The method reproduces photographs or textual content utilizing solely shades of grey, starting from black to white. As an alternative of using shade inks, this system depends solely on various ranges of black ink or toner to create totally different tones. A standard instance is photocopying a shade doc, which usually ends in a monochromatic illustration utilizing numerous shades of grey.
This methodology is essential for lowering printing prices, particularly when shade is pointless. It additionally gives benefits in conditions the place shade constancy will not be important, or when printing paperwork supposed for archival functions, as monochrome prints are typically extra secure over time. Traditionally, this system predates widespread shade printing, enjoying a big function in early images and doc replica.