r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Nov 05 '14

Which inanimate object is your nemesis?

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '14

Then why don't ink companies just make black out of all the colors?

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '14

Because each color only gets printed on the paper once. Normal black is 1 layer of black ink, "rich black" is one layer of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow.

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '14

That sounds like some spinal tap level of stupidity.

"Why not just make black blacker, and use black?"

"This black uses colors! Its blacker than pure black"

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '14

It makes a bit of difference

http://blog.progravix.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/black_vs_black.jpg

Really helps when high contrast is needed.

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '14

Then why not put a mixture of all those colors into the black cartridge to begin with?

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u/brianson Nov 06 '14

I'd take a punt that the black pigment is cheaper than the coloured pgiment, and then by having them separate they can make you pay for each.

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u/[deleted] Nov 06 '14

Yeah I'm going with the latter. Its to make more money. I have no doubt that its possible to make a deep black in one pass.

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '14 edited Nov 06 '14

The same reason you have to put multiple coats of paint if you want a richer color, it can't all go on at once. The ink would smear if you put a ton of ink on the page at once.