Color density based thickness compensation printing

A method for printing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

• receiving a first color for a first pixel of a plurality of pixels, the first pixel being assigned a first target thickness;
• receiving a second color for a second pixel of the plurality of pixels;
• estimating a first color thickness to print the first color;
• estimating a second color thickness to print the second color;
• printing a first color layer having the first color in a first region of the three-dimensional object corresponding with the first pixel;
• printing a second color layer having the second color in a second region of the three-dimensional object corresponding with the second pixel;
• wherein the first color thickness and the second color thickness are different;
• calculating a first structural thickness for a first structural layer of the first region based on the first color thickness and the first target thickness;
• printing the first structural layer directly onto the first color layer, the first structural layer having the first structural thickness;
• printing a second structural layer directly onto the second color layer, the second structural layer having a second structural thickness;
• and
• wherein the first structural thickness and the second structural thickness are different.

A system for printing a three-dimensional object on a base, the system comprising:

• a print controller configured to:
• receive a color for each pixel of a plurality of pixels;
• prepare color print instructions based on the color for each pixel of the plurality of pixels;
• receive a thickness for each pixel of the plurality of pixels;
• prepare thickness print instructions based on the thickness for each pixel of the plurality of pixels;
• transmit the color print instructions to a printing device;
• and
• transmit the thickness print instructions to the printing device;
• and
• the printing device configured to:
• receive the color print instructions from the print controller;
• receive the thickness print instructions from the print controller;
• designate each region of a plurality of regions of the three-dimensional object with a color of a corresponding pixel of the plurality of pixels based on the color print instructions;
• designate each region of the plurality of regions with a thickness of a corresponding pixel of the plurality of pixels based on the thickness print instructions;
• selectively print one or more color layers on the base according to a designation of each region of the plurality of regions with the color of a corresponding pixel of the plurality of pixels;
• selectively print one or more structural layers on the base, each structural layer of the one or more structural layers having a structural thickness reduced by a color thickness of a color layer of the one or more color layers;
• and
• wherein the step of selectively printing the one or more structural layers prints the one or more structural layers with a substantially planar exposed surface.