Make Your Black Colors Pop!
Rich black for large solids: When using heavy ink areas of black in your designs, build your black using the following CMYK values:
- 60% Cyan
- 40% Magenta
- 40% Yellow
- 100% Black
This blend will produce a much deeper and denser black (also called rich black) on large filled areas.
Avoid using rich black for small text or solid areas smaller than 0.25". Instead, use 100% K (black only) to maintain crisp edges and registration.
Warning: Default black in software like Photoshop may only use 90% black to reduce total ink density and avoid offsetting or dot gain. While this is helpful for halftone screens, it often results in dull or washed-out black areas. Always check your ink settings when preparing artwork for print and ensure that blacks intended to be deep and rich are built correctly.
(Image A)
