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Color Theory 101

Color Theory 101

Color Theory 101 – Episode Summary
In this foundational episode of The Print University, Ryan McAbee and Pat McGrew dive deep into the science and psychology of color, demystifying the complexities behind one of the most important topics in print. Whether you’re designing printing industry training programs for new employees, delivering color management training for new hires, or building printing technician certification online content, this episode lays the groundwork for understanding how color works—and why it often doesn’t behave the way you expect.

The hosts explore the anatomy of human vision, explaining how our eyes interpret color based on light, perception, and individual sensitivity. They cover the challenges of color blindness, aging eyesight, ambient lighting, and why viewing conditions—like press-side light booths—are critical to color accuracy.

You’ll also learn about additive (RGB) and subtractive (CMYK) color models, color harmony principles, pigment variability, and historical color systems from Munsell to ICC profiles. The episode illustrates how different substrates, printing technologies, and ink types impact color reproduction—explaining why that “perfect red” on screen might shift dramatically in print.

Through real-world examples like Pantone fading, device calibration, and packaging color bars, this episode gives print professionals the confidence to talk color fluently—and the awareness to spot potential problems before they hit the press.

You Will Learn:

  • How human vision, lighting, and viewing environments affect color perception

  • The difference between additive (RGB) and subtractive (CMYK) color models

  • Color history from Aristotle to ICC profiles and why it matters in print

  • Why color harmony, pigment variation, and substrate impact print accuracy

  • How to interpret color shifts and improve communication across teams

Who This Course Is For:
Prepress staff, designers, print operators, production managers, and anyone delivering color management training for new hires, printing technician certification online, or prepress automation training (Kodak Prinergy, Esko)

Time to Watch:
Approx. 30 minutes

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