Grey component replacement

In grey component replacement (GCR), contrary to under color removal the CMY values that add to grey all along the tone scale can be replaced with up to the highlights with black ink. Most printers begin in the midtones, however.

The Gray component replacement only adds black to the CMY equivelent of what would have printed as a grey.

Advantage: Black ink color is much cheaper than colored inks.

Advantage: The press stays much more stable in color, since you are not contnually trying to balance as much CM&Y

Disadvantage: It makes fleshtones in faces look like they have a black scum on them.

See also

• Under color removal
• Four-color printing
• Color printing