Paleontology

Museums are wonderful places to learn about and explore our pasts. One pillar of science museums is their collection of dinosaur skeletons and other prehistoric artifacts.  As shown in The Night At The Museum dinosaurs always steal the show. These fossils help shed light on how the world once was. They also depict larger-than-life creatures that once ruled our earth.

Museums are not only places for entertainment and learning but also a place for discovery. Thanks to science museums from across the world, we know better than ever what dinosaurs look like, how they sounded, and what they did. The United States is home to some of the coolest science museums. Some of our favorites include – The Perot Museum, The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and The American Museum of Natural History.

Bringing the Learning Home

Before or after your day at the science museum is where 3Doodler comes into play. Learn about what you have seen, or are going to see, by creating your own dinosaur skeletons! Use these stencils and tutorials to be your own paleontologist. If you love puzzles, you’ll love this week’s challenge of building dinosaur skeletons. Check out this video to learn about how dino bones are preserved over time while you create your own using your 3Doodler 3D pen.

The post Day At The Museum! first appeared on 3Doodler.

Don’t stress, creating your own wedding decor might seem daunting – trust us when we say there are some things you can easily make yourself, and others you should leave to the experts. Building the wedding arch for example, isn’t for everyone. But DIYing some fun photo props, customized place cards, or a cake topper that can be kept as a special keepsake for years to come? That you can totally tackle. Did we mention that these projects are also budget-friendly?

1. Charming Place Cards

It is often the details that make a wedding memorable. An alternative to traditional paper place cards, are hand-doodled place card that allow you to get creative and display an elegant addition to your wedding centerpieces. These Love Doves are another example. Use these stencils to draw the two doves and the stand, then write out your guests’ names in your own handwriting. Your guests will appreciate the handmade touch, and might even take these home.

Download Stencil

2. Flower Decorations

If you like what Dan did at his wedding then try your own version with this rose stencil. Adding custom Doodled flowers to your table setting will show your guests you care and show dedication. These flowers would also make for a good keepsake from the wedding since they are so unique

Download Stencil

3. Quirky Photo Booth Props

We highly recommend this project because it really is a lot of fun – from making them to using them on your big day! Your guests are going to love crowding around the photo booth area with these striking props. Print out these stencils link to make these wedding-themed comical photo props, or draw your own to Doodle over. Place a DoodlePad link on top of the stencil to make Doodling easier. Use bright colors to make them pop, or keep them sleek and stylish in a muted palette to suit your day.

Download Stencil

4. Yours Truly Cake Topper

Having trouble finding your dream wedding cake topper? Why not make your own. This project requires no artistic skills, yet gives you something that looks so good your guests will think it was professionally made. You can make this romantic couple silhouette using this stencil, write out a meaningful quote, or design your own sweet decorations using the same technique.

Download Stencil

5. Epic Eiffel Tower Centerpieces

Every city has its own iconic structure or building. Give a dose of local flair to your wedding table by doodling a custom centerpiece. In this example, we’ve doodled the Eiffel Tower.

We hope that you feel inspired with creative ideas for your big day! There’s so much you can make that is not only budget-friendly, wows your guests, and most importantly, allows you to have a truly bespoke wedding.

The post DIY Projects For Wedding Season first appeared on 3Doodler.

Here at 3Doodler, we’re super excited to celebrate National Week of Making! The Week of Making celebrates the innovation, ingenuity, and creativity of Makers big and small, young and old, in school and out of the classroom.

When is National Week of Making??

Created by the Nation of Makers, and recognized by the Obama White House in 2021, National Week of Making is celebrated from May 16-22, 2022. This week promotes the development of STEM, the arts, design, fabrication, and manufacturing while supporting, encouraging, and promoting organizations and individuals from around the country who are working to create more opportunities for more people of all ages to make.

Making is in our DNA

Our 3Doodler 3D pens attract people of all ages. Our community is comprised of builders, makers, tinkerers, and dreamers. 3Doodler has been a long-time proponent of adding an Arts component to STEM education. Our 3D pens are currently being utilized in over 10,000 K-12 schools across the country, and in many university programs as well!

In addition, 3Doodler helping to shrink the STEM gender gap by attracting more girls into STEM classes with our artistic, hi-tech 3D printing pen solutions. “Students love the instant gratification of Doodling. The 3Doodler pens are more exciting than markers, pens, or paper, and more accessible than a full-scale 3D printer. 3Doodler pens are a gateway to technology. My maker space is 50% girls at all times, and 3Doodler is a great way to get girls interested in tech.” -Robin F., Makerspace Coordinator.

In addition to providing tech tools, 3Doodler also provides learning resources to help unlock students’ inner makers. Check out the online library of Stencils, Tutorials, and Lessons.

Join Us and Make Something!

Whatever you do during the week of May 16-22, make sure you MAKE something! Large or small, by yourself or with a group, we want to see what you’ve made, Nation of Makers! To help spark your creativity, here is a mix of projects for you to pick from. And just remember, share your awesome Doodles with us on social media by tagging #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate #LookWhatIMade or #WeekofMaking2022! Check out these fun projects to help you start MAKING!

Craft a Bird Feeder

Handheld Pinball Game

STEM Robot

Action Figure

Chess Set

The post 5 Ways to Celebrate National Week of Making! first appeared on 3Doodler.

And did you know this Friday, April 15, is also World Art Day? This celebration promotes the use of art as a way to express ourselves as individuals. So whether you’re searching for some egg-cellent Doodle ideas for an Easter Egg Hunt, or you just want to create something wicked to cool for World Art Day, we’ve got you covered. Remember, art and creativity can take many forms, so grab your 3Doodler and let’s get crafting!

Create+ Projects

Here are a few projects perfect for the Create+ 3D pens.

An Easter Basket

With this throwback tutorial, we give you the steps to create both the eggs and easter basket, meaning you have complete creative freedom over the whole project. So dive in and get creating.

Crochet-Inspired Easter Eggs

These fancy Crochet-Inspired egg decorations are perfect for this time of year. To achieve this effect, we’ll use real eggs to create these little masterpieces using your Create+ pen.

Egg + Bunny Combo

This stencil and tutorial combo will surprise and delight with all the little fun hidden details! This egg and bunny combo is the perfect addition to any Easter basket or holiday spread.

Start+ Projects

Here are a few projects great for use with our Start+ 3D Pen

Easter Eggs

Eggs are everywhere this time of year: candy-shaped eggs, Confetti eggs, chocolate-covered eggs, etc. So let’s make some more of the colorful variety. This project has you breaking eggs and doodling them!

Bunny Hop

Doodle a cute little bunny to hang around the house. This project will test your hand-eye coordination as you bring a 2D bunny off the page and into 3D form.

Eggspressive Eggs

Did you know that we can use real eggs to help create our Doodled egg decorations? Check out this fun project and try not to break any eggs in the prosses ?

The post STEM Activities & Doodles for Spring first appeared on 3Doodler.

When was the first rodeo?

The first official rodeo was in 1869 in Deer Trail, Colorado, when two groups of cowboys from neighboring ranches met to settle an argument over who was best at performing everyday cowboy tasks, including breaking wild horses, which is today’s bucking bronc riding event. Although this is said to be the first organized rodeo, many others claim that title for their own rodeos in other parts of the US, including Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1872; Winfield, Kansas, in 1882; and Pecos, Texas, in 1883.

What’s something about the rodeo you might not have known before now?

At its launch, the rodeo was a fairly non-discriminatory sport, open to Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans, and women contestants in an era when racial and gender discrimination were commonplace. Women competed in many events at mixed-gender rodeos well into the 1930s. During this time, ladies often competed against men and often beat men at a variety of rodeo events.

Rodeos Today

Known by rodeo fans as the “Daddy of ’em All,” Cheyenne Frontier Days is the world’s largest outdoor rodeo.

In late February and into mid-March over 1.5 million people are attracted to Houston, Texas, the site of the world’s largest indoor rodeo.

Let’s Bring the Rodeo to You

So, if you can’t make it to a real rodeo this year, we thought it would be fun to bring the rodeo home to you. All you need is your 3Doodler 3D printing pen and some filament to create a 3D cowboy of your own. When you’re finished, these creations make great additions to your kids’ action figure collection.

The post The Rodeo Isn’t Just for Cowboys Anymore first appeared on 3Doodler.

Here at 3Doodler, where half of our team is made up of women, we wanted to take a moment to highlight just a few of the incredibly talented women who have achieved great things with our 3Doodler 3D printing pens. From high-end fashion pieces to life-size cow sculptures (and everything in between), we’ve seen remarkable works over the years.

Women Creators

If you follow 3Doodler on social media, you’ve likely come across Rachel Goldsmith before. Rachel has created a name for herself by painting using a 3D pen, PLA filament and a blank canvas. Beyond her canvas creations, she recently mesmerized us with a piece she did for CowParade NYC 2021. We watched in awe as Rachel showed us the art of doodling hair out of PLA filament, not to mention the life-sized fiberglass highland cow she created for the exhibit. She did a wonderful job at documenting her process. We can’t wait to see what Rachel will create next. Follow along on her next project via her Instagram.

Cornelia Kuglmeier has been a cornerstone of our doodling community with her prolific work that turns fantasy into reality. You might even recognize some of her amazing Doodles on our Instagram. Connie is a 3D pen artist and educator, whose techniques are some of the most advanced we’ve come across. In addition to the content she posts on her Instagram, she’s posted some incredibly detailed and helpful tutorials on her YouTube channel that dive into tips and tricks for better doodling.

Stéphanie Santos is a European fashion designer who uses 3Doodler 3D pens to create clothing and jewelry inspired by nature. Using her background in art, fashion, and biofabrication, she has created a visionary collection of clothing and jewelry with our 3Doodler Start+ and Create+ pens. The series was inspired by her passion for sustainability. All of the 3Doodler filaments are either eco-friendly or recyclable, which makes an excellent material for her work. Interested in learning more about Stéphanie’s work? Check out our artist highlight.

Alanna Baird describes herself as a Jill of all trades as she has dabbled in many mediums of art. “I make large art structures with my pen, which I love doing, but the most memorable build was doodling my 6-year-old grandson’s drawings for walls, roof parts, windows, and doors to assemble a small structure for our stick-drawn people to play in. Drawing from his imagination knows no bounds!” Currently, the ability to incorporate shadow into her work is very exciting as it adds additional elements for her to play with. Alanna’s work is currently on exhibit at the McCain Art Gallery in Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick, Canada.

Mira Zwillinger is a luxury brand led by mother-daughter fashion designers, Mira and Lihi Zwillinger. As one of the leading couture houses in Tel Aviv and sold at prestigious boutiques worldwide, the brand focuses on creating made-to-measure gowns using the finest fabrics and materials with an emphasis on delicate handwork and detailing. A recent collection of theirs showcased gowns that used hand-crafted doodled elements including stunning, intricately doodled 3D floral appliques were applied to organza, silk tulle, and lace.

From Action to Doodle

So today, join us by posting a photo of you crossing your arms in solidarity, with the hashtag #BreakTheBias, to stand with gender equality this International Women’s Day.

To aid you in participating in this cause, but with a creative twist, we have this tutorial that will walk you through how to doodle your own #BreakTheBias pose using a photograph.

The post Celebrating International Women’s Day first appeared on 3Doodler.

Their goal was to construct a sculptural wall hanging for the new Technology Department, for which they used 3Doodler 3D Pens to complete.

So, join us as we learn more about the project, and how this district is incorporating technology into its programs, classes and curriculum.

About Sheboygan High School

Sheboygan South High School offers a rigorous curriculum with a variety of opportunities to prepare students for careers, citizenship, and life.

The school is located along the shores of Lake Michigan in Sheboygan, Wisconsin with a student population of 1,184 students.

One thing that sets this school apart from other schools in the area is its Art Department, which has been experimenting with infusing technology into the art curriculum to allow for alternative representation of visual creation and expression.

What was the inspiration for the project? And what was the process?

The Technology Department at Sheboygan Area School District recently moved offices to an alternative location and asked the South High Art Department to create a sculptural wall hanging as the focal point for their offices called “The Hive.”

Students use 3Doodler 3D Printing Pens to construct 3D Bees

In the early planning stages, IT Coordinator Mike Jaber and Innovation Coach Amy Dekker met with Art Teacher Brian Sommersberger so that we could share and benefit from tech devices commonly used throughout our district, including our 3Doodler 3D pens, Sphero robots, and the Glowforge Laser Machine.

After demonstrations were given, students began to collaborate and brainstorm ideas for what “The Hive” would look like visually. Since the sculpture is intended to be a conversation piece, one criteria students had was to incorporate some of the hands-on technology the district uses.  IT members can now reference “The Hive” and explain how specific hands-on technology solutions are used to create unique works of art.

Can you tell us more about “The Hive”?

Students began “The Hive” by painting white primer on a 4×8’ sheet of styrofoam intended to be the base for the project. Once dry, the sheet of foam was placed on the ground, and paper wall barriers were placed around the edges in preparation for the Sphero robot balls.

Students dipped the Sphero Balls in acrylic paint and controlled them with iPads to simulate action art painting, most commonly referenced by artist Jackson Pollock.

After the paint dried, a 4-foot circle was cut out of the foam and ready for 3Doodler pen creations. Students used the 3Doodler 3D printing pens to first create honeycomb shapes consisting of 3 hexagon shapes attached to one another.

To make honeycombs uniform, a template was placed under a transparency sheet which allowed the shapes to peel off easier.

Students using Sphero Robots to paint

Students were also required to attach a paper clip to the backside using filament instead of hot glue. Another group of students were asked to help make the 7 bees seen on the hive, each representing a member of the IT department. 3Doodler filament was doodled and molded around found objects such as glue sticks, to form the body and the head of the seven bees.

Each part was created separately and welded together using additional filament.

Lastly, students in Gary Scheller’s tech-ed class used the glow forge laser etcher/cutter to create honeycomb shapes to be placed inside and around the 3Doodler components.

When did you add 3D printing pens into your curriculum? And how did you get introduced to 3Doodler?

The South High Art Department was introduced to the 3Doodler from the Instruction Technology Department only 3 months ago.

These pens have been around the district for several years and utilized during our Tech Clubs at the upper elementary schools. We had the 3Doodler Start Learning Packs initially and eventually graduated to something more sophisticated like the 3Doodler Create+ Learning Packs.

It was time to introduce these to the upper-level art classes and let them run with this type of technology. They were so popular, we ordered some 3Doodler Create+ pens just to keep in this particular art class.

Do you have any suggestions for people new to 3D pens?

The South High Art Department is always looking to explore and beta test new opportunities with technology. We are beginning to review State and National Standards to see how the 3Doodler pens fit into current standards and curriculum.

As a teacher, I am open to choice-based learning and modifying projects where the 3Doodler pens could be applied in place of a different material such as graphite drawing or painting. Some suggestions I tell students right away when beginning a project is to draw on transparent sheets to help the filaments peel off with ease. I also tell the students to use the pens like a wire welder when constructing sculptures.

The filament coming out of the pen is very similar to a wire welder and I could see the pens being very useful in trade schools where students are learning different types of welds. I have seen the most success when students are using a template to begin a design. Once a foundation is constructed students can then use their artistic expression.

The 3Doodler pens are very therapeutic from the sound of the pen to seeing the filament come out the tip of the nozzle, and most students along and staff have found the pens very addicting (in a good way). Once you pick one up and get started, it’s tough to put it down!

The post EDU Spotlight: What’s Buzzin’ at Sheboygan ISD first appeared on 3Doodler.

Whether or not you celebrate big on February 14th, we’ve pulled together some fun heartfelt Doodling activities for you to tackle this month. So grab your 3Doodler 3D pen, some filament,  and let’s craft a few gifts from the heart.

Printable templates to lift your creations off the page

Heart-Shaped Cookie Cutters – This Valentine’s day, up your game with some freshly baked cookies. Not just any cookies, these bad boys have a customized shape thanks to your Doodled cookie cutters. Doodle yours now and get baking.

Doodled Orchids – Flowers can bring a smile to almost anyone’s face, but what better way to go the extra mile than to Doodle your own orchids arrangement? Not only will they last longer, but they’re truly one of a kind.

Geometric Heart – Edgy, artistic, and anything but conventional, this simple yet beautiful geometric heart design is perfect for all skill levels. Doodle your own geometric hearts now with this easy to follow stencil.

3D Heart Garland – Looking to upgrade your Valentine’s Day decorations? Try Doodling this heart garland. This design is fun and festive way to brighten up any locker, classroom or bedroom.

3D pen refills that will make your heart skip a beat

To help give you that extra encouragement to take part in these DIY projects, we will be running a filament promo Feb 10-15.  Be sure to head on over to our Deals page to score 20% off on select refills!

The post 4 Valentine’s Day Projects to Impress  first appeared on 3Doodler.

As we usher in the Year of the Tiger, more than 1.5 billion people across the world will gather with family and friends to take part in Lunar New Year. So here at 3Doodler, we thought we would dive in to learn a little bit about what the holiday means, and explore some fun activities that kids of all ages can engage in whether at home or at school.

When does the Lunar New Year start?

Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which has Jan. 1 as the beginning of the new year, Lunar New Year doesn’t always take place on the same day. As you may have inferred from the name, Lunar New Year is based on the moon’s phases – each of which lasts around 29 days. We talked about the moon’s phases earlier this month, which you can read more about here. The Lunar New Year takes place annually on the new moon that appears between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. This Lunar New Year was on Feb. 1, while the 2023 new year will start on Jan. 22.

What traditions are associated with Lunar New Year?

Much like how some celebrate New Year’s Eve to New Year’s Day and the good luck that a new year brings, Lunar New Year is a time for people to reset and look forward to the opportunity of a fresh start that comes with a new year. This important holiday that’s celebrated among East and Southeast Asian cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean communities, is a celebration of feasting, spiritual reflection, and honoring of ancestors.

Some other traditions include buying new clothes, getting haircuts for personal self-care, and cleaning one’s house and business so as to remove any clutter and leftover things from the previous year. And of course, traditional family feasting is in abundance.

Another key difference between the Dec. 31 NYE / Jan. 1 New Year’s day celebrations and Lunar New Year, is that the latter is a 16-day observation. Because of this extended break from work, people try to prioritize spending quality time with extended family, which is one of the only times in the year when people are able to do so.

The Year of the Tiger

While last year was the year of the Ox, this year is the year of the tiger, the first since 2010. The tiger is frequently associated with things like courage, ambition, strength and a commitment to help others for the greater good. With the current state of global health and COVID-19 – we could all use a good dose of these traits in 2022.

Each Lunar year is represented by a cycle of 12 zodiac animals. Each zodiac animal is associated with a combination of traits. In case you were wondering what zodiac animal you were born into, or how the zodiac signs line up over the next couple of years, this image depicts it well.

So how does your community celebrate Lunar New Year? As schools teach about this important holiday, a great activity for students is to research the East Asian heritage in their own community and find out what types of Chinese or Lunar New Year celebrations are taking place locally. Some cities might be bringing back festivals or parades. Your local children’s museum might also host a Lunar New Year Celebration day.

Another fun way to learn about the holiday is through books. These are some of our favorite PreK-5 books. And here is a great online book that retells the legends associated with the origins of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals.

The Lunar New Year in Doodles

In addition to the above resources, we also wanted to share a couple of fun hands-on projects to help you celebrate this important time of year. The first is a tiger decal to help bring you good luck in the New Year.

Our second project is a DIY Chinese lantern. In China, the first full moon of the new Lunar Year is traditionally celebrated with a holiday called Yuan Xiao Festival, a.k.a. Lantern Festival. During the festival, houses and streets are decorated with colorful and intricate lanterns. This is our take on respectfully celebrating this tradition. This project is a slightly more complex Doodle and will put your concentration and design skills to the test. Explore the tutorial here.

The post Celebrate Lunar New Year with 3Doodler first appeared on 3Doodler.

For kids, it can mean no school (or maybe a switch from in-classroom to remote learning). For parents, it can mean extra travel time into the office, or even a scramble to figure out childcare for the little ones. Either way, regardless of your age, it’s a chance to slow down for the day, brew a hot cup of tea or cocoa, and bust out your 3Doodler 3D pen. We’ve pulled together four snow-themed projects for you to pick from.

Snowflake Window Decorations

Check out our collection of super cool snowflake stencils. Download and print these templates out, and then Doodle them in a variety of snow flurry colors – white, light blue, clear, or go bold and add in some color! There’s no wrong way to do it. Once you have everything Doodled, you can string them up and hang them from the curtain rod of your favorite window.

For adults doing this project with your kids/students, here are some fun facts about snowflakes that you can weave into this fun hands-on STEM project. It’s never a bad idea to have some fast facts on hand in case you get peppered with questions from curious minds.

Snowflake Fun Facts

When temperatures are at or below 32°F (0°C), and there’s moisture in the atmosphere, tiny little water droplets will collide with dust to form ice crystals. When enough ice crystals form, they’ll stick together to create a snowflake. This video does a great job of visualizing snow being formed.

Do you know how many sides a snowflake has? All snowflakes have six sides because the molecules that make them up are hexagon-shaped.

Are snowflakes white or blue? Try neither! Snowflakes are actually translucent.

Snowflakes that descend through moist air that is slightly warmer than 32°F (0°C) will melt around the edges and stick together to produce big flakes. Snowflakes that fall through cold, dry air produce powdery snow that does not stick together.

The heaviest snowfall ever recorded in a 24-hour period in the U.S. occurred on April 14 and 15, 1921 in Silver Lake, Colorado. During this single day, 6.3 feet of snow fell. What’s the heaviest snowfall you’ve witnessed?

Take the Olaf Challenge

Here’s another snow-related project for you to try at home or in your classroom. In this step-by-step project, we’re going to use our 3Doodler 3D printing pen to Doodle a snowman! Just like Olaf, from Frozen. This fun tutorial will walk you through creating your own little snowman from the warmth of your cozy living room.

For any teachers out there interested in going a little deeper, check out these wintery STEM-focused lesson plans – Platonic Solids Snowman Math Challenge, Doodle Snowflakes: Geometry and Symmetry

The post Snow Day Boredom Busters first appeared on 3Doodler.