Color Blending Swatch

Use this model to create a color pallet that shows what hues are possible by printing layers using different thickness. The model starts with a 1mm tall 20mm by 20mm square, and increases the square height by 0.10 each block.  This creates filament color swatch like you’d see in a paint store. Pick two filaments you have, print using the first, one filament change after first block, then the print completes after the following 9 blocks, increasing the new color thickness each time, which creates the colors.

Here’s what I tested and found:

1. Can we create a color pallet by varying layer thickness between two filament colors? Resounding YES! 
2. How many 0.2 layers matter to switch from one solid PLA color to another? Depending on the filament colors 0.6 (3 layers) at 0.2 may be enough, but for true color it takes about 1mm (5 layers), though printing a dark color like black will cover faster than a light color.
3. Does the color order matter (is going yellow to blue, the same as going blue to yellow)? YES order matters, but this means even more colors can be created 
4. Does ironing affect the colors? No. Ironing flattens out the top layer but not enough new filament is added to change the colors. 
5. The best use for this technique will be for printing the top layers something like a 2D sign in a new color created from two filament colors you do have.

This model will show what colors you can get, and what layer thickness to use to slice to get that color. The gcode is sliced at 0.10, so if you print at 0.20 you'll only have half the options (every other one on the swatch). Ironing can be left off as it does not change the color options (but increases time). If you reslice at 0.5 you could g twice the hues, but the color change will be more subtle.