What does the term "color separations" refer to?

The term "color separations" specifically refers to the technique of breaking down original artwork into its individual color components for the printing process. In traditional printing, particularly in processes like offset printing, the final image is often composed of different colors that need to be printed separately. This allows for the accurate reproduction of an image by using specific ink colors that correspond to the components of the original artwork.

The process typically involves creating separate plates for each color; common colors used include cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (often referred to as CMYK). Each color is printed one at a time, layering them to create the full spectrum of the intended artwork. This process is essential to ensure that each hue and detail is accurately represented in the final print product.

In contrast, the other options touch on different aspects of color and printing but do not define the specific technique of color separations. Combining colors for printing is more about the resultant outcome rather than the separation process itself. Selecting materials for graphic design does not pertain to color separations directly, nor does digital color matching, which focuses on achieving color accuracy across devices rather than the manual separation of artwork for print.