This guide explains how to create multicolor prints using Tinkercad and ElegooSlicer with the CANVAS system on the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo.
By the end, teachers will understand:
How multicolor printing works
The difference between OBJ and STL files
How to keep colors from Tinkercad
How to add colors inside ElegooSlicer
The different paint tools in the slicer
When to use each method
The Centauri Carbon 2 Combo can switch between up to four filament colors using the CANVAS module.
Each color must match:
A spool position on the printer
A filament slot in ElegooSlicer
For example:
Slot 1 = White PLA
Slot 2 = Red PLA
Slot 3 = Blue PLA
Slot 4 = Yellow PLA
The slicer then decides when to switch between those colors during the print.
When exporting from Tinkercad, there are two common file types:
STL
n- OBJ
STL files only save the shape.
They do not save:
Color
Different parts
Material information
If you export an STL, everything will come into ElegooSlicer as one color.
OBJ files save:
The shape
Separate colored parts
Material information
If you want the colors from Tinkercad to stay with the design, you must export as OBJ.
Use STL for single-color prints
Use OBJ for multicolor prints
To make a multicolor design:
Build the design using separate colored shapes.
Change each shape to the color you want.
Group the shapes if needed.
Make sure each colored area is its own object.
Examples:
White name tag with red letters
Baseball bookmark with red stitching
School logo with multiple colors
The different colored parts must stay as separate pieces in Tinkercad.
If everything becomes one solid shape before exporting, the slicer may not know where one color ends and another begins.
Click Export in the upper-right corner.
Choose “Everything in Design.”
Select OBJ.
This exports:
The model
The colors
The separate parts
When imported into ElegooSlicer, the slicer will usually ask if you want to import it as a multicolor object.
Choose Yes.
Open ElegooSlicer.
Drag the OBJ file into the slicer.
When asked, choose to import it as a multicolor object.
Match each color to a filament slot.
For example:
White areas = Filament 1
Red areas = Filament 2
If the colors do not match correctly, use the Remap Filaments button.
Sometimes you may have:
An STL with no color
A single-color model that you want to paint
A design where you want more control than Tinkercad provides
In that case, you can add color directly inside ElegooSlicer.
Select the object.
Click Color Painting.
Choose which filament number you want to paint with.
The screenshot shows the four filament slots at the top:
1 = Usually the main color
2, 3, and 4 = Accent colors
ElegooSlicer includes several ways to add color.
Each tool works best in a different situation.
The round brush lets you paint by hand.
Best for:
Coloring letters
Logos
Small details
Touching up mistakes
Why teachers use it:
It works like a paintbrush and is the easiest tool to understand.
The fill tool colors an entire connected surface at once.
Best for:
Large flat areas
Entire letters or logos
Whole sections of a model
Example:
On a bookmark, you could click the baseball stitching once and the whole stitched area turns red.
This is usually faster than brushing every line individually.
This tool looks for connected areas and tries to color them automatically.
Best for:
Models with clear edges between colors
Logos or signs
Why teachers use it:
It can save time, but sometimes it colors more than expected.
If that happens, undo and use the regular fill or brush tool.
The striped tool colors everything at a certain height.
Best for:
Name tags with raised text
Logos that sit above a flat background
Objects where one color is on top of another
Example:
If a name tag has raised letters that are 1 mm tall, you can tell the slicer to color only the top 1 mm red.
This is often one of the easiest ways to color raised text.
The section view slider lets you cut into the model and see inside.
Best for:
Looking at hidden features
Painting inside holes or recessed text
Checking whether a color goes all the way through
Why teachers use it:
Without section view, it can be hard to tell if the correct parts are colored.
The screenshot also shows options for:
Vertical
Horizontal
These control the direction of the painting.
Vertical painting colors straight up and down.
Best for:
Side text
Logos on the side of an object
Vertical stripes
Horizontal painting colors layer by layer.
Best for:
Top surfaces
Raised text
Objects with one color on top of another
Example:
For a bookmark with a baseball on the surface, Horizontal is usually the easiest option.
Pen Size changes how large the paintbrush is.
Small pen = More detail
Large pen = Faster painting
Best practice:
Start large for big areas
Switch smaller for details
The Remap Filaments button lets you switch which color is assigned to each spool.
Example:
If the slicer thinks the baseball stitching should be blue but you loaded red in slot 2, use Remap Filaments to fix it.
This is much easier than repainting the entire object.
Whenever the printer changes colors, it needs to clean out the old filament.
The slicer creates a Prime Tower beside the object.
The prime tower:
Uses extra filament
Makes sure colors stay clean
Helps prevent one color from mixing into another
Without a prime tower, you may see:
Pink where red should be white
Blue streaks in yellow
Mixed colors at the start of each section
Multicolor prints use more filament because of the color changes.
To reduce waste:
Use fewer color changes
Keep colors on the same layer together
Use Flush Into Infill when possible
Avoid tiny color details unless necessary
Teacher Tip:
A design with two colors is much faster and wastes less filament than a design with four colors.
For a first project, try:
White background
One accent color
Good first projects include:
Name tag with colored text
Bookmark with a simple logo
School mascot keychain
Sports logo with two colors
These are easier because:
The color areas are large
The print stays flat
There are only one or two color changes
Avoid:
Tiny detailed logos
Four-color prints
Miniatures with many color changes
For most classroom projects:
Design in Tinkercad
Use different colors on different shapes
Export as OBJ
Import into ElegooSlicer
Match the colors to filament slots
Adjust with the paint tools if needed
Slice and print
If students already built a project as an STL, you can still add color afterward in ElegooSlicer using the paint tools.
The easiest path is usually:
Use Tinkercad colors when possible
Use the slicer paint tools for small changes and touch-ups