What does CMYK actually mean?
One of the questions I’m asked most often is: “What does CMYK mean on the colour palettes?”
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (black) – the four inks used in commercial printing. Every colour you see in a newspaper, magazine or printed page is created by layering different amounts of these four inks.
The numbers you see alongside CMYK on the palettes are simply the percentage level of each ink needed to create the colour on that swatch.
So a colour might be made up of:
20% Cyan
80% Magenta
60% Yellow
10% Black
It’s a precise, practical way of describing colour – and one that printers have relied on for decades.
Why CMYK matters in print
Screens and print speak different languages. Screens use light. Printers use ink.
CMYK is how colour moves from screen to paper – from something digital into something physical you can hold in your hands. It helps ensure the colour you see is the colour that actually prints.
For me, CMYK isn’t abstract or technical. It’s familiar, and a nod to my background in newspapers
Before founding The Colour Palette Company, I spent more than 20 years working in newspapers.
I began as a writer, then moved into sub-editing and editing, working across regional titles where pages were built late at night and sent to press against tight deadlines. I was immersed in print journalism and newspaper production – where colour, accuracy and clarity really matter.
If you’ve worked in newspapers, you’ll recognise it instantly:
Pages being proofed and colour corrected
Press deadlines looming
Van drivers complaining that the next edition is late!
Seeing CMYK takes me straight back to that world.
Why CMYK appears on my colour palette designs
Including CMYK values on my designs is intentional. It’s a quiet nod to my background in print journalism and newspaper production.
It’s about respecting the craft of print, honouring process and making sure colour works in the real world, not just on screen
CMYK shows how a colour is made, not just how it looks.
Colour as storytelling, not trends
At The Colour Palette Company, colour isn’t about trends. It’s about memory, place and lived experience.
CMYK fits into that philosophy perfectly. It’s honest, grounded and practical – much like newspapers themselves.
Sometimes the smallest details – a set of numbers in the corner – carry the most meaning.