What is "rich black" and how can I can produce it?

Rich black is a deeper, more solid black than plain black ink alone. It is made by adding other process inks underneath solid black so large dark areas print richer instead of looking flat or grayish.

• Rich black is an ink mixture of solid black, 100% K, with additional CMY ink values.
• This results in a darker tone than black ink alone.
• Use rich black for large solid black areas and backgrounds.
• For small or fine black text, plain 100% K is usually better to keep edges crisp and avoid registration issues.

A common recipe is C50 M40 Y40 K100 for a deep, neutral black.

Reserve rich black for big fills, and keep thin type as straight 100% black.