The method reproduces photos or textual content utilizing solely shades of grey, starting from black to white. As a substitute of using coloration inks, this method depends solely on various ranges of black ink or toner to create completely different tones. A typical instance is photocopying a coloration doc, which generally leads to a monochromatic illustration utilizing varied shades of grey.
This methodology is essential for lowering printing prices, particularly when coloration is pointless. It additionally presents benefits in conditions the place coloration constancy will not be important, or when printing paperwork supposed for archival functions, as monochrome prints are usually extra secure over time. Traditionally, this method predates widespread coloration printing, enjoying a big position in early pictures and doc replica.