A method of printing a desired color onto a nonwhite substrate by additive printing of intermixed translucent color ink (375, 377) and opaque white ink, comprising: selecting a number of print layers, characterized by: printing at least a first layer of ink, by ejecting droplets of inks (375, 376, 377), onto the nonwhite substrate comprising a first mixture of an opaque white ink and at least one translucent color ink (375, 377), the first layer of ink having a predetermined first ratio of white ink to color ink (375, 377) being less than or equal to 1:1, an amount of white ink being less than or equal to an amount of color ink (375, 377); printing at least a second layer of ink, by ejecting droplets of inks (375, 376, 377), onto the nonwhite substrate comprising a second mixture of the opaque white ink and the at least one translucent color ink (375, 377), the second layer of ink having a predetermined second ratio of white ink to color ink (375, 377) being less than or equal to 1:1, an amount of white ink being less than or equal to an amount of color ink (375, 377); and varying the first ratio and the second ratio as a function of the number of layers, wherein the first ratio and the second ratio are equal, and wherein a sum of the first printed layer and second printed layer produces the desired color being optically indistinguishable in the visible spectrum from the same color printed onto a white substrate using opaque color inks. selecting a number of print layers, characterized by: printing at least a first layer of ink, by ejecting droplets of inks (375, 376, 377), onto the nonwhite substrate comprising a first mixture of an opaque white ink and at least one translucent color ink (375, 377), the first layer of ink having a predetermined first ratio of white ink to color ink (375, 377) being less than or equal to 1:1, an amount of white ink being less than or equal to an amount of color ink (375, 377); printing at least a second layer of ink, by ejecting droplets of inks (375, 376, 377), onto the nonwhite substrate comprising a second mixture of the opaque white ink and the at least one translucent color ink (375, 377), the second layer of ink having a predetermined second ratio of white ink to color ink (375, 377) being less than or equal to 1:1, an amount of white ink being less than or equal to an amount of color ink (375, 377); and varying the first ratio and the second ratio as a function of the number of layers, printing at least a first layer of ink, by ejecting droplets of inks (375, 376, 377), onto the nonwhite substrate comprising a first mixture of an opaque white ink and at least one translucent color ink (375, 377), the first layer of ink having a predetermined first ratio of white ink to color ink (375, 377) being less than or equal to 1:1, an amount of white ink being less than or equal to an amount of color ink (375, 377); printing at least a second layer of ink, by ejecting droplets of inks (375, 376, 377), onto the nonwhite substrate comprising a second mixture of the opaque white ink and the at least one translucent color ink (375, 377), the second layer of ink having a predetermined second ratio of white ink to color ink (375, 377) being less than or equal to 1:1, an amount of white ink being less than or equal to an amount of color ink (375, 377); and varying the first ratio and the second ratio as a function of the number of layers, wherein the first ratio and the second ratio are equal, and wherein a sum of the first printed layer and second printed layer produces the desired color being optically indistinguishable in the visible spectrum from the same color printed onto a white substrate using opaque color inks.