Getting Started: 3D Printing in Color

3D printing in color gives you the ultimate control over your prints and the Stratasys J8 series 3D printers deliver full-color capabilities and color gradients. The tutorials below will teach you how to ensure you get the color you want every print.

Soft Proofing

Have you ever run into the expensive problem of seeing that the color you selected on your computer monitor doesn't match the color on your 3D printed part? This happens because computer monitors use the RGB color gamut while both 2D and 3D printers use the CMYK color gamut. Each gamut has its own slightly separate range of colors.


The following tutorials will help you navigate this problem using Adobe Photoshop®.

  • Part 1: This tutorial is an introduction to Color Proofing. You'll learn what to do when the color you print doesn't match the color you chose on screen.
  • Part 2: This tutorial will show you how to install the appropriate Stratasys profile onto your computer and use it to soft proof in Adobe Photoshop®. This will help you match your design expectations with the colors that are possible to print.
  • Part 3: This tutorial goes in more depth on setting up a soft proofing workspace in Adobe Photoshop®. Remember, soft proofing is when you simulate on screen what the end color is going to look like. It's fast and a cheap way to match colors!

Hard Proofing

Before you start an important 3D printing project, it's recommended to carry out hard proofing. Soft proofing gets you close to the color you want visually, however, to be absolutely certain, nothing beats holding a sample print in your hand.


These tutorials will teach you how to validate critical colors by hard proofing.

  • Part 1: This tutorial will guide you through hard proofing, the process of actually 3D printing different colors until you produce the color that matches the one you wanted.
  • Part 2: Creating a color swatch is a great way to ensure the color you see on your computer screen matches the color you 3D print. This tutorial will teach you how to create a color swatch using a combination of the Color Swatch Generator and hard proofing.

By following these 3D printing in color tutorials, you'll be able to communicate the color you want from your computer screen directly to your printer. This will save you time, money and materials.

Learn more about the Stratasys J8 series 3D printers.

| By Sylvia Daly