Why do printed images appear different from those displayed on a computer screen?

Printed images and those displayed on a computer screen appear different primarily because printers and monitors utilize distinct methods to create images. Monitors typically use an additive color model, combining red, green, and blue light to produce a spectrum of colors through the emission of light. This means that the colors are created by mixing light directly on the screen.

In contrast, printers usually employ a subtractive color model, often based on the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and key/black) color process. This involves applying inks to paper, where the colors absorb (subtract) various wavelengths of light, resulting in the produced colors being influenced by the paper’s surface and the ink’s coverage. The differences in how color mixing and image creation occurs fundamentally lead to variations in how an image is perceived when printed versus displayed on a computer screen.

Thus, the disparities in color reproduction, brightness, and contrast between printed images and those on screens arise from these different methodologies used by printers and monitors, making the understanding of these differences crucial for tasks involving graphic design and image reproduction.