A spot color prints a different ink for each color on the page.

A process color prints four different colors of ink (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) to create all the colors on the page. Virtually all colors can be produced by these four inks. This is the method your unit uses. (Note that when printing with a Color BJ Cartridge, your unit uses cyan, magenta, and yellow to print "composite black," which simulates true black.)

A tint is a light version of a color. For example, pink is a tint of red. In printing, tints of both spot and process colors are produced by using or simulating a screen. (Screens are dot patterns of different densities that let the paper background show through the ink.)

A shade is a dark version of a color created by adding black.