color separation

(′kəl·ər sep·ə′rā·shən)

(graphic arts) The process of preparing a separate drawing, engraving, or negative for each color required in the reproduction of a colored picture.

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Separating a picture by colors in order to make negatives and plates for color printing. The four-color process requires four separations: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). See OPI and DCS.

Color Separated

The separations are printed individually in this picture to show how each of the four inks contributes to the total image. Typically, separations are put on film, and the printing plates are made from the film. (Image courtesy of Intergraph Computer Systems.)

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Process of separating full-color originals into the three primary colors-red, yellow, and blue-by a photographic method (using color filters when making negatives) for the purpose of duplicating the original. See also four-color process.