The best first multicolor prints have a few large color areas, clear boundaries and a purpose. Good starting points are a color nameplate, a part with different materials in different zones, a set of figurines, a print-in-place assembly with soluble supports and a large display piece. Here's how to pick and prepare each one, with prints we made on Quadro.
Once a printer can print in several colors and materials, the question changes from "can it?" to "what should I print?". These five ideas are ordered roughly from easiest to most ambitious.
1. A Multicolor Nameplate or Sign
Why it's a good first print: Flat layers of color are the simplest case. Each color sits in its own region, boundaries are clear and the result is immediately recognizable.
Tips:
- Keep the design to two to four colors.
- Use bold letters and shapes. Very fine detail makes color boundaries harder to see.
- Pick high-contrast colors so the layers stand out.
2. A Shoe: Different Zones, Different Jobs
Why it's good: A shoe is a part where different regions have different jobs: a structured body, a cushioned or flexible sole, accents for appearance. It shows what multi-material printing is for. We printed a shoe on Quadro in PLA.
Tips:
- If a region needs to flex, consider TPU for that region, and design the rigid and flexible parts to interlock, since adhesion between the two can be weak.
- Dry TPU before printing, because it absorbs moisture.
- Read One Print. Four Materials That Don't Get Along. for what to check before pairing materials.
3. Figurines and Miniatures
Why it's good: Figurines are small, quick to print and look better in color. A plate of them also shows consistency across many prints at once. We printed dragons, dinosaurs, creatures and statues on Quadro, many of them in several colors.
Tips:
- Choose models with a few distinct color zones, such as a body, a base and an accent.
- Print several at once to use the whole plate.
4. A Ball in a Cage: Print-in-Place with PVA
Why it's good: A ball locked inside a lattice cage is a classic example of what soluble supports make possible. The ball and the cage print as one piece with no gap you could reach with a tool. After printing, the PVA supports dissolve in water, and the ball is free to move inside the cage. Printing a part like this with ordinary PLA supports would be almost impossible, because you could never remove the supports from inside.
We printed ours with PLA for the model and PVA for the supports.
Tips:
- Use a model designed for print-in-place, with the right clearances.
- Soak the finished part until the supports dissolve completely.
- See Soluble Supports (PVA) Without Swapping Filament.
5. A Large Display Piece: The Helmet
Why it's good: Big pieces such as helmets, cosplay parts and display models are where a large build volume and multicolor combine. We printed a full multicolor helmet on Quadro in one piece, with no seams and no glue.
Tips:
- Check your filament, because large prints use a lot of material.
- Plan for long print times.
- Read No More Splitting Large Models.
Bonus: Small Batches for Print Farms
Keychains and other small multicolor pieces are a common product for print farms and small businesses: many small parts per plate, repeated every day. They're also where waste matters most, because a small multicolor part with several color changes can waste more filament than it weighs on a single-nozzle printer. See What Multicolor Waste Costs.
How to Choose a Good Multicolor Model
- Count the colors. Start with four or fewer.
- Prefer large color regions. Fine speckled color changes mean more changes per layer.
- Check the model's source. Some models are made for multicolor printing and come with the colors already assigned.
- Think about waste. Many color changes mean more purging on a single-nozzle printer. See How Much Filament Does Multicolor Printing Actually Waste?.
Don't Have a Model? Draw One
You can also turn a drawing or an idea into a multicolor model with AI. In our collaboration with Meshy, a child draws an airplane, Meshy turns the drawing into a 3D model, and Quadro prints it in four colors: draw, create, print. Read the full story: Co Print Quadro × Meshy.ai: From Drawing to 4-Color 3D Print.
Key Takeaways
- Start with models that have few, large color areas.
- Parts with different materials in different zones are where multicolor becomes practical.
- Soluble supports make print-in-place parts, such as a ball inside a cage, possible.
- Large prints benefit from a big build volume and a printer that doesn't waste filament on every color change.
Choosing a printer? See our multi toolhead 3D printer buying guide.
Ready to print in four colors? See Quadro or visit the Kickstarter page.
3. FAQ
What should I 3D print first in multicolor? Start with a nameplate or sign with two to four large color areas. They are easy to design and show the color layers clearly.
What are good multi-material 3D printing projects? Parts with different materials in different zones, such as a rigid body with a flexible section, and print-in-place parts that use soluble supports.
Can you 3D print moving parts in one piece? Yes. A ball inside a cage can be printed with soluble PVA supports. After the supports dissolve in water, the ball moves freely inside the cage.
How many colors should my first multicolor print have? Two to four. More colors and finer color areas mean more color changes per layer.
Where can I find multicolor 3D models? Many model libraries include multicolor models with colors assigned, and AI tools can generate models from drawings or descriptions.
Does a multicolor print use more filament? It can, on single-nozzle printers, because each color change needs a purge. Printers with one nozzle per color avoid that purge.
