Question
How do I make sure that my blues do not print purple?
Answer
Blue is the color most likely to drift toward purple in CMYK printing because it sits so close to purple in the process gamut. The fix is simple: when you use a blue, always leave at least a 30 percent difference between your cyan and magenta values so the ink mix stays clearly blue.
- Keep 30% between C and M: a wide gap between cyan and magenta stops the color from tipping purple.
- Lead with cyan: a rich blue usually needs high cyan with noticeably lower magenta.
- Ease off the magenta: too much magenta is the exact ingredient that pushes blue into purple.
- Check in CMYK values: read the actual ink percentages rather than trusting the on-screen color.
| Look | Cyan | Magenta | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean blue | 100% | 60% or less | Stays blue |
| Risky blue | 100% | 80% or more | Tends purple |
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