JPH0210407B

A four color printing system wherein tone dependent color reduction is to be utilized and the color components for the chromatic printing inks yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C) are reduced and the amount of black printing ink (K) is increased so as to compensate for the reduction in the chromatic printing inks wherein a nearly total achromatic synthesis is utilized to a gray tone value which corresponds to the full tone of the black printing ink utilized. The color components of the color printing inks are then from this tone value increased from this gray tone up to the greatest image depth. So as to avoid breaks or steps in the light tone area, the color components of the chromatic printing inks are also increased in a subtonal area, particularly in the light tone area wherein reproductions can be made with or without gray tone balance.