The maker-bot style, plastic printers are not the only printers out there. For example, I know that the current Z-Corp printers create figures out of a sort of

The maker-bot style, plastic printers are not the only printers out there. For example, I know that the current Z-Corp printers create figures out of a sort of powder and literally use inkjet ink to put the full spectrum of color you would expect right into the surface of the model as it is made (it can get to be a millimeter or so deep, so it doesn't just scratch off). Although you do have to coat it in a lacquer/sealant to strengthen the model post-print. I wonder how the Japanese machine accomplishes this, or if it even needs to? My experience comes from some work I did for a startup that has such a machine, and uses it for similar purposes (human figures). They've got a decent page showing off their examples: http://www.actionfigurelabs.com/figure-gallery http://www.actionfigurelabs.com/figure-gallery