The fabrication of multilevel SU-8 structures using a single photolithographic masking step is described. Preliminary data are presented on the use of photolithographic masks, containing millimeter-scale colored patterns, printed on transparent films using a standard color laser printer. The different colors printed on the photomask are shown to have differences in their UV absorptions, and hence different structure levels can be achieved from a single exposure. This method eliminates the pixelation problems encountered when using gray-scale masks (without employing photoreduction techniques) generated using a black-and-white laser printer. For research applications requiring rapid prototyping and fast turnaround times for large-scale features, this technique offers a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative to current three-dimensional lithography methods, which typically make use of multiple binary masks, alignment procedures, and exposures. Future applications will include the fabrication of textured PDMS surfaces and PDMS microfluidic substrates, cast from SU-8 molds processed using this technique. (c) 2006 American Vacuum Society.