan, magenta, yellow, and black to create the desired
color. So, to create black, CMYK uses all the colors. To create white, it uses
no colors. This method is well-suited to printing on paper.

Because your computer monitor is using RGB and your printer is using CMYK, the
results will differ. To better print primary colors, like blue or red, choose
cyan or magenta respectively. For other colors, some experimentation may be
necessary.

REFERENCES
==========

Microsoft Press Computer Dictionary


Additional query words: wfw wfwg 3.00 3.00a 3.10 WPS 3.11

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbWFWSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a kbWin310 kbWin311 kbWFW310
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11

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