Primary color overlaid partially absorbing materials on a reflecting or transparent surface. Each layer partially absorbs some wavelengths of light from the illumination spectrum while letting others pass through multiplicatively, resulting in a colored appearance. Overlapping layers of ink in printing mix subtractively over reflecting white paper in this way to generate photorealistic color images. The typical number of inks in such a printing process ranges from 3 to 6 (e.g., CMYK process, Pantone hexachrome). In general, using fewer inks as primaries results in more economical printing but using more may result in better color reproduction. Cyan, magenta, and yellow are good
Combination printing often necessary to add artistic techniques to photographs. Discussing the benefits of composition in the art of photography and using combination printing, Robinson wrote, in "Pictorial Effect in Photography", that the method of combination served to "produce an agreeable presentation of forms and tones, to tell the story which is to be elucidated, and to embody the spirit of what it is intended the picture shall represent or suggest." His writings show his knowledge and his passion for creating new content in his photos with using this process. During the Victorian Era, another proponent of the technique of combination printing