History
How does a C-type color print form its colors?
A C-type print uses several light-sensitive emulsion layers that record color information and form dyes during printing.
The V&A defines a C-type print as a color print, commonly made from a color negative, with at least three emulsion layers sensitive to different primary colors. During printing, chemicals form dyes in those layers to create the image.
This process explains why “color print” can name a material workflow
This process explains why “color print” can name a material workflow rather than a single look. A C-type print is distinct from a transparency and from a digital inkjet print, even though each can show the same photographed scene.
Evidence: Wikipedia article
A digital photo booth can deliver color through a screen or print
A digital photo booth can deliver color through a screen or print service, but it does not follow the C-type chemical path by default.
Evidence: Wikipedia article
A positive print made from a negative
The print is not the negative and is not a transparency: it is a color-positive object formed from a negative through a chemical print process. This vocabulary matters when describing family archives, because a digitized scan can conceal the physical form of the original. Record the medium and source negative separately whenever the information is available.
Evidence: Wikipedia article
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- Chromogenic print — WikipediaWikipedia article