and a b of at most u2212 27 or an a of at most u2212 27 and a b of at least u2212 25 each having an l value of about 54 or higher a hue error of at most 30 preferably at most 28 more preferably at most about 26 and most preferably at most about 24 and a grayness measurement of at most 15 preferably at most about 14 5 more preferably at most 14 and most preferably at most about 13 75 preferably such a cyan colorant exhibits an a of at most u2212 28 27 and a b of at least u2212 22 12 for a copper phthalocyanine comparison ink the closest known comparative example at the same density and l about 55 52 the print has an a of about u2212 24 53 b of about u2212 27 15 hue error of 32 5 and a grayness of 15 0 this invention therefore concerns the improvement in shade between the expanded color space for the inventive cyan colorant and such a standard colorant as the aforementioned copper phthalocyanine pigment as well furthermore this invention concerns a water based ink comprising the aforementioned inventive colorants either as the sole colorants presents or in conjunction with other known or inventive colorants pigments dyes dyestuffs and the like additionally such an invention concerns blends of colorants that when printed on a substrate at a density of between 0 95 and 1 05 exhibits cielab values of an a of at least 47 and a b of at most 0 or an a of at least 45 and a b of at most u2212 0 5.