Subtractive color mixing occurs when pigments or dyes are combined, absorbing certain wavelengths of light and reflecting others. This process is commonly seen in art and printing, where colors are created by layering different inks or paints. The primary colors used in subtractive mixing are cyan, magenta, and yellow. When these colors are mixed, they absorb specific wavelengths, resulting in new colors. For example, mixing cyan and magenta produces blue, while combining magenta and yellow creates red. The more colors that are added, the closer the result gets to black, as more light is absorbed. This contrasts with additive color mixing, where light is combined to create colors.