# Best way to apply colour to 3D for coloured 3D print?

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-way-to-apply-colour-to-3d-for-coloured-3d-print/15827>\
**Category:** Rhino for Windows\
**Created:** [January 19, 2015, 4:43pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-way-to-apply-colour-to-3d-for-coloured-3d-print/15827 "2015-01-19T16:43:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Steve1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/steve1/32/487081_2.png) [@Steve1](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Steve1)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 4:43pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-way-to-apply-colour-to-3d-for-coloured-3d-print/15827/1 "2015-01-19T16:43:10Z")

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Hi,  
V5  
My 3D object has various colours simply through use of layers, not intended for colouring it with 3D print.  
As 3D pirning can colour up the result, and one company mentioned cmyk and said we can do those colours for you, how would I best apply colours to meet their offer ?

I had a feeling they could even reproduce a raster image applied to the object !

Steve

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**Author:** ![DavidWood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/davidwood/32/486625_2.png) [@DavidWood](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/DavidWood)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 5:08pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-way-to-apply-colour-to-3d-for-coloured-3d-print/15827/2 "2015-01-19T17:08:29Z")

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Steve,

Just assign different materials of the colour you wish to print to your relevant layers, or assign a bitmap to the material. Then export the file as a VRML file with the option to colour vertex’s checked.

To check your file, reimport the VRML into a new Rhino window and change the view to ‘Rendered’ to see if it looks as you expect.

Best,  
David

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**Author:** ![Steve1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/steve1/32/487081_2.png) [@Steve1](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Steve1)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-way-to-apply-colour-to-3d-for-coloured-3d-print/15827/3 "2015-01-20T02:04:07Z")

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Thanks,  
so for a red I select material and choose a red from the library and assign to the layer.  
a v5 tutorial on this would also be welcome, I am never so sure now on V5 where to find video tutorials.  
I’ll try for that when I get 5 mins.

Cheers  
Steve

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**Author:** ![DavidWood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/davidwood/32/486625_2.png) [@DavidWood](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/DavidWood)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 10:10am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-way-to-apply-colour-to-3d-for-coloured-3d-print/15827/4 "2015-01-20T10:10:17Z")

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Sure Steve,

Click the ‘Rendering’ tab on the left of this website: [https://www.rhino3d.com/tutorials](https://www.rhino3d.com/tutorials)