HueForge · tools
Why a screen colour won't print
Screens make colour by adding light; filament makes colour by subtracting it. That single difference is why your monitor lies about prints — and why full-colour FDM layers translucent primaries instead of mixing light. Play with both mixers:
Additive · RGB
How a screen makes colour — light sources add up.
Subtractive · CMYK
How pigment & filament make colour — each ink removes light from white.
The takeaway: light adds to white, pigment subtractstoward black. Your monitor can show vivid colours that no CMY filament stack can reach — which is why a screen colour rarely prints the same, and why full-colour FDM works by stacking translucent layers (subtractive) rather than mixing light. Idealized model; real pigments aren't perfect, which is exactly why print needs ICC profiles.
Tonal value beats hue
HueForge blends filaments by lightness, not colour name. Hit “show as tone”: hues that looked different can collapse to the same grey — so a good set has to span dark→light, not just collect pretty colours.
A palette of filament colours. How do they rank by tonal value?