Let’s Go Barbie — Make Stylish Accessories!

Barbie is a fashion icon and inspires us all to dream big. Now you can make stylish Barbie accessories with a 3Doodler 3D pen and tutorial!

Over the years, Barbie’s encouraged girls and women worldwide to express their personal style and to be anything they want to be. Barbie held careers in many different industries and represented all kinds of women while breaking fashion barriers.

Now, Barbie is about to hit the big screen in a new adaptation by Greta Gerwig that debuts on Friday, July 21.

It’s the perfect moment to dust off your Barbie dolls and create one-of-a-kind accessories with a 3D pen. Find out how Barbie got her start and explore 3Doodler’s project ideas!

Fashion Icon is Born

  • Close-up of striped doll 3D pen art
  • Barbie with 3D pen suit, hat, and suitcase
  • Stunning 3D pen art: Barbie doll in red dress with gold accents
  • 3D pen art: Barbie doll in red/white dress with black accessories.
  • Barbie and suited man in 3D pen art

Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel, found inspiration watching her daughter, Barbara, and her friends play with paper dolls. She could envision the girls playing with a more lifelike doll but met with resistance at Mattel.

A trip to Europe rekindled the idea after seeing a German doll in a toy shop. Handler quickly created a prototype for an 11.5-inch (29 cm) doll with movable limbs. She named the doll Barbie after her daughter and presented it at the New York Toy Fair in 1959.

From the beginning, fashion played a big part in Barbie’s storyline. Handler envisioned girls playing with the doll to imagine a future where they could be whatever they wanted at a time when many careers were closed to women. Clothes could transform any doll into a flight attendant, doctor, astronaut, or actress. An outfit could create a new look, lifestyle, or career. Anything a teen could dream up was now possible to imagine playing with Barbie.

In the 1970s, Mattel introduced Barbie’s signature pink color to market the doll to young girls. Today the deep pink shade is part of the official Pantone Color Chart designers and artists use.

Make Accessories for Barbie

Whether you’re creating a bright pink accessory or adding to another outfit, one thing is for sure; you can design all sorts of interesting and unique items for Barbie with a 3D pen.
Try your hand at a headband, necklace, or purse with an easy-to-follow tutorial and stencil. Choose a color from a selection of PLA plastic filament, grab your 3Doodler Create+ or 3Doodler Start+ pen, and get crafting.

If you’re feeling really creative, you could even design new clothes for Barbie and Ken. There’s no end to the possibilities.

And, if you’re looking to take the experience one step further, take a Barbie selfie and imagine yourself as part of the Barbie universe!

How has Barbie inspired you? What new accessories will you create? Share your creations with us at @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

ISTE 2023 Key Takeaways and Promising Practices

What a week we had in Philadelphia! 3Doodler was thrilled to join educators from across the country and around the world at ISTE 2023.

This annual event pulls together the brightest minds in education. It offers educators a deep dive into areas that interest them, with solutions and ideas to make progress.

While discussion around AI unsurprisingly took center stage, the breakout sessions focused more on boosting accessibility, play, and collaboration in schools. Catch a brief overview of this year’s event here and read on for our key takeaways from the educators we met with and sessions we attended.

Accessibility & Social-Emotional Learning as a Priority

Educators continue to prioritize social-emotional learning in the classroom. The strategies they rely on encourage students to develop emotional intelligence, resilience, build empathy, and create positive relationships.

One classroom example for younger students included Build Me “Emotions” by Lego Education, enabling students to share their emotions through hands-on building and play. Older students may enjoy an opportunity to introduce themselves to their peers at the beginning of the year. This can be a small, but valuable step towards getting to know each other (and how to pronounce names!) while also building a classroom community.

Accessibility tools are a game changer for many students. Unique tools by Apple and Microsoft make learning much more approachable for various audiences, including built-in tools for those who need visual, hearing, cognitive, or mobility support.

Melissa Stark, a Special Education Teacher and Instructional Technology Coach in New York City’s Department of Education, shared these tools and other critical tips to make learning more accessible during her ISTE presentation.

Importance of Play

A common theme that emerged as the event progressed was the importance of play-based activities, especially given the last few years of disruption brought on by the pandemic and distance learning.

One glance around the ISTE Playground, and it was clear to see how play could boost learning outcomes. Gamification was a clear focus, which adds gamelike elements to increase motivation and engagement.

Teachers are creating interactive and immersive learning experiences and boosting play with a host of learning tools like Class VR, Book Creator, and KinderLab Robotics, to name a few.


  • 3D pen artist sketching giraffes, man in red shirt, and paper
  • Group standing at convention table with laptop & phone doing 3d pen art
  • Crafting with 3D pens and string
  • Creative 3Doodler sketch using paper and cell phone

Collaboration Through Industrial Design Labs & Makerspaces

Several educators we spoke with explained their role in organizing maker spaces, fab labs, and industrial design labs. No matter what it’s called in your school, these spaces and the people who lead them are incredible. They provide students with an area at school that offers a break from the pressure of strict academic work and allow for more creative, hands-on learning.

Johanna Marshall, a teacher at Ridley High School in Pennsylvania, shared a session with her students to explain how they took an outdated industrial design lab and transformed it into a welcoming, student-centered maker space where everyone could contribute.

Students formed a Girls Who Code club and worked collaboratively to create working mazes. Later in the year, students made functional interlocking stools that tested their skills.

Lessons shared for those looking to create their own maker space included starting where you and your students are, only accepting useful donations, buying equipment with product support, and asking for help when you need it.

Inspirational as always, ISTE 2023 was a great reminder for all of us to focus on what’s possible and to celebrate student achievement at every opportunity.

What were your key insights from ISTE 2023? Tell us how we can support your goals to reach students and encourage their creativity. Share your thoughts with us @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

Artist Spotlight: Anela Ming-Yue Oh

Anela Ming-Yue Oh is a multidisciplinary artist who loves curry and the ocean! Anela partnered with 3Doodler on our latest guest artist feature to share her approach to 3D artwork.

She uses materials that have a life of their own such as clay, paper, and fiber, with her 3D pen creations. Anela recently completed a year as an artist in residence at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. She will be traveling to Malaysia as a School of Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University Traveling Fellow in 2023.

Finding Artistic Inspiration

Anela relies on her imagination and also draws from the resources around us to inspire her creativity.

“For me, I draw strength to move through the world from my identity as mixed race-Malaysian-Chinese, lessons from the natural world, and people close to me who have passed on,” said Anela.

In this piece, Anela uses the 3Doodler 3D pen to speak to Malaysian batik, a lost wax process where wax is painted or stamped on fabric and then dyed. She also incorporated a plant from both sides of her mixed-race heritage: okra. It’s a plant that Anela believes both her white Southern family members and her Malaysian-Chinese members would have intimately known through food.

“A huge part of using vibrant colors for me is being unapologetic in taking up space,” said Anela. “As an Asian American you are often viewed and shaped by culture to be as small and unobtrusive as possible.”

The bright color in this piece represents reclaiming spaces as an active agent in the world. The colors draw from the traditional Malaysian dress she grew up with and family members who wore such patterns and colors as batik sarongs.

Surprising Ways with Mixed Media

“As an artist who is mixed race dealing with world building I believe it is important that my work reflects a meeting of materials, soft fiber and hard plastic or ceramic meeting in ways that create beautiful complexity,” said Anela. “This interdisciplinary approach reflects the strength and commonalities between the different worlds I inhabit every day.”

She started this project using the 3Doodler Pro+ to draw the central okra stalk element and the other floral patterns. She continues to create until she has enough in varying colors and styles to lay out the design. Next, she begins the papermaking processes to transform the PLA drawings.

“I work with a fiber called overbeaten abaca which is a plant fiber that I beat for 8 hours in a machine called a hollander beater,” said Anela. “I use it because it is extremely strong and connects seamlessly to the 3Doodler drawings.”

She used a papermaking tool called a deckle box to “pull” the sheet using the unpigmented abaca to create the base sheet of paper. Then, she dips each 3D drawing into a pigmented abaca container before placing it on the base sheet. Finally, she removes the abaca base sheet once the 3Doodler designs are placed.


  • Hand holding 3d pen art: green waxed coin
  • Colorful 3D pen string art hanging on wall
  • Vibrant yarn hanging on white wall in 3D pen art (53 characters)

Experimenting & Creating in 3D

During her undergraduate program, Anela used the 3Doodler Pro+ in a metals class and fell in love with the process. The objective was to use the 3D pens to think through modeling before casting. Anela found herself making rings and other jewelry directly with the pen and ABS material.

“I found it very accessible to start working very creatively,” said Anela. “I was building three dimensional forms, flat forms and building them up, and ended up making forms combining those ways of working with the pen that were used in my thesis show.”

She explains that it’s essential to use materials that spark excitement. Trying out new materials encourages the imagination. A new technique may transform an artistic approach.

“I think a huge part of any artistic practice is joy and experimentation,” said Anela. “When you integrate different materials it provides endless problem solving and opportunity to play with how the materials work together.”

Anela advises budding 3D artists to experiment and play. She finds that the more you experiment and add new tools and skills to your toolbelt, the more you will find the things that resonate.

“It took me quite some time to figure out how the 3Doodler Pro+ would function in my larger practice in a meaningful way,” she said. “Now, I’m working with clay in similar ways due to my experience with the 3Doodler pen. I can’t wait to see how all of this learning keeps expanding the relationships between my materials.”

Experiment and play with your 3D pen. Test different materials to see what works best for you. Take inspiration from Anela’s unique approach to art and her tips. Share what inspires you and tell us about it at @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

Make 3D Summer Accessories That Shine

Don’t worry if you missed out on the latest Crocs Collaboration. 3Doodler’s got you covered with custom 3D summer accessories, like clog charms, that you can design with a 3D pen!

Styles come and go quickly these days. That’s why creating custom charms, bike bling, or friendship bracelets could be the ticket to staying one step ahead of the trends and on budget.

Making unique 3D summer accessories or adding custom details with 3Doodler is easy. Check out our tips, and imagine what else you can create!


Table with two 3D pen art baseball hats

Fresh Fruit Clog Charms

Summer is right around the corner, so it’s the perfect time to create DIY clog shoe charms to celebrate the season. We took inspiration from summer fruits that will soon be available in farmers’ markets and fresh fruit stands. Design a lemon slice, strawberry, watermelon, grapes, or avocado following our tutorial and stencil. There’s no end to the amazing shoe charms that people design. Find more inspiration and create new versions to reflect your style!

Design Clog Charms


Bicycle wheel with chain and star sticker - 3D pen art

Bike Bling

Customize your bike with classic details or vary it up to personalize the look of your ride! Created in the 1980s, spoke beads or spoke dokes, as they are also called, add a bit of nostalgia to any bike wheel. The original beads clip to the spokes of your bike and often make noise as the beads travel up and down the spoke while the wheels are in motion. The faster you ride, the more noise they make. Follow 3Doodler’s tips to make decals you can add to your wheels, handlebars, and more. Check out 3Doodler’s earlier blog on bike accessories for more ideas!

Create Bike Decals



Colorful bead friendship bracelet made with a 3D pen.

Friendship Bracelets

Friendship bracelets are a classic simple craft that never falls out of fashion. If you are a lucky Taylor Swift fan who scored tickets to the Eras Tour, you’ll likely see attendees exchanging bracelets at the show. Learn how to make a friendship bracelet with your 3D pen using our free stencil, or try the more advanced charm bracelet to test your design skills. Find plenty of inspiration at 3Doodler to help get your creative ideas flowing!

Make a Friendship Bracelet

Share your summer accessories with us by tagging @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate!

Dive Under the Sea with a 3D Pen Mermaid

Guest artist Cornelia Kuglmeier helped explore the topic of mermaids this month. Dive into the history of mermaids and learn a few fun facts about their origin.

Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid will be out in theaters later this month. Hear how it inspired Connie and discover the techniques that enabled her to bring her vision to life!

Diving Into an Underwater World

Mermaids and mermen appeared in folklore with the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish. These mythical beings appeared in many different cultures and were considered magical creatures who loved music and often sang.

Early stories about merpeople suggested they brought harm to humans in the form of floods, shipwrecks, or other disasters. However, mermaid and mermen sightings exploded during the early 1500s as explorers took to the seas and made their way across the ocean.

In fact, as early explorers traveled through the Caribbean they claimed they saw mermaids. It was likely manatees that they were spotting in the ocean, but the legends continued.

In 1873, Hans Christian Anderson wrote The Little Mermaid as part of a collection of fairy tales for children. The story shares the journey of a young mermaid willing to exchange her life in the ocean to gain a human soul. Over the years, the tale was adapted to theater, film, ballet, and even opera. The most well-known adaptation is that of the animated Disney film that was released in 1989.

“I loved the character of Ariel. She’s such a curious, lively girl, who loves to explore, to learn new things, and expand her horizon,” said Connie. “What intrigued me the most, though, was that beautiful underwater world. It was a completely new world to me, as was ours to Ariel.”


  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler
  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler
  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler
  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler
  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler

3D Design Process Explained

In sketching this latest project, Connie explains that her drawings continue to evolve throughout the project, and the final design may differ slightly from the original sketch. The next time you sketch, consider using a 3D pen to create a scene or add detail to a particular project.

“Once I start, the ideas start to flow,” said Connie. “As you draw one thing, another crosses your mind, but it doesn’t quite fit with what you’re sketching at the moment. Then, there’s a second idea, and so on.”

She explains that creating is an ever-evolving and living process. Sketching is an essential part of the process. Connie describes it as taking notes and putting them into a picture. That picture quickly becomes a 3D design as the process unfolds.

Connie draws from various angles to help in her three-dimensional planning. This process enables her to firm up the design’s dimensions, proportions, and details.

“The result is often a mixture of different ideas, but seldom just one specific sketch I made previously,” said Connie. “Even though the sketch is important to the design process it doesn’t determine the final result. It mostly serves as a visual note.”


  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler
  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler
  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler
  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler
  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler
  • 3d pen figurine of a mermaid by 3Doodler

Surprising Details & Techniques

Connie admits that creating something truly unique can take time and patience. Some elements, like the scales, were planned, prepared, and applied. But others, like the pearls and bubbles, were added as a finishing touch.

“The result is so rewarding,” she says. “I love the light reflecting on the multi-colored scales. I like the varying hair color. The details breathe life into things.”

A surprising material created the look of the skin on this mermaid. Connie used wood filament to make the skin and body. She doodled the pieces and then used the flattening tip to smooth them and create an even surface.

“Wood is such a good filament for sculpting,” said Connie. “If you use the angled tip, you can carve into the plastic, as I did for lips and eyes. If you want to speed up the process, change the setting from PLA or Wood to ABS. It makes a big difference, but you need to be careful not to press too hard or the plastic will melt away.”

Regarding the new live-action Little Mermaid, Connie is excited to see how Ariel’s sidekicks and the underwater kingdom come to life on screen.

“I’m really interested in all aspects of the story,” says Connie. “I’m mesmerized by modern film technology and enjoy seeing what artists are capable of creating. Entire new worlds to literally dive into!”

Sketch and design in 3D and take inspiration from Connie’s latest tips. Share your 3Doodler projects by tagging @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

Celebrate National Library Week!

We often think of a library as a place to find books of all kinds — from picture books to large print or ebooks and audiobooks. But there’s so much more to the story.

Discover all that libraries have to offer during National Library Week, April 23-29, 2023! Libraries provide a space for community events, guest speakers, crafting classes, STEM activities, and book clubs. In addition, librarians are there to help you find what you need. They lend movies, musical instruments, games, and museum passes. At a library, you might be surprised to find courses that support local businesses, job seekers, or entrepreneurs.

This week, take a moment to explore how libraries support the local community with tips we rounded up. While you’re at it, use your 3Doodler tools to design a flipbook or trace your favorite storybook character. Read on!

There’s More to the Story

It’s easy to participate in National Library Week! Explore these suggestions and discover something new at a library near you.

A few ideas
  • Visit a library: Stop in and visit your local library to explore books or participate in a new activity. Take a moment to talk with your librarian and learn more about your library story. You might be surprised by what you discover!

  • Share #MyLibrary Story: Now that you know more about your library, share what you’ve learned. Was it a new book? Help to start a new activity or craft? A museum pass or a book club? Participate by writing about your library experience and sharing with the hashtag #MyLibraryStory.

  • Build community: Follow the American Library Association on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. There’s so much more to learn when you stay in contact year-round.

Storybook Projects

Libraries are also an excellent resource for STEM/STEAM clubs and maker spaces. In addition, you may find tools you can borrow, like a 3Doodler 3D pen or activity clubs, that you can join for weekly project ideas.

No need to delay. We’ve got a few project ideas that will get you started as you celebrate National Library Week. So enjoy these creative projects you design to support your love of reading, storytelling, and more with 3Doodler!


Purple flower on small card, 3D pen art.

3D Flipbook

Create a small book with a series of images in different positions to create the illusion of movement when the pages flip quickly.

Make It


3D pen art: Green string sculpture in hand.
Bookshelf Doodling

Bring storybook characters to life! Use a favorite book from home or check out new books at a local library. Once you’ve settled on your favorite, we’ll teach you how to take any picture book and create a stencil for doodling!

Try It

Share your library discoveries with us or your new 3Doodler projects by tagging @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

Finding Inspiration Through Street Art, 3D Glasses, and a Mexican Artist

Street art is created in public locations and is usually unsanctioned. Still, it covers a wide range of media and is generally more connected with graphic design than graffiti art, according to Tate.

3Doodler took inspiration from this art form in our latest collaboration with artist Ricardo Martinez. Creating this street art design, Ricardo took inspiration from 3D glasses, engraving, and a late Mexican artist.

3D Glasses & Pop-Culture

Ricardo admits that inspiration for his latest piece initially took a lot of work to find. Although the ideas were there, they took time to coalesce into a design.

“I knew I wanted to create an anaglyph. I kept thinking about 3D glasses that had one red and one blue lens,” said Ricardo. “The images were layers and when you viewed them through the glasses, your perception would change making the image pop off the page or the screen.”

Joseph D’Almeida experimented with anaglyphs, a Greek term meaning again and sculpture, in the 1850s and is often credited with inventing a new way to view 3D. Anaglyph uses a motion or still picture in which two composite images, usually one red and one blue, are superposed one over the other to produce a three-dimensional effect when viewed through correspondingly colored glasses.

The Power of Love, released in 1922, was the first movie to use anaglyph technology and require the audience to wear 3D glasses. It grew in popularity, and more films were released in the 1950s. One of the more well-known films of the time was Creature From The Black Lagoon in 1954.

A more current example of the technique that Ricardo referenced is this Daily Motion video that shows street mural art with two designs in one, depending on how you view it.


3D drawing: Man with bow & arrow

Late Mexican Artist Inspires Modern Design

Despite having chosen his technique, Ricardo struggled to find inspiration for the piece itself. As he attempted different designs, nothing looked quite right. Ricardo wanted to create a transparent image with plexiglass panels. He started with a heart, but the idea refused to take shape.

Ricardo looked for a piece of art or another idea to inspire his design. He decided to focus on a Mexican artist he greatly admired, Saturino Herrán. Born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, on July 9, 1887, Herrán attended the Academy of San Carlos in 1904. His artistic career flourished from 1912-1914, inspiring the Mexican modernist movement.

“I’ve always admired Herran’s figurative art,” said Ricardo. “He is not really well known and I wanted to pay tribute to him using new technology. It felt especially powerful given I’m working with a drawing that is easily 100 years old and reviving it in a modern way.”

The work that inspired Ricardo is an unnamed illustration that Herran drew for Pegaso magazine in 1917. Herrán’s more famous works include Our Ancient Gods, which celebrates the strength, dignity, and beauty of the indigenous people who are part of Mexico’s history. Through this painting and several others, Herrán established himself as a champion of indigenismo, a movement to elevate and show respect for Indigenous people and their culture.


  • Creating 3D art with a 3D pen on paper
  • Grass 3D pen art: Fake animals in vibrant display
  • 3D drawing: Woman with bow
  • 3D pen art: woman picture on wall
  • 3D pen artist sketching by window with knife

Creating Street Art

Now that Ricardo had his idea for the drawing and the technique he would use, he was ready to create. First, Ricardo would trace the sketch and then use his artistic design elements to fill in the back of the portrait.

“What many people don’t realize is that with a 3Doodler 3D pen, you don’t have to be a great artist or designer to create something beautiful,” said Ricardo. “You can find inspiration in drawing or sketches you see and use a DoodlePad to trace them and create art.”

The bright pink and blue palettes he used were classic street art shades. The final design is something that Ricardo is pleased to share.

“When you have an idea, you should see it through to the end. As I was working on this piece, I wasn’t happy with it at all. I even stopped at one point as it just wasn’t making sense,” said Ricardo. “Seeing it through to the end paid off as I was able to realize my initial vision.”

Ricardo’s advice to other artists is to stick with it.

“Even if the skills aren’t there, you can trace. Do whatever you can to produce something and your own style will start to emerge as you put pen to paper,” said Ricardo.

Test Ricardo’s latest techniques and share your 3D art by tagging @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate!

Upcycling for Earth Day!

Explore Earth Month projects and learn inventive techniques to maximize your creativity while keeping your environmental impact low by reusing everyday items.

We’re sharing how creators celebrate the planet by upcycling everyday materials to create impactful art. Turn ordinary objects and things around the house into cool, one-of-a-kind creations with 3Doodler project ideas.

Working for the Environment

The celebration of Earth Day began in April 1970 to push the federal government to tackle environmental issues. The response from the public was overwhelming, and in just a few short months, Congress authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA serves a vital mission to protect human health and the environment. The agency does so by developing and enforcing regulations, giving grants, conducting research, creating partnerships, and educating people about the environment.

In seeking to educate the public, the EPA provides several resources for teachers and students to explore. For example, there are tips on conserving energy at home, becoming a food waste warrior, understanding our connection to groundwater, or even making a disaster readiness plan.

These resources are a fantastic way to bring environmental issues to the forefront and bring about change.

Repurpose & Reuse Everyday Items

3Doodler is committed to inspiring creativity while working with the environment, not against it. Our plastics promise outlines our work to ensure our plastics are completely safe to use. 3Doodler Start+ plastics are eco-friendly, and ALL of our plastics are certified as recyclable.

Now that you know the materials you’re using are safe for you and the environment, let’s get doodling. This round-up of projects encourages you to reuse or repurpose things around you as you create in 3D.


Flower pot with flowers - 3D pen art

Give New Life To An Old Planter

Plants and greenery are a natural way to contribute to environmental efforts. Adding them to your home can add a beautiful natural element. Pick up an old pot or vase and give it new life with a 3D design. Add simple flowers along the outside or trim with polka dots, vines, or other creative symbols. It’s a wonderful opportunity to refresh an older item for a new use!

Repurpose a Pot



Table with two 3D pen art baseball hats

Turn Cardboard Scraps Into Speaker

Cardboard is an amazing material to work with to augment your 3D creations. It’s recycling in action. Find a few pieces of cardboard and make a DIY phone speaker that rocks. Use your 3D pen to add details to the speaker in colors that complement your space. It’s a unique way to reuse cardboard and amplify the music on your phone. Time to turn up the volume!

Make a Speaker


Small blue flower on green leaf - 3D pen art

Transform Leftover Plastic

Collect doodled scraps as you create and learn to make new art with a few quick tips. From coasters to bowls and other eye-catching creations, there’s no end to what you can come up with using your plastic scraps. It’s a fantastic way to make the most of all your plastic. Play with different color combinations for your own truly unique recycled creations!

Create Beautiful Decor

Share your creations with us and tell us how you participate in Earth Month by tagging @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate!

Gear Up for Major League Baseball’s Opening Day

Baseball teams are returning to parks across the country, preparing for 2023 Opening Day on Thursday, March 30, 2023.

All 30 teams will play in 15 games which will be the first time since 1968 that every Major League Baseball team starts the season on the same day!

Opening Day will mark the start of the 162-game regular season played over 213 days. So as you’re preparing to root for the home team, grab your 3D pen and doodle a team baseball hat!

America’s National Pastime

The National Baseball Hall of Fame explains that while Abner Doubleday – a decorated Union Army officer who fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter at the start of the Civil War and later served at the Battle of Gettysburg – is credited with inventing baseball in 1839 in Cooperstown, NY, there is still debate about the origins of the game.

Regardless of how baseball started, it evolved with the country and became known as America’s national pastime by the last half of the 19th century. Through the years, baseball played a role in the two world wars, civil rights, equal access and opportunity on and off the playing field, and much more, as described in the book Baseball: The National Pastime in the National Archives.

Even if you can’t travel to Cooperstown, you can explore the sport’s rich history through several online exhibits. Check them out and understand more about the players, the uniforms, and critical events in American history!

Swing, batter, batter!

Babe Ruth Batting, courtesy of New York World-Telegram. Babe Ruth Batting, courtesy of New York World-Telegram.

Baseball began as an amateur sport. The first known professional team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who played their first game in 1869 as members. The Reds recruited cricket players and developed their skills to become one of the more successful National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) teams. As competition heated up, baseball clubs were in a hurry to attract the most valuable players. From there, clubs and teams evolved quickly.

By 1870, the cost of employing professional ballplayers became challenging. As a result, the Cincinnati club’s board elected to refrain from fielding a team for 1871. Instead, many of the players left Cincinnati for Boston. They formed the Boston Red Stockings, who went on to win four straight league championships (1872-1875) before becoming part of the National League. Today the franchise is known as the Atlanta Braves.

The New York Yankees started in 1903 as the New York Highlanders. The Yankees have won 27 World Series titles and 40 American League pennants. However, the team wasn’t always this successful. Their stroke of luck came when they acquired Babe Ruth in 1920 from the Boston Red Sox.

The history of the sport is long and storied. Explore the origins of your hometown team — you might be surprised by what you learn.

Seventh-Inning Stretch

Table with 3D pen art: 2 baseball hats.

Cheer on your favorite team and take a creativity break by making a custom baseball hat. So naturally, with 3Doodler based in New York City, we created a Yankee’s hat and a Mets’ hat using the 3Doodler Start+ and Create+ 3D pens.

With a few simple tips, a 3D pen, plastic, and our free stencil, you’ll be on your way to creating baseball hats for all the MLB fans.

Use your DIY baseball hats as decor for an office or bedroom shelf or perhaps as a cake or cupcake topper. 3Doodler’s tutorial and stencil library is full of fantastic sporty designs from soccer to football or basketball. The choice is yours!

Make a Baseball Hat

Share your thoughts about America’s favorite pastime along with your doodled baseball hat by tagging @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate!

Experiment with Color: Viva Magenta

Creators use colors in unique and exciting ways to draw attention and spark conversation. The Pantone Color Institute announces a color of the year to inspire the design community and open a dialogue about color.

Viva Magenta, the 2023 color of the year, is a dynamic, vibrant hue that exudes joy and optimism. Explore the shade and grab your 3Doodler 3D pen to experiment with a bright, futuristic color palette.


Pantone Pantone

Color of the Year

Pantone began featuring the color of the year in 1999. New colors are announced in early December for the subsequent year. In choosing the color of the year, a group of collaborators and designers take input from various sources, including entertainment, fashion, travel destinations, new technologies, social media, and even sporting events that attract worldwide attention.

In addition, the team considered the public appreciation of nature represented by lifestyle trends, such as bringing natural elements into our homes, at work, and creating vital outdoor spaces. The color choice also reflects a celebratory atmosphere and our renewed enjoyment of traveling, sporting events, and other outdoor activities.

According to Pantone, Viva Magenta’s organic origins hail from the cochineal beetle. The insect produces cochineal extract and carmine. For centuries, the substances colored food, textiles, and even cosmetics.

Viva Magenta is a bright, celebratory color that connects us to nature. Colors like this inspire the imagination and help bring ideas to life. The color of the year typically influences fashion, beauty, interior design, and graphic design.

Spark Bright Ideas

Heart charm bracelet with 3d pen art

Exploring the uses of color and testing new techniques is all part of the design process. This week we’re sharing a gorgeous charm bracelet in bright pink to reflect the color of the year. Make the bracelet and add a selection of charms that reflect your personality.

Charm bracelets have evolved but always stay in style, given their versatility. Test out different colors and make a monochromatic style with all pink, or design the bracelet in one color and charms in other shades to make them pop.

Create one for yourself or gift one to a friend or family member. Follow the tutorial to see how easy it can be to create in 3D!

See the Tutorial

Share your creations with us and tell us how you are experimenting with color in your 3D designs — @3Doodler or tag #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate!

Quick Tips to Support Social-Emotional Learning

A little time goes a long way to make social-emotional learning strategies stick!

Students benefit when they learn to manage their emotions, set and achieve goals, feel and show empathy for others, and create strong relationships.

As adults, we use these skills daily, so it makes sense to give students a chance to test their social-emotional strategies during the school day. And best of all, it’s often more manageable than it seems to incorporate a few social-emotional learning opportunities into a traditional lesson. Best of all, students walk away with more than just a good grade but tips they can use for life.

National SEL Week — March 6-10

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) offers comprehensive educational resources and research to support students, teachers, and parents.

CASEL recommends three daily practices that help support students in their SEL growth. The signature practices are very straightforward and include the following:

Three Daily SEL Practices:
  • Welcome Inclusion Activity – Builds community to tackle the word ahead. Examples include whole group meetings, morning circles, and peer-to-peer work.

  • Engaging Strategies – Offering interactive and reflective moments. Examples include partner discussions, private think time, or brain breaks.

  • Optimistic Closure – Highlights a sense of accomplishment and supports forward thinking. Examples include a one-minute accolade or a shared takeaway.


Test out these social and emotional learning tips in recognition of National SEL Week from March 6-10, 2023. The week will culminate with SEL Day on Friday, March 10, to showcase these tools’ powerful impact in uplifting hearts and connecting minds — the theme for this year’s week of activities.

Doodling Activities to Support SEL

It’s easy to see how working in 3D could be leveraged to support CASEL’s three daily practices in unique and creative ways. For example, a class could work together on a large 3D printing project as a welcome activity, or students could create individual items to share with a larger group in a morning circle activity. Doodling also provides a fun outlet for students to enjoy while using interactive and reflective moments or even acting as a brain break. Lastly, it’s fantastic to wrap up a lesson, like the ones featured below, with a key takeaway or accomplishment.

This week, explore the following lessons and recognize the value of social and emotional learning!

Grade K-2: Stone Soup

3D pen art: Small chocolate fish on K2 DoodleStoneSoup main.

Stone Soup is a classic children’s story in which a hungry stranger convinces people in a small village to contribute food to make a meal everyone enjoys and serves a moral regarding the value of sharing.

The class will hear the original tale and learn about the value of working together. Then, students will be able to create their own doodled stones using the chosen nouns. Working with a partner, they will create four different story stones. Finally, students will use their story stones as writing prompts, incorporating them into a simple story with a beginning, middle, and end.

Get the Lesson


Grade 3-5: Puppets and Props Story Retelling

Hand holding cat puppet, 3D pen art

In small groups, students will enact a scene from a book with the class. But, with a unique twist, they will create and use doodled finger puppets to share their story with the class. Retelling a story is a fantastic way to build language, speaking, and listening skills. Plus, working together and having an opportunity to design with a 3D pen offers a creative outlet that students will enjoy. The final puppet shows will reflect an understanding of story structure, sequence, and reading comprehension.

Get the Lesson


Grade 6-8: 3Doodler Stop Motion

Close-up of yarn 3D pen toy figure.

Stop-motion animation is a fantastic way to teach students about story structure, think creatively, and work together on communication and teamwork skills. Students will work in pairs or small groups to identify fictional themes in this activity. Next, they will choose a scene representing the theme and doodle their characters and props in 3D. Once ready, they will enact the scene and create a stop-motion animation. The experience will help students build confidence and share their ideas as they work with their peers.

Get the Lesson

National SEL Week is an opportunity to recognize the value of social-emotional learning and find ways to incorporate it into your day. Tell us how your classroom incorporates SEL and tag us @3Doodler #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

March is Youth Art Month

Youth Art Month celebrates the visual arts each March with student exhibitions, public artworks, art festivals, and school events.

Established in 1961 by the Art & Creative Materials Institute (ACMI), the creators sought to emphasize the value children derive from art education. Today Youth Art Month is coordinated nationally by the Council for Art Education (CFAE).

3Doodler is delighted to support the visual arts and inspire young creators to use their imagination and bring their ideas to life. Explore Youth Art Month activities and learn how to engage with 3Doodler’s community to celebrate the visual arts!


New York Youth Art Month Poster New York Youth Art Month Poster

Your Art, Your Voice

This year participants will recognize the month through the theme “Your Art, Your Voice.” In addition, participating states host various activities, from a state flag design contest, local and state Youth Art Month proclamations, and art shows at state capitals and legislative buildings.

The celebration is intended to bring attention to visual art’s value in developing critical thinking skills, raising multicultural awareness, and encouraging technical, communication, and expression skills.

The Texas Art Education Association kicks off Youth Art Month with a Big Art Day, where grades K-12 participate in art events across the state. Big Art Day will take place on March 2, 2023, featuring 1,000 art activities.

In Illinois, students participate in a statewide art show hosted by the Illinois Art Education Association. The submissions are reviewed by a panel of judges who select 45 participants to feature in a statewide slide show that travels across the state.

Visit the Council for Art Education to learn more about Youth Art Month events and activities in your state.

Inspiring Young Artists

3Doodler looks to inspire young artists in the classroom and at home through lessons, projects, stencils, tutorials, and more. All these resources are readily available in the 3Doodler resource library and the 3Doodler App.

The 3Doodler App is a great way to encourage budding artists to expand their ability to draw and create in 3D. Through the app, young artists will find stencils, tutorials, and other art prompts to jumpstart their creativity. Plus, they can share their latest doodle creations with the community via an online gallery. The photos featured are from Doodlers like you. In addition, fellow artists can comment on shared designs and offer support. It’s a fantastic way to build community and celebrate art.

Explore Your Creativity

Get started by creating one of the following projects to celebrate Youth Art Month!

Collage Display

Small 3D pen art - bulletin board with photos and phone.
Create a wall display for some of your favorite artwork. Hang it in your room or a common area in your home to celebrate artistic expression all year!

Get Started


Action Figure

Black bug with yellow and red wings on white surface 3d pen art
Design and personalize your action figure to represent your art and your voice. Use our stencil to start with the basic shape and add details all your own!

Get Started


Keepsake Box

3Doodler creates blue pattern on small wooden ring box
Personalize a box for one-of-a-kind keepsakes, jewelry, or other items you want to keep safe. Follow our pattern using your favorite colors, or create a unique design!

Get Started

We’re excited to see what you create during Youth Art Month. Use our project ideas or create free-hand to share your art in your voice. Share your projects with @3Doodler or tag #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate!

Artist Spotlight: Cornelia Kuglmeier

Cornelia Kuglmeier is an amazing 3D pen artist and educator whose talent and techniques are some of the most creative and unusual.

She’s a highly knowledgeable 3D pen art community member who shares her doodling tips freely. Connie’s design approach turns fantasy into reality. You’ve no doubt seen some of her incredible Doodles on our Instagram. In addition to the content she posts on her Instagram, she’s also shared some incredibly detailed and helpful tutorials on her YouTube channel that explore creative tips and tricks to test out with a 3D pen.

This week we’ve partnered with Connie to reimagine the Pisces symbol from an artist’s perspective. Learn how she designed the piece and explore her 3D pen art tips and tricks!

Finding Creative Freedom

As Connie explains it, designing in 3D offers her artistic freedom. She can create anything she can dream up. And, if she’s working on a project and doesn’t care for something or is struggling to get the exact look she wants, she finds the plastic is easy to heat and remove to remold.

“Creating in 3D gives me infinite freedom. There’s just no limit,” said Connie. “You can draw lines into thin air if you like drawing, you can design pieces flat and assemble them if you’re into modeling and architecture, you can mix techniques, you can bend the plastic pieces with hot air, you can smudge the plastic with your pen’s nozzle, or you can bake and melt it into sheets. The creative possibilities are endless.”

Connie also likes to see where the process takes her. While designing, she never knows what might happen. So she takes every opportunity to try a new idea or test a new technique.

“I look forward to seeing where the experience will take me, and what I’ll discover next,” said Connie. “I love to delve into small things, try not to overlook things, and create pieces that give my audience many things to discover.”

  • 3D dog drawings on two paper pieces
  • Purple flower on paper with 3D fish and man
  • 3Doodler art: Fish, purple/yellow flowers, ruler
  • Colorful fish design created with 3D pen
  • 3D pen art: Paper plate with red and green flower

Pisces Design Inspiration

Connie doesn’t follow zodiac signs closely, but she enjoys reading her horoscope from time to time. She’s an Aries and enjoys reading about the traits related to her sign to see if any match her personality, and some do.

“When I began working on the pisces piece, I looked up the astronomical sign and when I saw it was a fish I immediately had something colorful in mind,” said Connie. “I envisioned a fish with long fins, to show the floating, waving, weightlessness of those animals. I imagined them swimming in the air just like they do under water.”

Connie thought about using a coy or betta fish. When she was younger, she had a betta fish and was already familiar with it. Bettas also have long fins and come in a wide variety of colors. Connie knew she had a winner!

Aspiring Doodlers Take Note

Connie is a phenomenal 3D artist whose techniques and creativity inspire a community of Doodlers. Her suggestions for anyone looking to gain skills with a 3D pen are pretty simple.

“Work with the 3D pen. Seriously, if you browse my Instagram, I posted one of my first creations there, said Connie. “It was a clumsy little birdie, made with the first 3Doodler 3D pen. I was so extremely proud of it that day.”

Connie explains that working with hot plastic and getting a feel for a 3D pen can be daunting. But, the more you work with it, the less afraid you will be about what could go wrong and the more intrigued you become to see what more you can do. She recommends starting small by picking something simple or something you can try to recreate.

“It’s really important to use the 3D pen,” said Connie. “The more you use it, the more comfortable you are with its shape in your hand, the way it functions, the plastic and different filaments. You’ll gradually find the technique that suits you best.”

Once you become comfortable with the pen, Connie recommends trying the nozzle set. She used it for this project to create the fins and scales. Next, she attached the scales by melting them onto the body with the hot pen tip.

“For these fish, I used the angled nozzle to draw those ultra-thin, almost see-through fins, and the shiny scales,” said Connie. “The nozzle set is a great way to spice up your projects, if you find yourself looking for something new!”

As far as what to expect next from Connie, she’s happiest when experimenting and learning something new. In addition, she enjoys creating hyper-realistic pieces, like giant butterflies, and makes a nice piece of fan art now and then.

“Currently, I am working on detailed, monochrome pieces,” said Connie. “I’m mixing plants with animal traits and supersizing small things. My artistic style is always evolving as I learn new things.”

  • Colorful paper flowers on a 3D pen drawing board, fish 7.
  • Red and green fish 3D pen art on white surface

More artist features coming up. We can’t wait to see what you create with all these fantastic tips. Share your creations with us on Instagram or tag #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

Artist Spotlight: Ricardo Martinez

3Doodler is delighted to work with a range of artists this year to invite curiosity and spark the imagination as we design and create in 3D.

Each month, the 3Doodler team shares ideas and tutorials to help kick-start the design process. We were curious to see what our artist community would create with the same inspiration.

Last week, we explored the artistry of ice castles. 3Doodler shared a version that is easy to replicate with our free stencil and tutorial. This week, guest artist Ricardo Martinez (riikc) shared his version of an ice castle. See where he found his inspiration and how the sculpture came together.

Creating with riikc

Ricardo is a sculpture artist, painter, and photographer who explores a variety of materials and techniques in his work. Ricardo has extensive experience creating art with 3D pens and often shares his approach with the 3Doodler community.

Ricardo’s latest installation, Memento Vivere, gained worldwide attention as an interactive multi-disciplinary project using light, technology, and science to express an idea. This larger-than-life exhibit consists of a series of electroluminescent cables arranged in a skull structure that Ricardo designed with a 3D pen. The sectors of the installation light up as people interact with the display.

Ricardo lives in Brussels and travels extensively. He takes inspiration from nature, landscapes, geography, architecture, and much more. We were delighted to connect with him about his experience creating an ice castle in 3D.


  • 3D pen art: Large white castle with clock on top
  • White lace castle sculpture in 3D pen art.
  • 3D pen art: Castle with glass sculpture and bird
  • 3D pen art: Ice and rope sculpture on table - Castle 1

3D Design Approach

Ricardo had an idea for this design and took inspiration from fantasy video games he’s played over the years, like Final Fantasy. From his home in Brussels, he looks at a large church with a castle-like appearance and eight pillars. Mixing these concepts, he began to sketch the design on paper.

“It seems like a different part of your brain kicks in and starts working as you start building,” said Ricardo. “The design evolves as you go. The castle resembles the sketch but evolved as I sculpted it in 3D.”

Ricardo used existing shapes to begin the sculpture and found it easy to keep adding material to get the form he wanted for the design. For example, he used a glass cylinder to create the pillars’ base. He could continue this process to get the length he wanted for the towers.

To design the castle, Ricardo used the 3Doodler PRO+ 3D pen and PLA, nylon, wood, and bronze filament.

“I love the smell of the wood while I’m creating. It makes me feel like I’m in a woodshop,” said Ricardo. “For this design, the wood and bronze add texture and stand in contrast to the rest of the design, which is the effect I was hoping to achieve.”

Advice for the Community

Ricardo is an experienced artist who shares his success tips freely to encourage others to pick up a pen, paintbrush, or other tool and begin creating.

“It’s important to share that you don’t need to create shapes out of thin air,” said Ricardo. “I recommend starting by using existing shapes. Then, you can find inspiration and doodle anything with objects around you.”

For new 3D pen artists, Ricardo recommends starting with a speed setting of three and gradually working up to faster settings. In this design, Ricardo found he could work effectively with a speed setting of seven or nine.

“I was impressed with the speed settings on the pen. It’s incredible how adjusting those settings can change things and make the experience much more enjoyable, given how quickly you can cover a large surface,” said Ricardo. “The PRO+ pen is much more comfortable and easier to use over long periods.”

Ricardo notes that the PRO+ makes it easier to swap materials and see what’s happening, which saves a great deal of time. He was especially pleased with how the wood detail came out on the ice castle and enjoyed adding contrast with different materials.

When working in bronze, Ricardo recommends keeping a bit of distance from the tip to the surface as the material smudges easily.

“Working in 3D evolves whatever idea you think you have, and it goes into many different directions that you can’t experience with just 2D drawing. It opens your mind to new possibilities and thinking in ways you’ve never thought before,” said Ricardo.

It’s incredible to see creators at work and watch designs come to life in 3D. Expect more artist and creator collaborations in the months ahead. Share your ideas with us. What would you like to see 3Doodler and our collaborators create? Tag 3Doodler or use #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

A Winter Wonderland: 3D Ice Castle

Ice sculptures, castles, and palaces are wonderfully artistic and inspire the imagination just as the temperatures begin to drop.

3Doodler took inspiration from the wintry weather and the long history of icy architecture to create a stunning 3D ice castle. See where we found our inspiration and design an ice castle with our latest stencil!

Ice-Inspired Architecture

Ice castles and palaces have popped up in all sorts of cold-weather locations around the world, from Montreal to Switzerland and even St. Paul.

Montreal has a long history of ice castle creations. Before modern technology, people cut ice blocks from the frozen St. Lawrence river. Montreal’s first ice palace was designed for the Winter Carnival of 1884. In addition to the ice palace, the Winter Carnival featured snowshoe races, toboggan slides, and sleigh rides.

Seeking to attract tourists and following Montreals’ lead, organizers in St. Paul, Minnesota, built an ice castle in 1885. In fact, the city has created 37 ice palaces of all different shapes and sizes to date. Today, the ice palaces appear less frequently. In fact, they are often organized to coincide with significant events, like the Super Bowl in 2018. The city of St. Paul features a video explaining how the project came together with a stunning result.

The Jungfraujoch Ice Palace penguin sculptures. The Jungfraujoch Ice Palace penguin sculptures.

In the 1930s, mountain guides in Switzerland carved corridors and hallways with picks and saws in the center of the Jungfraujoch Ice Palace. Today, artists continue to astound visitors with eagles, bears, and penguins carved in ice. Beautiful as it may be, bundle up if you plan to visit. The temperature is a frosty -3 degrees celsius.

Designing an Ice Castle in 3D

The 3Doodler team took inspiration from traditional ice castles created with blocks of ice and more modern interpretations, like the ice palace from Disney’s Frozen. The 3Doodler ice castle stencil offers a series of easily made shapes. You can create a small or large castle by attaching the pieces together.

In the 3Doodler version, we used four large sides, two medium sides, and two small sides. Attaching these shapes together, we created alternating sides for the ice castle. If you wanted to create a larger castle, you could continue to make the side shapes to build out the castle design. Follow the process step-by-step in the ice castle tutorial.

Stay tuned for more ice-inspired designs by a guest artist. The possibilities are endless. Share your designs with us by tagging #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The civil rights movement was a fight for equality for African Americans under the law in the United States. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the movement along with other civil rights activists in the 1950s and 1960s.

Revisit the history of the moment and engage students in an important classroom discussion about the work of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders. As you explore historic events, consider creating the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, which was the site of the Selma-Montgomery March in 1965.


Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks at the 1955 bus boycott. (National Archives) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks at the 1955 bus boycott. (National Archives)

Civil Rights Movement

Slavery was abolished at the end of the Civil War, but it didn’t end discrimination against Black people in the United States. The fight for equality would begin in earnest in the mid-20th century and continue for the next two decades.

After reconstruction, the South implemented a series of “Jim Crow” laws to erase gains made after the Civil War. The laws restricted voting rights for African Americans, banned interracial relationships and allowed businesses to separate clientele based on race.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white male passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Police arrested Parks, and word of her situation spread quickly, igniting a series of protests. As a result of her act, Parks is known as the “mother of the modern-day civil rights movement.”


Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the March on Washington. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the March on Washington.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In response to Parks’ arrest, Black community leaders in Alabama formed the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the MIA, a role that put him front and center in the fight for civil rights.

Through King’s leadership, the African American community experienced more progress toward racial equality in 13 years than in the past 350 years. Dr. King took inspiration from his faith and the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi to lead a nonviolent resistance that included protests, grassroots organizing, and civil unrest.

King was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957 to provide organizational leadership to the civil rights movement. In 1963, he led a coalition of groups in nonviolent protest in Birmingham, Alabama. The brutality that ensued by the city’s police force led to national outrage. Later that same year, King led the March on Washington, where he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech to an audience of a quarter-million people.

King became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at 35. Also, in 1964, due in part to the March on Washington, Congress passed a landmark Civil Rights Act ending legal racial segregation in the U.S. Congress passed the Voting Rights Act a year later, in 1965, a result of the Selma to Montgomery, AL March for Voting Rights.


The Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. The Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

Relive a Moment in History: Selma to Montgomery

In January 1965, Dr. King led a coalition of activist groups to call for voting rights in Selma, Alabama, where despite repeated attempts, only two percent of Black voters were registered. The campaign saw mass arrests but little violence until February. Then, in Marion, Alabama, state troopers joined local police to break up a march. A state trooper shot a protester who later died from his wounds.

In response to the death, activists set out to march from Selma to Montgomery. While Dr. King was in Atlanta, Hosea Willams and John Lewis led the march. The marchers made their way through Selma across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. A blockade of state troopers and law enforcement officers ordered the marchers to disperse. When they refused, the troopers attacked the crowd with clubs and tear gas. Television coverage of the event, “Bloody Sunday,” as it became known, sparked national outrage.

On March 21-25, 1965, Dr. King participated in a federally sanctioned march from Selma to the steps of the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 with Dr. King and other civil rights leaders on August 6, 1965.

Make a bridge through history by recreating the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 3D. It’s an opportunity to learn from events of the past and understand the legacy of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders. The 3Doodler tutorial and stencil provides a straight-forward way to recreate this historic bridge.

Share your experience with us and tag @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate on social.

 

Celebrating Creators, Makers, Artists

3Doodler is kicking off 2023 by celebrating our community of creators, makers, and artists. Over the years, a highlight of our work is to share 3D printing ideas and art that comes directly from you.

As we head into a new year, 3Doodler will look to collaborate with artists, educators, and entrepreneurs to explore ways we elevate creativity. But, of course, it’s also important to inspire new creators. With that in mind, we’ll share accessible stencils, tutorials, and more to support budding artists.

Let’s take a quick look back to revisit the projects and artists who inspired you the most. Plus, we’ll share a quick project to jump-start creativity in 2023.

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for."-Georgia O'Keeffe Share

Dina Velikovskaya

Two men standing by tree with rope - creative 3D pen drawing.
Dina is an animation artist and director who produced “Ties,” an animated short film that debuted in 2019. The film, released to the public in 2022, explores the connection between parents and their children. A young woman leaves home to see the world. Her parents are left behind, and their world changes without her.

Dina also shared a behind-the-scenes look at creating the film using a 3D pen. First, all the characters were created using a 2d digital drawn animation technique and then outlined with a 3D pen. The result was sets of flat plastic figures. Next, the director filmed the figures frame by frame in a stop-motion set, along with wire objects.

Rick Martinez

Man sculpting human head with 3D pen art
Rick works in sculpture, painting, and photography and frequently shares his insights on working in 3D. Rick’s latest installation, titled “Memento Vivere,” gained worldwide attention as an interactive multi-disciplinary project that uses light, technology, and science to express an idea. This larger-than-life exhibit consists of a series of electroluminescent cables arranged in a skull structure that Rick designed with a 3D pen. The sectors of the installation light up as people interact with the display.

Rick continues to push the boundaries of art and technology with his creative use of materials. Keep an eye out for a 3Doodler collaboration with Rick later this month!

Cornelia Kuglmeier

3D pen art: Snowflake, dragonfly, and flower on white surface

Connie is a 3D pen artist who shares her passion for 3D art and tips of the trade freely with the community. She is constantly exploring new creative techniques with outstanding results. Her work has been featured often with the 3Doodler community to provide insight and guidance on using a 3D pen to its full potential. For example, we recently shared Connie’s tips for achieving the perfect petal. To see her mastery of 3D application, look no further than a multidimensional snowflake. The use of color, layering, and overall technique are incredible.

See more of Connie’s helpful tips and tutorials on her YouTube channel, where she shares loads of doodling advice.

Edwin Ramirez

Blue sea creature sculpture with fish, 3D pen art

Edwin is a multimedia artist who shares incredible wearable 3D creations. Each is a delicate piece of art, from jewelry to theatrical masks and other accessories. Edwin exhibited at a range of galleries in Kentucky, including recent shows at Kore Gallery (“The Education of Desire” and “Unknowns: Artists you Should Know”), as well as part of the ongoing traveling exhibition “Our Kentucky Home: Hispanic/Latin American art in the Commonwealth” curated by The Kentucky Arts Council. Musicians, models, and entomologists have all worn his designs. It is a delight to see his creations take form in 3D. Be sure to explore more of his work in the year ahead!

Spark Creativity in 2023

Now that you’ve seen a small sample of our vibrant community, we invite you to make this your year of 3D creativity. Get started by creating a custom work of art for home using our go-to phrase. What will you create?

Get the Stencil


Doodling a quote on canvas with a 3D pen art

We want to hear from you. How can we support you in your 3D journey? What tools and tips do you need to kick off a year of creativity? Tell us. Tag #3Doodler.

New Year’s Eve Party Ideas

Ready to celebrate the start of a new year? We’ve rounded up a bunch of creative ideas to make party planning fun and easy with party props everyone will enjoy.

Gather a group of family or friends to reflect on the year and gear up to make new memories in 2023. It’s always an excellent way to close out one year and start another. Depending on the size of the group, you can make a few fun props to share or customize one for each guest. Ring in the new year in style with 3D creations. Let’s go!

Party Hat

3D pen art: 3 ice cream cones with colorful toppings on white surface.

Party hats create a celebratory mood and a festive way to set the scene! Find ways to upcycle party hats with a few creative tips from 3Doodler. Adding a dash of 3D design is a surefire way to make designs pop. Attach it to a headband or use it as a classic party hat. The choice is yours!

Make a Party Hat


Photo Booth Props

Vibrant 3D pen power lines in the sky

Get together and make memories with silly photos and photo booth props. Consider custom colors to match the theme of your party. These classic designs include word bubbles, glasses, a hat, and a tie. Make one or all!

Create Photo Props


Goofy Glasses

Patterned glasses, 3D pen art

The 3Doodler library is full of crafty glasses from retro to classic styles. We chose this pair of party glasses that are sure to spark a conversation. Custom colors will make these shades pop. Inspire friends with your creativity!

Create Glasses


Cupcake Toppers

3D pen art: Cupcakes with chocolate frosting and decorations

Dessert is on the menu with fun cake or cupcake toppers featuring New Year’s Eve designs. Balloons, fireworks, champagne flutes, and a champagne bottle are the perfect decoration for tasty cupcakes. These are super simple to make and add a dash of sparkle as you ring in the new year!

Create Glasses



The 3Doodler team wishes our community of creators a happy, healthy, and exciting start to 2023. Share your party designs with us @3Doodler or tag #3Doodler and #WhatWillYouCreate.

 

Gnome for the Holidays

Holiday Gnomes have popped up on everything from napkins and tablecloths to paintings, pillows, and free-standing festive decor. We couldn’t help but ask ourselves how this curious creature became a holiday staple.

Gnomes have been around for ages and feature prominently in many cultures in Northern Europe. So naturally, once we learned more, we had to take a turn at crafting one in 3D!

Scandinavian Folklore

Gnomes trace back to the Nordic regions of Scandinavia, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. Folklore suggests that gnomes, elves, and fairies have been part of mythology since the 1400s. Legends about gnomes were shared from the mountains of Switzerland and forests of Germany to the fjords in Norway.

Gnomes were described as mythical creatures who lived underground or as part of the earth. Many tales explained the nature of their magical powers. Given their connection to the land, gnomes positively impacted the natural world and made farms more productive. They worked their magic at night and turned to stone during the day, which explains how they quickly became garden gnomes.

It’s not clear how gnomes have so quickly become part of the winter holiday season, but many believe it’s their resemblance to Santa Claus. Their pointy hats, beards, bellies, and friendly nature encouraged the idea. Plus, gnomes, like elves, have been known to bestow gifts. Whatever the reason, holiday gnomes are here to stay.

The Myth Meets Pop Culture

Gnome sitting on red boat with umbrella - 3D pen art
Gnomes appear in literature, films, board games, and more. More recent depictions of gnomes include movies like “Amelie” (2001), “Gnomeo & Juliet” (2011), “Sherlock Gnomes” (2018) “Gnome Alone” (2018). In these fun flicks, gnomes appear as plot enhancers or as protagonists. In addition, Travelocity’s advertising campaign prominently features a gnome complete with its own Twitter handle.

Following the trend, 3Doodler offered a garden gnome kit that included a canvas gnome shape that creators could doodle on and customize with their choice of colors and textures. The recent popularity of these whimsical winter characters inspired our latest Doodle — a holiday gnome.

All you need to get started is a 3Doodler Start+ 3D printing pen, eco-friendly plastic, a DoodlePad, and the 3Doodler stencil. Follow our tutorial for step-by-step instructions to make this fun holiday gnome. We were tempted to change up the colors, but kept it classic for the holidays. Go ahead and change it up, using different colors for the hat, beard, and legs.


We can’t wait to see what you design. Share your creations with us @3Doodler or use tags #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

The Nutcracker Comes to Life in 3D

The Nutcracker is a timeless holiday fairytale ballet that mesmerizes audiences with beautiful music, an enchanting story, and colorful costumes.

However, the first performances of the Nutcracker were not well-received by audiences and even the composer, Tchaikovsky, found it lacking. Travel back in time and see how this ballet made its way to becoming a holiday classic and bring your own Nutcracker to life with a 3D printing pen and filament.

The original ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. Credit: Corbis/Bojan Brecelj The original ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. Credit: Corbis/Bojan Brecelj

Book to Ballet: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

E.T.A Hoffmann is the author of “Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” which was later adapted by the French writer Alexandre Dumas to become the tale as we know it today. Hoffman’s story centered around a little girl, Marie, and her Christmas toys. Marie frets over a beautiful toy nutcracker that broke. As she goes to check on it late one night, she finds the nutcracker has come to life. And, so begins a story within a story of armies of mice and toy soldiers.

Alexandre Dumas made the original version lighter and less scary. Dumas changed Marie’s name to Klara and her visions became sweeter and more childlike. Her family was not as harsh and in all the tale took on a more appealing tone. In 1892, the director of the Russian Imperial Theatre commissioned Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to write a ballet using Dumas’ version. And in so doing, The Nutcracker was born.

The ballet was not a great success at first. Reportedly, audiences were dismayed that the ballerina did not dance until the second act and that so much focus was given to children. Still, Tchaikovsky’s score was captivating and lent itself to new renditions of the ballet.

A Holiday Tradition with Universal Appeal

The performances of the Nutcracker have evolved over time with much to celebrate among audiences young and old. A magical world that comes to life on Christmas with young children, families, toys, snowflakes and candy, all set to Tchaikovsky’s perfect score. The ballet has become a holiday season staple, complete with toy soldiers, a sugar plum fairy, and a snow queen.

As the popularity of the ballet grew, so did the production of nutcrackers to give as gifts and keepsakes. The Steinbach family of Germany is credited with honing the craft of designing and producing wooden nutcrackers of all shapes and sizes. The Steinbachs began as hand-making nutcrackers 200 years ago and all the manufacturing of these figures is still located in Marienberg in the Ore Mountains in Germany. According to German legend, these wooden dolls bring good luck and protection to a family and its home.

3D Nutcracker Takes Shape

There really is no better time to test your 3D skills and craft a nutcracker for the holidays. We’re sharing a new Nutcracker tutorial to guide you through the steps to bring the main character in this magical holiday fairytale to life with your 3D pen.

Get started today with your Create+ 3D Printing Pen, Create+ Plastic, and a paper towel. The techniques in this tutorial could be used to bring other characters from this holiday classic to life too. Share your final design with us @3Doodler #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate!

12 Incredible Doodle Deals

We’re making gift giving easy this holiday season with something for every creator on your list!

Holiday Gift Guides Top Pick

Spread the word, 3Doodler is a top holiday gift on multiple gift guides and toy reviews this year. Our hands-on 3D printing pens offer a unique and accessible way to creators to experience 3D design without any complicated technology.

According to Yahoo Life, 3Doodler is a perfect gift for the budding inventor, artist, or engineer—or, better yet, for a kid with all three interests—this easy-to-use 3D pen lets kids literally “draw” in three dimensions.

12 Incredible Doodle Deals

Doodler elves were hard at work crafting 12 incredible offers that we’ll be unveiling between now and December 14, 2022, to help you deliver smiles as you give the gift of creativity this year. Many of these deals will only last 24 hours so be sure to act fast before it’s too late!

Make the holidays bright and spark imagination with our line of 3D printing pens, accessories, and add on eco-friendly plastic or other material for hours of doodling fun.

Check back often to see the latest offer on our list. We’ll be posting each of them here for easy reference.

Close-up of 3D pen Christmas tree art with presents

Doodle Deal 12: 24-Hour Deal Fiesta

One day only to make the season bright for everyone on your holiday list! During our 24-hour Deal Fiesta all the deals come back for one day only. Find something special for the creators, makers, artists, and designers. There’s something for everyone. Shop Doodle Deals now!

And, remember these deals won’t last so act fast!

Doodle Deal Terms

Each deal is a limited time offer, while supplies last. Doodle Deal #11 starts at 12:00 AM EST on December 14 and expires at 11:59 PM EST on December 14, 2022.


These deals apply to orders placed on 3Doodler store during the deal period. Offers may not be combined with any other coupons, discounts, offers, or promotions.

Make the Future in 3D with the 3Doodler Maker Bundle

Must-Have Kit for Creative Kids Who Thrive on Design Challenges With Everything They Need to Design and Build in 3D

3Doodler is delighted to present two new Maker Bundles this holiday season geared toward young inventors looking for creative, easy-to-use arts and crafts tools with a techy twist. These all-in-one kits introduce kids of all ages to 3D printing and hands-on problem-solving.

3Doodler Maker Bundle

  • Cplus Maker box: 3D pens
  • Person holding 3D pen with craft kit box

The 3Doodler Start+ Maker Bundle (ages 6-13) and 3Doodler Create+ Maker Bundle (age 14+) provide hours of hands-on play with new challenges that progress from beginner to experienced designed to spur critical thinking. Once they’ve mastered the challenge cards, kids will go on to create new projects of their own imagination or access 3Doodler’s extensive library of stencils, tutorials, and lessons.

Each Maker Bundle includes the 3Doodler Start+ or Create+ 3D printing pen, tons of refill strands (either Eco-Plastic or PLA), and a set of nine project ideas for hours of inventing.

All New Projects

  • Girl creating green toothbrush 3D pen art at table
  • Brochure with 3D pen art: plant in pot

The 3Doodler Maker Challenge Cards are an ideal way for young creators to gradually increase the level and complexity of their designs. The set of cards features a 3D rhino, a custom woven basket or pencil case, and even a crafty flip book.

Each Challenge Card includes step-by-step instructions and an easy-to-access video tutorial for visual learners. All of the projects are compatible with any 3Doodler 3D pen.

Endless screen-free creation with a push of a button is now in the palm of their hands. Watch their imagination take off with an open-and-go 3D drawing experience like no other. Kids will make the future as they see it with this all-in-one kit!

Holiday Gifting Made Easy

It may be hard to believe, but holiday season is here. While we may not having started searching for the perfect gift for everyone on our list, there is a festive feeling in aisles of most retailers you visit right now and holiday catalogs are hitting mailboxes everywhere. In fact, the Toy Insider named 3Doodler Start+ Maker Bundle a Top Holiday Toy this year and featured the product in its annual holiday gift guide. This is the 17th edition of the holiday gift guide featuring a brand-new selection of fun games, educational toys, and character items. It’s a great place to start your search for the kids on your list!

Inspire the Imagination Through Mexican Folk Art

Alebrijes are fantastical creatures that inspire the imagination.

These colorful animals are a Mexican folk art tradition that combine the features of multiple creatures with bright colors. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage month by learning more about this unique art form and doodle an alebrije with your 3D pen!

The Origin of Alebrijes

Pedro Linares Lopez, a Mexican artist born in Mexico City, began his career making sculptures out of carton or paper-mache and created figurines for Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and other artists from Academia de San Carlos.

  • Dragon sculpture in 3D pen art: man sitting on a bench by Linares.
  • Linares standing with 3D pen mask art


At the age of 30, Linares fell ill and dreamed of a strange forest where he saw very bright landscapes and whimsical animals. The creatures he imagined had the features of multiple animals. He saw a mule with butterfly wings, a rooster with antlers, and a lion with the head of an eagle. As he woke from this dreamlike state, he could still hear the animals shouting one word — alebrijes, alebrijes, alebrijes!

It was after this experience that Linares went on to create alebrijes as an art form that is now recognized around the world. In 1990, Linares was honored with the first Mexican National Prize in Arts and Sciences in the category of Popular Art and Traditions.

The Art Form

Linares was a cartonero, or an artist who works with paper, so naturally his knowledge led him to design alebrijes using this method. Cartoneria or papier-mache sculptures were introduced in Mexico during the colonial period to make items for church. The craft developed in the 20th century with artists in Mexico City, namely Linares and Carmen Caballo Sevilla who reinvented the traditional forms and created new ones.

To create a 3D papier-mache sculpture, artists use leftover paper scraps, newspaper, and cardboard from discarded boxes and adhere them using a type of paste. Linares used engrudo, a glue made of wheat flour and water. As the sculpture takes its shape and sets, artists add paste and eventually paint the sculpture with very bright and vibrant colors.

Colorful dragon figurine created with a 3D pen - Pedro Linares Lopez's 30th birthday celebration

Last year, Pedro Linares Lopez was recognized on what would have been his 115 birthday as a Google Doodle. Emily Barrara, who created the Doodle, shared her process of creating the sculpture. The alebrije art form is also featured prominently in Coco, a Disney Pixar movie about a young boy’s journey to the magical land of his ancestors.

Doodling Alebrijes

Close-up of green glow sticks and 3D pen art
As expressive objects, alebrijes are delightful creations to design using a 3D pen. Explore this art form in more detail and create an alebrije that is part fox and part rabbit. Decorating these fun creatures is all up to you. Choose from a range of colors and celebrate the vibrancy of this Mexican folk art tradition.

Doodle a custom alejibre with an easy to follow stencil and tutorial. And the creativity doesn’t have to end here. Once you have the process for creating the shape, expand your thinking and develop a new fantastical alejibre using different animal shapes!

 

Celebrate traditional Mexican Folk Art in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month with @3Doodler #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate.

  

 

Doodling Childhood Imaginary Friends with DoodleAddicts

This month, we partnered with Doodle Addicts on a fun and quirky Drawing Challenge! One that challenged artists to take a walk down memory lane, and illustrate their childhood imaginary friends.

Why Doodle?

We are on the same page as Doodle Addicts when it comes to celebrating our incessant need to doodle! Other than the obvious benefit of it being an outlet for everyday creativity, research suggests that there are also additional perks to doodling, like helping you stay focused, relieving stress, understanding new concepts more quickly, and helping you explore new ideas.

So the only question is, why not Doodle?

Never too old for Imaginary Friends

The artists’ submissions were a breath of fresh air! A lot of them were quirky, cleverly illustrated, and oozing with talent. It was hard for us to pick our favourites, but here are a few that really stood out to us, and some of which reminded us of our own imaginary friends:

  • By Federico

    From the Artist: “I found a picture of me as a kid talking to my hand. I had forgotten my hand had a voice and a personality. Maybe there were several imaginary friends that inhabited my hands at one point. In this picture I’m trying to give them some fur and feathers. I wish I remembered their names.”

    Why we like it: “I love his memory of talking to his hands as a kid and the idea that his hands took on all new characters in his mind.” – Kelley

  • by Pilar Moreno

    From the Artist: Punky

    Why we like it: “He looks like he likes long walks on the beach.” – Faraz

  • by Sydney Anne Bellair

    From the Artist: “This creature has green moss growing out of its back and stick-like antlers extruding out of its head to improve its camouflage in the woods. Not only is my imaginary friend cute and cuddly but it is also agile and stealthy. The shiny scales that cover the lower half of its body provide protection to the creature. Overall, this imaginary friend is amazing in every way.”

    Why we like it: “I love animals and mythical creatures and have always considered pets to be like friends, each with their own unique personality. Just like this cool cat!” – Kira

  • by Joey Gao

    From the Artist: “My imaginary friend as a kid was a monster that travelled from telephone pole to telephone pole, and it always dangled the moon in front of me.”

    Why we like it: “This monster brings some light into the darkness.” – Faraz

  • by Adriane Skinner

    From the Artist: “This is Thumb Shark. I doodled him on my phone at a difficult former in a moment of frustration and despair, my cousin named him, and he took on a life of his own from there. He does everything with me, from assembling IKEA furniture to snorkeling to writing a thesis. He is eternally curious and definitely not a morning shark.”

    Why we like it: “I love Thumb Shark’s personality, and can totally relate to not being a morning shark!” – Apple

  • by Jesse Norman Bergstrom

    From the Artist: “Our treehouses and forts were always the place our imaginations ran wild. Lucky for this one her treehouse is more than willing to run off with her!”

    Why we like it: “I could personally identify with the artist’s fondness for treehouses and forts.” – Kelley

  • by Anna

    From the Artist: “This is my childhood friend, JellyGlo. She always would float around my room in the dark to help me get over my fears of the dark. She’s my best pal, and always will be.”

    Why we like it: “Cuteness aside, I loved the contrast between the electric blue of the Jellyfish and the inky surroundings, giving the feeling of a magical creature illuminating the depths of the ocean.” – Daniel

  • by Simon Wells

    From the Artist: “As a child, I’d read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and a brooding, Goth like Juliet became my imaginary friend. She would sit on a swing and be my muse.”

    Why we like it: “I wonder how her love story ends…” – Kira

  • by Lala

    From the Artist: “Every kid loves sweets and Midnight is no exception. Midnight is a donut grabbin’, candy eating, cookie snatching kitten that flies through the kitchen in the wee hours of the night to gather all the treats your mother said you just couldn’t have.”

    Why we like it: “Cookies and Cats! Some of the best things in life.” – Apple

Which submission is your favourite?

See All

Doodle your creative magic

Doodling can happen anywhere, anytime, as long as you have a pen (or a 3Doodler). You can Doodle anything from cartoons, abstract shapes, words, to patterns. Feeling nostalgic for your childhood imaginary friend? We say let your inner child run free and Doodle away!

Keep an eye out for our announcement of the winning submissions, coming soon…

5 Reasons Why You Should Raise a Wimpy Kid

The story of Greg Heffley’s struggles has inspired millions, and it all started with a diary.

Research shows that active storytelling and creativity has long-lasting impacts on children’s development that carry on well into adulthood, meaning the stories they tell now can have a positive impact on shaping the adults they’ll eventually become.

Does your kid have what it takes to be a Wimpy Kid with great storytelling? Here’s why you should help them get there:

  • 1. Wimpy Kids Solve Problems

    Storytelling and engaging in creative fiction also helps children develop problem-solving skills for real-life situations. What happens in their stories may not be true, but by working through fictional problems kids’ brains learn to apply the same thought process to obstacles they may face in their day-to-day life.
  • 2. Wimpy Kids Get Along Better

    Children who engage in fiction—either from reading, writing, or having stories read to them—find it easier to understand other people. This helps them form better social connections earlier in life.
  • 3. Wimpy Kids Show Empathy

    By engaging with the reactions of characters in stories, kids develop the ability to grasp the thoughts and feelings of others. This means even outside of stories, kids can learn how to show empathy for those around them, whether on the playground or in the classroom.
  • 4. Wimpy Kids Create

    Aside from writing and making up new stories, creating tangible characters that kids can move and see interacting enhances stories for kids, and helps stimulate learning, engagement, and brain activity even more.
  • 5. Wimpy Kids Play

    Creating characters and writing their own storylines gives kids a head start for wide range of artistic pursuits, which plays a big part in being a well-rounded student (you can read more about how art plays a role in academics here). Kids can apply the thinking and engagement they get from storytelling to theater, movie-making, writing, or other art forms.

For a limited time, you can get a free 3D Diary inspired by Diary of a Wimpy Kid along with a free pack of 3Doodler Start Plastic with every purchase of a 3Doodler Start Essentials or Super Mega Pen Set and give your kids a guided way to help inspire them to create and tell their own stories, while creating touchable and permanent characters that they can use for endless future story combinations.back to top image

A Creative Wedding with a Personal Touch

When it came time for Geert de Coninck and Michelle Mortelmans to choose their wedding rings, they ran into a major problem.

None of the rings they saw were right for them. “We visited some jewelry designers but every visit ended the same,” Geert says. “They all only had standard rings that didn’t reflect our personality.”

As a creative designer, Geert and Michelle wanted their rings to be unique, and to symbolize their passion for creativity. “As creative people, we wanted to have a less conventional ring,” he says. And that’s when inspiration struck.

“I’d started to use the 3Doodler Create pen after getting it as a new year’s gift,” Geert says. “It’s a nice way to play around with shapes. Clients love to see the creations standing on my desk and play with them.”

"As creative people, we wanted to have a less conventional ring." Share

Looking at the creations he had made, Geert had an idea. “Michelle was following a course in jewelry design. I asked her if her course master could help us to translate a 3D-sketched ring into a gold version,” he explains.

The concept was to create their own rings in plastic using the 3Doodler pen, which could then be cast in gold using the lost-wax technique.

“We did not have any guarantee that this would work,” Geert admits, “but we all got excited about this and took the risk of not having the rings finished before the wedding.”

The couple used a cylindrical ring holder to create tests of their rings in the correct size. “We made a lot of prototypes because the idea was to avoid sharp edges and not have double layers to keep the size from getting too thick,” Geert says.

The result was perfectly cast rings that matched the couple’s personality, and were—quite literally—made with love.

“My ring is a little more chaotic and has more ripples,” says Geert. “My wife’s has multiple smaller rings and a more simple and clean look.”

The rings were ready on schedule, and provided the perfect symbol for a union built on creativity.back to top image

The Best Creative Toys for Summer 2017

School’s out for summer, but that doesn’t mean learning and creativity has to stop!

It’s no secret that 3Doodler is a big fan of tactile learning and imaginative play. And we’re not the only ones—the toy trends for 2017 show a strong focus on STEM and STEAM, promoting creativity and making education and discovery more fun.

Now that summer has finally arrived, here’s our recommendations for the top 11 toys to help kids continue to learn, explore, and create all summer long:

  • Get Your Move On

    Summer is the time for kids to seize the opportunity to get out of their classrooms and get their bodies moving with some outdoor play. Combining engineering and technical exploration with movement is a great way to do that! That’s the idea behind the Mover Kit from Technology Will Save Us. Kids build their own mover wristband, and then custom program it to react to all kinds of movements with different flashing lights. Kids can come up with new games and sequences to program into their movers to keep them engaged all summer long.
  • Take It Outside

    For kids who like to build and create, Flybrix lets you make your own drone using LEGO bricks. Kids can explore the different intricacies of drone flight with these kits designed for trial and error. Once completed, they can take their creations to the skies and see their creativity in action! Perfect for kids looking to jump start their career as a drone operator.
  • Tiny Tech, Endless Exploration

    When it comes to tiny tech, it doesn’t get much smaller (or cuter!) than the Ozobot. This pocket-sized robot comes to life with easy-to-use color codes that kids can draw.  There are also printable games and interactive missions and adventures through an app. The interface teaches kids the basics of coding and programming through fun, engaging games.
  • Lights, camera, action!

    For kids with a story to tell, there are several creative options which let them take the director’s seat for their own animations! StikBot Zanimation Studio helps kids create their own videos with creative characters and stories of their own design. Even in small spaces, kids can create scenes as boundless as their imaginations!
  • Light It Up

    Creating circuits is now as easy as drawing with the Circuit Scribe conducive ink pen. The included magnetic modules snap onto the circuits kids draw. Make simple or complex circuits or get creative and add lights, motion, or sound to your drawings!
  • Flex Your Imagination

    Bend, zip, connect, and snap to bring your imagination to life with Magnaflex. In these connectable kits, magnetic pieces connect in creative construction kits to help kids create everything from animals and vehicles to wearable accessories.
  • Be a Mini Mad Scientist

    Encourage your inner mad scientist with innovative tech toys that get kids looking at engineering in a completely new way. Turn a banana into a piano, or your favorite candy into a game controller with Makey Makey. The small circuit board can connect your computer with anything you can think of. With different apps and customizable programs, you can create your own drum kit with your leftovers from lunch, making learning about circuits and connectivity engaging and fun!
  • Creativity is a snap!

    Ready to ramp up your robotics, create your own connected devices, or take your engineering to the next level? The connecting blocks from littleBits offer 60 modules for combo creation, so kids can make their own gadgets to suit any purpose. Different kits let kids focus on smart home solutions, programming moving vehicles, and making music through tech. With tons of combinations, kids can explore how they can use technology in any setting.
  • Build It Your Way

    For budding architects who want to bring their fantasy house designs to life, Arckit lets you design, plan, and construct your own detailed building models. These free-form model kits let kids physically explore their design ideas and create realistic houses and building structures.
  • Turn Can't into Kano

    Create and code your own computer from scratch, build your own speaker, or construct a working camera. With the computer and coding kits from Kano, kids get hands-on experience on building, connecting, and coding as an easy and fun introduction to computer programming.
  • Do More With Doodles

    Of course, no toy list that focuses on tactile tech and creativity would be complete without our own 3Doodler. Our new 3Doodler Start Themed Kits let kids explore robotics, product design, and architecture while their imaginations are at their prime! For teenagers, the 3Doodler Create has endless possibilities for creative projects.

Looking to use this guide as a handy reference? Get the full guide as a PDF here.

A Power Up for the 3Doodler Community

We began with a Kickstarter. Four years later, we’ve grown into an international community.

When we first launched 3Doodler, there was no way we could have anticipated the creative passion our backers would have. Before we knew it, Doodlers from all over were sharing their creations, experimenting with the pens in ways we had never thought of, and pushing the innovation to new heights with projects that left us inspired and awestruck.

Launching the way we did, directly to our users, community became an inevitable part of our DNA from Day 1. We’ve kept our ear as close to the ground as we could since then. Four years later, that community stretches across the globe, and continues to find new ways of reminding us how limitless creativity can be with the right tool. Some members of the community have even become full-time members of the 3Doodler team!

As Doodlers took on bigger and more ambitions projects—like complete basilicas, full-size cars, and high-end fashion—we wanted there to be a way for artists to share their expertise and help each other improve and innovate, while also helping the wider community.

And so we established the Power Doodlers. This group of creative thinkers are as passionate about Doodling as we are, and have shown they have the innovation and skill to bring their ideas and creations to life.

Our Power Doodlers are dedicated to art and creativity, and see Doodling as the perfect outlet—whether as a hobby, an educational tool, or even at a professional level. And they want to share their skills with the world through tutorials, workshops, and exhibitions to help bolster and expand the 3Doodler community.

Here’s a closer introduction to four of our amazing Power Doodlers, each with their own unique vision for creativity:

Grace Du Prez

Grace is a veteran Doodler based in London who hosts regular workshops for beginner Doodlers.

3d Pen artist Grace DuPrez

“The first thing I ever Doodled was a hat. A company called Maplin commissioned me to make something for Ladies Day at Royal Ascot in 2014. Designing it was a challenge as I wasn’t sure how strong or flexible the plastic would be, but it was also exciting to be trying something new.

"Doodling allows you to work in a very experimental and organic way. You can have an idea and then immediately try it out." Share

I think I have improved since then by exploring different techniques and trying to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

I like that Doodling combines modern technology with something hand made. My background is in textile design and I have always enjoyed the making process as well as designing. Doodling allows you to work in a very experimental and organic way. You can have an idea and then immediately try it out.

I’ve been described as a ‘Marathon Doodler’ which I think sums me up quite well. My projects often take a long time to make and can involve lots of preparation.”

See more of Grace’s incredible work by following her on Instagram.

  • 3d pen home decor by Grace Du Prez
  • 3d pen home decor by Grace Du Prez
  • 3d pen fashion by Grace Du Prez
  • 3d pen fashion by Grace Du Prez

Judith Tarrés

Hailing from Barcelona, Judith won the 2016 3Doodler Micro Award with a trio of adorable Doodled squirrels.

“As an artist, Doodling in 3D has changed my perspective of creating. Everything is possible with a 3Doodler in your hands—whatever you can think of, it can be made.

"As an artist, Doodling in 3D has changed my perspective of creating." Share

My first Doodle was so easy to do because I started with some basic projects that 3Doodler offers on their site, and with a few steps I learned a lot. Later on, when I knew how to use the 3Doodler better, I let my creativity fly and now I’m finally able to Doodle everything my mind is capable to create.

This tool has given me lots of opportunities to create, and I love how quickly you can shift your art from 2D to 3D. It’s also really easy to learn to use, and I am very happy with all the possibilities it has.”

Follow Judith on Instagram to see more of her projects.

  • 3d pen artist Judith Tarrés 3d pen design
  • 3d pen artist Judith Tarrés 3d pen design
  • 3d pen artist Judith Tarrés 3d pen design

Heather Baharally

Based in Canada, Heather’s masks and her unique Doodling style certainly turned heads.

“After receiving my first 3Doodler from the Kickstarter campaign, I was delighted by the immediacy of the plastic extruding pen. I can think of something and minutes later create a model of it. The variety of materials has such possibilities for wearable art, cosplay, sculpture and adds incredible dimensions to my 2D artwork.

"The 3Doodler has opened up so many options to express my ideas." Share

I have a connection with the great Rocky Mountains and nature, as seen in my work which largely consists of animals made with variety of techniques.

I’ve been studying different materials for use in my artwork. It has been an amazing experience to use the 3Doodler to enhance my existing style of work and it opened up so many options to express my ideas.

I fell in love with the medium and I am excited to see where this artistic journey takes me next.

Follow Heather on Instagram to see more of her incredible masks and nature-inspired artwork.

  • 3d pen costume art by Heather Baharally
  • 3d pen costume art by Heather Baharally
  • 3d pen costume art by Heather Baharally

Sydnee Davidson

Californian Syd impressed us with her entries in our regular Doodle-Offs where she combined Doodling with other design skills.

“I am a graphic designer by day, and mixed media artist by night.

"The biggest struggle I encounter is having the perfect plan built inside my head, but then having to improvise and let the pen tell you how it should be built." Share

I’ve been using the 3Doodler since the day it was shipped after its first Kickstarter campaign in 2014. Once I saw what it could do I knew I had to have one.

Ever since then, I’ve made several figurines based on my favorite animals and pop-culture characters. It’s a great tool to experiment with, and recently I have been incorporating Doodles into my mixed-media art pieces, which have also included use of LED lights.

My light-up beehive is a good example of how Doodled additions fit in with other media. It features 13 Doodled bees (including a queen), 96 3D printed honeycombs (some filled with Doodled honey), and 100 LED lights.

The biggest struggle I encounter is having the perfect plan built inside my head, but then having to improvise and let the pen tell you how it should be built. The results still surprise me!”

Follow Syd on Instagram to see more of her mixed-media creations.

  • 3d Pen insect art by Sydnee Davidson
  • 3d Pen insect art by Sydnee Davidson
  • 3d Pen insect art by Sydnee Davidson

Do you have what it takes to be a Power Doodler? If you’re interested in joining our team of dedicated Doodlers, contact us for more details. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our mailing list for regular updates!back to top image

Fan Creations: Horns You Can Toot About

Passion inspires great artwork, especially in fans. That’s why we let fan creators loose with 3Doodlers for a project of their choosing.

Previously, we recorded Gina B’s initial impressions of the 3Doodler and the early stages of her project. Now, we take a look at the finished product!

Gina B wound up executing her vision of believably organic horns, complete with a headband to make them easily wearable. By mixing two shades of plastic she gave them a natural look and a more pronounced texture. She’s quite pleased with the outcome, but found that her project presented some unique challenges.

“It was more difficult and more easy for a couple different reasons,” Gina says of her project. “Using the device itself was insanely more easy and proves that all the issues I had with the first horn just came from my inexperience. I’d say that if you tinker about with it for a couple of trial pieces then you’ll feel a lot more confident when you venture out and try something on your own.”

In attempting to get the symmetry of the horns just right, Gina found some new wrinkles in horn production. “It was a lot more difficult in one sense because I was trying to replicate the mirror image of a geometric shape. I started out the same way as before, but the shape wasn’t exactly the same although I used the same pattern. I actually found it easier to follow the pattern, but the first horn kind of developed a shape of its own that looked really organic and natural.”

"If you tinker about with the 3Doodler for a couple of trial pieces then you’ll feel a lot more confident when you venture out and try something on your own." Share

That unintentional change in the first horn meant that the better execution the second time was actually a drawback. So Gina got creative.

“First I tried to build it up with extra plastic, to try to alter the shape, but the structure underneath was actually wrong. So I sat down, thought about it, prayed to the crafting gods, and had an epiphany: the whole thing is plastic, so what if I hit it with a low heat setting from my heat gun to make it bend to the shape I want?”

Gina experimented with different heat settings and was able to make the second horn malleable enough in the right sections to give it the same curve as its partner. A hot glue gun and some fabric to increase the surface area allowed her to easily attach the horns to a headband, making for a ready-to wear accessory for a horned character. Making, modifying and attaching the second horn took her two and a half hours, for a total project time of five hours.

After working with the 3Doodler, Gina is convinced that it is able to fill certain niches in cosplay design, with the potential for brand new use cases. “It’s something to explore, all new mediums have unique cases where they fit really well.”

Gina says she enjoyed exploring how to create a 3Dimensional shape that was largely freehand. In the future, she will look into using the 3Doodler in more fine-detailing roles.back to top image

Fan Creations: Fabricating Your Own Figurines

For some, the adventure doesn’t end when the book closes or the credits roll. Fan Creators take inspiration from their favorite movies, games, comics, and cartoons and make incredible things. To see what that passion can produce, we gave some hardcore fans the latest 3Doodler Create for two weeks.

Finding a 6-foot tall panther with alligator scales and an 8-foot tale that ends in a stinger is tough.

Jon Giordano should know, he’s looked pretty hard. Fortunately, he isn’t searching the wilds for a nightmarish cryptid, he’s looking for a miniature for his roleplaying game.

At work, Giordano is a “numbers guy.” He teaches math and is working on a PhD in the subject. But while roleplaying games are known for their dice rolls and probability tables, what attracts him to the hobby is the ability to tell stories. Creating and exploring fantastic worlds with friends is the heart of the hobby, and as he has ventured into more obscure role playing games, Giordano has run into a minor hurdle that has nothing to do with storytelling or imagination: a lack of miniatures.

Miniatures are an important part of many role-playing games. Conflict and combat are common themes in these games. “Players will often get into situations and have to fight their way out of it, and make use of markers to keep track of the complexities of positioning in combat. That way you can look at the board and immediately tell that those two people are fighting against the giant robot in the corner, and those two are ducking behind trees.”

“If I were playing a standard medieval fantasy game,” Giordano says, “I’d be able to find tons of useful figurines. Ditto for sci-fi.”

That’s why Giordano was excited to get his hands on a 3Doodler. He wanted to be able to create custom figurines that heighten the experience for players in his role-playing games, like one campaign based on Native American mythology. The 3Doodler struck him as particularly useful for games that feature obscure monsters and creatures that may not be sold in stores. With the original 3D printing pen in his arsenal, Giordano believes that he can create fantastical beings that are even more obscure than the dragons found in your typical dungeons.

One of the major advantages of table top roleplaying games is that players can encounter anything that the game master can imagine. Personalized galactic warrior? Magical talking flowers? Mystic double-headed swan? All things that could appear as adversaries, or allies, in a tabletop game. Unfortunately, finding figurines for the more outlandish creatures can be just as hard as defeating them in combat.

"You’ll get that wow moment that a description just can’t give, the 3Doodler will really let me show players what I’m imagining for them without relying on theater of the mind." Share

Giordano was able to produce three figures with his 3Doodler. The first was a corrupted bird god, shaped like an egret but with plumage darkened by negative energies. As a sort of a counterpart, he also fashioned a Buffalo minotaur who watches over a herd. The Buffalo spirit was attached to a spare base from a standard miniature to provide more stability, but the bird could stand on its own. Lastly, Giordano created a mercurial river spirit by letting the “flow” of plastic from his 3Doodler define the initial shape.

Giordano was really happy with how the figurines came out, and is looking forward to incorporating them into a future campaign.

“You’ll get that wow moment that a description just can’t give, the 3Doodler will really let me show players what I’m imagining for them without relying on theater of the mind.”

The 3Doodler is a great solution for anybody who wants to add a bespoke character to an encounter, or even modify an existing figurine. With imagination and a steady hand, almost any small-scale figurine can be crafted. The potential for crossovers, custom variations on existing figures, or anything else a game master dreams up are almost endless.

A 3Doodled figurine also has a few unique advantages over other miniature options. Imagine the personal connection you can form with a figurine you or a friend crafted by hand compared to a store-bought one. While paper cutouts are another way to create one of a kind representations of fantastic creatures, they aren’t very durable compared to solid plastic. Combining pieces from multiple figurines in a kit-bash is another fun alternative, but if that’s your preference, being able to extrude extra plastic from a 3D printing pen may come in handy as well.

Even mainstream tabletop game masters might want to consider using a 3Doodler. Dungeons and Dragons has over 40 years of published materials describing various monsters and enemies for players to encounter. Even without getting into many of the supplemental bestiaries published by other companies, there are hundreds of different creatures and monsters described in official materials. Some of the more obscure variations have figurines that are almost impossible to find, if they were ever made at all.

So next time you are planning an adventure and want to show off an obscure monster you found in a forgotten bestiary, the 3Doodler might be the perfect way to wow your players by conjuring one by hand. Or better yet, create something entirely new and give it a physical presence to match your own description.back to top image

5 Careers That Didn’t Exist 10 Years Ago

Technology is changing the world, sometimes faster than education can keep up! With new career options developing, students now have a wider selection than ever before.

We believe in the importance of getting kids used to new tech and educational advancements early on. After all, this is what will shape the landscape for future career and job possibilities later on.

This week, we take a look at five new in-demand career options for STEM and tech-savvy students to consider.

Genetic Counselor

One field that has seen great benefits from new advancements in technology is medicine. New understandings of genetics and the data now available has opened up specialized opportunities for jobs that would have sounded like science fiction not too long ago.

Genetic Counselling can cover everything from cancer treatments to prenatal care and family planning. Some Genetic Counselors even specialize in specific fields like cardiology, neurology, or fertility.

Counselors look at each individual patient’s genetics, and examine the data to try and predict and prevent medical disorders. But the main part of the job, of course, is the patient. Genetic Counselors need to know how to connect and support each patient, and help explain the complicated medical side of things in ways that are easy to understand.

To be a Genetic Counselor, you’d need a Master’s degree in genetics, and likely would also need some certification in counselling as well. For students who love science and data, but are also very people-focused, this would be a perfect field to explore.

Nuclear Medicine Technologist

The job title alone seems daunting, but the actual job is less scary than it sounds. This is another new field that has sprung up alongside technological advancements in medicine—specifically all the new machinery that modern medicine relies on.

Nuclear Medicine Technologists operate all specialized medical equipment, like CT and PET scanners, gamma cameras, and other imaging tools used to help diagnose medical issues. The technologists need to know how to care for and operate the machines, a vital task considering how closely technology and medicine are tied.

And as medical technology continues to grow and improve, so will this career field. Continual developments and innovation means a need for technologists who understand and can work alongside doctors and patients to help reach a diagnosis.

The job doesn’t require a medical degree, but does take good interpersonal skills and attention to detail, as the machines are often delicate and complicated. An interest in robots and engineering is important, and there are accreditation programs available for students looking to enter this field.

Sustainability Manager

When it comes to business, everyone knows it’s all about the green. No, we’re not talking about money! The new trend for businesses is environmentalism and sustainability, and more and more companies are realizing that going green is the way forward.

That’s where Sustainability Managers come in. This role means making sure a company is doing all it can to enforce the most environmentally-friendly practices possible, but at the best price for the company. This takes a lot of creativity, and excellent communication skills to get everyone on board and make your ideas a reality.

And it’s not just companies that are looking to fill this new role. Everything from corporations to universities, and even large cities need Sustainability Managers to create long-term plans to help them go—and stay—green.

A degree in Environmental Science and a passion for saving the planet is the way to go for students interested in pursuing a career in this field.

Drone Operator

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles sounds more like a code name for flying saucers rather than a new career field. But UAVs and drones are flying us into the future, with major companies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook looking to expand their drone teams.

Drone Operators are in high demand, and for a large variety of purposes. While Amazon is looking to expand drone use for package delivery, news and media companies are looking for operators with more artistic talent to capture aerial footage in photos and videos.

For this new job field, the sky is the limit when it comes to possibilities. Some experts expect drones to be used in everything from agriculture to public safety, oil and gas exploration, and even in the film industry.

Some universities are already beginning to offer specialized courses in drone operation and manufacturing, but as it’s still a new field there are a lot of different backgrounds that students can explore. Drone Operators should have an interest in robotics and engineering, but can supplement this with skills in photography and videography, or other personal passions and interests.

Data Miner

What’s more precious that rubies and diamonds? Data—for companies, at least. In our new digital age, customer information and behavioral patterns are crucial for businesses to stay on top of the game, and they need experts to make sense of all the data they collect.

Data Miners help companies deal with “Big Data”. They predict future trends based on current and past consumer behavior, all extracted from the world of data that businesses collect. Everything from transactions to complaints and even social media reviews gets picked through by Data Miners to find patterns and make sense of it all.

And there’s plenty of related jobs within this data-driven career field. Digital Marketing and Social Media Management are new roles that are also becoming increasingly necessary as consumers take to online platforms for everything from shopping to costumer service. Businesses are finding that having an online presence is vital, and they need people familiar with how social media works in order to get the job done.

As a brand new field, there are lots of educational paths students can take if they’re interested in a Data Mining or other digital careers. A degree in Library Sciences is great for Data Miners, while a background in marketing or writing is useful for other jobs within the social sphere.

For students looking for new career opportunities, imagination is really the only limit. We are constantly seeing new fields open up, often in places we never even thought of.

And of course, students always have the option to invent something completely new! After all, the 3Doodler didn’t even exist five years ago.back to top image

Looking for more ways to bring 3Doodler into your classroom?
Check out our dedicated EDU section for classroom tips, lesson plans, and exclusive EDU bundles for educators.

Fan Creations: Cosplaying with the 3Doodler

For some, the adventure doesn’t end when the book closes or the credits roll. Fan Creators take inspiration from their favorite movies, games, comics, and cartoons and make incredible things. To see what that passion can produce, we gave some hardcore fans the latest 3Doodler Create for two weeks.

We talked to well-known crafter and modeler of fictional costumes Gina B as she unboxed the 3Doodler, and then checked back in a week later to see how her project was going.

Few fans are as dedicated as cosplayers. They spend long hours perfecting costumes that can involve incredibly elaborate feats of sewing, sculpting, and design to show off their passion for their favorite media. And Gina B is one of the best.

With more than 37,000 likes on her Facebook page, Gina’s creations are hugely popular. That’s a testament to the care and attention to detail she uses in producing loving recreations of some of the most popular characters from comics, cartoons, and anime. Whether she’s producing an exacting replica of an ancient Korean pole-arm, or she’s putting her own spin on the outfit of a classic character, Gina is always looking for new ways to bring her work to life.

That quest for perfection has given her a wide range of experience with a diverse set of materials. “I have a lot of experience working in fabric, I do a lot of custom body suit work, as well as elaborate armor based outfits. That’s anything from complicated headpieces all the way down to belt buckles and breastplates. In terms of materials, I’ve worked with things such as foam, styrene plastics, as well as fiberglass, and I’ve even tried thermoplastic used in car dashboards.”

Gina B unboxing the 3Doodler for the first time. Gina B unboxing the 3Doodler for the first time.

As she first sat down with the 3Doodler, she says she thinks that the 3Doodler will offer her an opportunity to do the sort of fine-detail work that often relies on a 3D printing service to accomplish, and is excited by the prospect of accomplishing it with something that costs a fraction of a digital printer.

When Gina holds the unit, she immediately has ideas about what to make with it. “This has a very wide variety of use. It’s great for something small—if you have a detailed item like a belt buckle, it would lend itself really well. For existing armor, I could also do detailed overlay pieces. It would probably be easier than sanding out a product, like I usually do. Instead I could add a layer with this, since it’ll probably adhere to the plastic.”

“Ultimately, I think I’m going to make something that’s in the cosplay department but isn’t super frequently seen, which is a horn item. There are a lot of different styles, whether it’s like a ram horn or a goat horn, or something sanded down like with Hellboy. I think this will work great because what I’m making, it’s really organic and not perfectly smooth.”

A week and an extra package of yellow plastic later, Gina has a horn. It is hollow, and made out of two tones of yellow plastic, one matte, and the other glossy.

The hollow horn took Gina two and a half hours to complete, including some time to learn the ins and outs of using the 3Doodler. She says that compares favorably to the time it takes to produce the item with other methods.

"The 3Doodler has a very wide variety of use. It’s great for something small—if you have a detailed item like a belt buckle, it would lend itself really well. For existing armor, I could also do detailed overlay pieces." Share

To construct it, she used the bottom of a bowl to provide a curved surface. She doodled an internal structure, than stitched the sides together rapidly in what Gina calls a “spider like” fashion to produce a tight chain of strings. Once the initial curved shape was done, she was able to repeat the process, building upon each previously extruded section.

She’s pleased with the results. The horn is immediately identifiable, and has even had passers by asking if it came off of a ram. Making it by hand gave it a natural look Gina’s pleased with. “I think that it has a good organic swoop.”

But her project isn’t over yet. She didn’t make a unicorn horn after all. “The biggest issue now is: can I create a second one?”

Gina B's horn created with the 3Doodler Gina B's horn created with the 3Doodler

In addition to crafting a second horn, Gina also plans to use some advanced crafting techniques to enhance the horns. Sanding, priming, and maybe even painting will give them a more advanced and literally polished look. She looks forward to sharing the outcome of her work after she’s brought the horns up to her exacting standards.

Tune in a few weeks from now to see the final outcome!back to top image

DIY Accessories to Customize Your Bicycle

At 3Doodler we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to try and DIY—Doodle it yourself. For our latest exploration into Doodled additions, we decided to take our show on the road.

Avid cyclist (and 3Doodler Marketing Director) Kelley Toy teamed up with 3Doodler Product Development Engineer Samson Wong to conceptualize and road test a series of Doodled solutions for two common cycling needs: a drink bottle cage, and an action camera handlebar mount. While these solutions were prototyped and tested on a road bike, all of the designs could easily be adapted for a mountain bike, touring bike, or daily commuter.

The Prototyping Process

“I started by borrowing a bottle cage from Kelley,” Samson says. In order to start the design process, Samson needed a jumping off point. Using common accessories that any cyclist might need was the first step to getting an idea for a customized design.

While a water bottle cage attachment may seem like a simple enough design concept, Doodling one from scratch is a more complicated task. Getting the tension and strength just right while having it fit the bottle snugly is important, all the while making a sturdy enough design that would hold up to actual use.

It was also important for Samson to understand how the piece would be attached to the bike. “I needed an actual bottle cage to trace the holes used for mounting it to the bike,” Samson explains. “I made a template based on the original so I could Doodle the holes at exactly the right measurements.”

For his first prototype, Samson used the same design concept as Kelley’s old bottle cage, with two “arms” coming from the mounting to grip the bottle. “After the first Doodled trial, I found that the arms were a bit too weak,” Samson says. His Doodled version needed the right balance of strength and flexibility.

"After the first Doodled trial, I found that the arms were a bit too weak." Share

In his next prototype, he knew better what improvements he needed to make. “The second design focused on reinforcing the two arms,” he says. “To make it strong enough I Doodled three layers of ABS, building up the plastic to be roughly 5mm thick.”

When choosing which filament to use, Samson had to consider the different properties of ABS and PLA. “ABS is a bit more flexible,” he explains. “PLA is strong, it’s rigid, but it’s a little bit brittle. So for this type of project, ABS is a better choice, because the cage has to flex a little bit to get the bottle in and out.”

Testing and Re-working

Once Samson had a prototype in hand, it was time for biking veteran Kelley to test it out. After taking the new Doodled bottle cage through a variety of terrains, Kelley was pleased with the results, but still felt there were more improvements to be made. “The cage performed well and there was no sign the bottle was going to launch at any point, and it was very easy to get the bottle in and out while riding,” she says. “But I heard a small crack the first time I loaded the bottle into the cage, and the fit around the bottle was not snug and this reduced contact area with the bottle.”

As an end result, Kelley felt a sturdier design was necessary. “The bottle flexes the plastic cage a lot, and I would ultimately not feel confident about the durability of the design,” she says. It was back to the drawing board for Samson. “I did some research, checking how other bottle cages look,” he says. “I found a few designs that had a whole ring around the bottle instead of the two arms.”

"At first I thought this design was going to be a fail, as off the bike it was tough getting a bottle in and out." Share

With Kelley’s feedback in mind, Samson thought this new design could provide the stability and tighter fit around the bottle that the first prototype lacked. “Molding the cage to the bottle, this one has got a lot of gripping power and a lot of friction, so the bottle won’t move anywhere when you’re riding,” he says.

“At first I thought this design was going to be a fail,” Kelley admits, “as off the bike it was tough getting a bottle in and out.” But Samson was confident this new design would be an improvement.

And Kelley was pleasantly surprised. “It is totally rock solid!” she says. “Once loaded on the bike—and with a small adjustment on my part on the angle—I loaded and unloaded the bottle while riding easily.” Kelley also found another bonus of the new prototype: “I also like the minimal look of this design on the bike.”

Creating concepts for practical DIYs requires a continual process of prototyping and testing, but Samson says that in the end you can wind up with some great results.

The first step, he recommends, is to copy. “Copy existing products, and then go from there,” he explains. “Modify it to fit your needs.”

Innovation for Creative Solutions

Samson used this same principal when creating an action camera mount for Kelley’s bike. After researching existing mounting solutions, he was able to better understand how he could begin to construct his own. “Some mounts have a hinge on one side for opening and closing,” he says, “but it’s kind of hard to make a hinge out of Doodled plastic, so I made a whole ring in one piece, and made it a little flexible.”

Adapting a commercial design for custom use was exactly what Kelley was looking for. “While camera mounts for round handlebars such as mine are commercially available, I liked that the mount was custom designed for my handlebars and therefore I could place it exactly where I wanted so it didn’t get in the way,” she says. “Also the Doodled mount is considerably less bulky and lighter than the commercial ones available, which is always important for weight-conscious roadies.”

When designing the mount, Samson was faced with a new array of issues and problems to overcome. During the prototyping process, he says it’s important to experiment and take risks to find solutions. In this case, Samson found that mixing materials was the best fix for the mount. “I had to use FLEXY on the inside of the ring to provide grip,” he explains. “The inside surface was too smooth, and when it grabbed the handlebar it would still move a little bit even when you screwed the bolt really tight.” When faced with a problem, finding creative solutions is key. “I put the FLEXY inside basically to act like a tire tread to grip onto the handle bar,” he says.

And road-testing confirmed his mixed-filament experiment. “The addition of FLEXY provided excellent grip, and meant there was no rotation even when riding on rough bumpy surfaces,” Kelley says.

With DIY projects like this, Samson says it’s all about adapting designs to fit what you can do, while getting the results you want. “It might not be the best looking product, or be good for selling to the public,” he says, “but if it works, then it’s a good DIY project.”back to top image

Making Models True to Life

Creating scale models is all about detail. To create stunning replicas that remain true to the original takes careful planning and precise execution.

Cornelia Kuglmeier knows just how detailed a Doodled model can be. An artist and teacher with a passion for architecture, Cornelia has successfully recreated several detailed models of world-famous buildings. In addition to creating a scale replica of the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, she’s also worked on miniature versions of iconic Modernist architectural masterpieces like the Farnsworth House and Fallingwater.

Cornelia says that when using the 3Doodler to create scale models, all it takes to get started is an idea, a steady hand, and a lot of patience.

Not Every Building Has Four Plain Walls

“You can choose any type of building you like,” Cornelia says, “or invent a new one!” Style, period, or complexity of the structure aren’t as important as your personal interest and passion.

If creating a unique building of your own design, Cornelia recommends making a draft of the building using 3D software first. “Make sure you have all the walls, the roof and the floor,” she says. “Show every side to have a good idea on what it will look like when it’s finished.”

When creating a replica of an existing building, it may be easier to know how the finished piece should look—but this also means execution must be precise. Cornelia says when making models of famous buildings, she always begins by finding a floor plan. “This is crucial!” she says. The floor plan allows for better construction, even if your main concern is how the outside of the building will look.

"You need a stencil for every side of every element of your building. Walk around it in your imagination and count corners and spaces for every floor. " Share

In addition, Cornelia says it’s important to find photos, plans or drawings for every side of the structure. “I also hunt for detailed pictures that show decoration or any other special things,” Cornelia reveals, as often these small additions can provide the key to capturing the essence of the architecture.

Detail may also determine the size of the model. “The more detail you want to show, the bigger your Doodled building will be,” Cornelia explains. “If necessary, simplify forms or leave out details that are less important.”

With floor plans, reference photos, and a concept of size and scale, you can begin to create your stencils. “You need a stencil for every side of every element of your building,” Cornelia says. “Walk around it in your imagination and count corners and spaces for every floor. Not every building has just four plain walls.”

Plain Edges and Clean Corners

When recreating any piece of architecture, an awareness of materials can be just as important as understanding the structure. “Dots, short strokes, thin, medium or thick plain lines, checkered spaces, zig-zag or chevron patterns—all result in different surfaces which can mimic different materials,” Cornelia explains.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater

When creating a scale replica of Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Fallingwater, Cornelia had to test a variety of techniques in order to achieve all the different textures which came from various construction materials and the natural environment around the house. The trick when creating a model is to experiment and test what your 3Doodler can do. “Choose what looks most similar to what you want to build.”

But precision is key when it comes to model building. “Plain edges and clean corners are essential to create fine rectangular buildings,” Cornelia says. “It helps to draw the outlines first and then fill in the spaces.”

For curved areas, Cornelia recommends finding something to use as a mould rather than attempting to Doodle free-hand. “Think about hot-airing a flat Doodled piece around a bottle, vase, or whatever you have that suits the size you need,” she says.

Time and Patience

When constructing your model, relying on a scaled version of the original floor plan can help ensure the form and shape are correct. Cornelia recommends working from bottom to top, and inside to outside, which is what she did when creating her scale model of the Farnsworth House, designed and constructed by Modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

“Try as much as possible to Doodle your pieces together at invisible spaces,” Cornelia says, “from the inside, from underneath, and so on.”

Farnsworth House by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Farnsworth House by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Cornelia says not to be afraid to use outside materials to clean up stray strands, like scissors, knives or other blades. When building any structure, having edges fit together is key to recreating an accurate portrayal of the final building.

But most important of all, says Cornelia, is time and patience. Precision is vital, and mistakes do happen. Enjoy the process, and keep the final result in sight. back to top image

If you’re looking to try your hand at creating scale models, 3Doodler will be releasing both of these amazing buildings as 3Doodler Create Project Kits in collaboration with National Trust for Historic Preservation and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, so that anyone can re-create these eye-catching structures themselves.

How tactile technology can help those with learning disabilities

One (teaching) size fits all? Experienced educators know that’s not how it works— especially when it comes to teaching students with learning disabilities. Not every student responds well to traditional, classroom-based teaching methods, and what makes one student’s eyes light up in understanding, might leave another as confused as they were before the start of class.

One in five children and adults in the US are affected by learning or attention issues, and approximately 8% of children aged 3-17 are reported as having been diagnosed with a learning disorder. While personalized learning for those with learning disabilities might be the ideal, adapting teaching methods to individuals can be difficult in a large classroom, and teachers don’t want students with learning disabilities to feel singled out.

Moving towards tactile technology

Many teachers are turning to tactile learning and evolving technologies as a way to engage students across different learning styles and needs. As part of a multi-sensory learning approach, tactile technology can help students across a range of skill development areas and a broad range of subjects. Such an approach is especially helpful for students with learning difficulties like dyslexia and similar impairments such as dyscalculia and dysgraphia—which affect math and writing understanding and abilities.

Assistive technology that plays to the student’s strengths and works around their challenges has already been making its presence known in the classroom—from interactive white boards, to the more recent addition of 3D printers.

More schools for students with learning disabilities are embracing technology, and makerspace tech like 3D printers, cameras and robotics kits can now be found in educational facilities across the USA and around the world. The results are clear: hands-on learning with physical tools helps students to understand ideas and concepts that are otherwise hard to grasp, enables interest in industries related to technology, and can be particularly effective in cultivating interest in STEM subjects. And there’s plenty of successful examples of this in practice.

The Benefits of Hands-on Learning

Tactile teaching—using physical, demonstrative, auditory or visual objects—can help keep students engaged and helps them focus their minds on the present. Tech that encourages people to physically be involved like the Raspberry Pi, 3D printers, and of course 3Doodler bring a new or relatively unexplored aspect of learning into the classroom.

Students who struggle with ADHD may vastly prefer tactile learning methods over auditory or visual learning styles. Having to create a diorama or a model might mean students understand better than if they were asked to simply imagine a spatial arrangement, the concept of geometry, or complex equations in their head. "When students are given the tools to physically create a model, they can see exactly how all the parts come together to function as a whole." ShareAsking a student to create a model of the Eiffel Tower, for example, demands much more due diligence than just getting them to sketch it out. It may be difficult for someone who has dyslexia or ADD to concentrate long enough on understanding why the tower’s structural integrity relies on many different factors, but physical tools would help engage them enough to grasp why certain shapes work better than others, how math factors into construction, and why some materials work better than others.

Teachers have found that using tactile teaching methods in subjects like biology can reap better results than when students are asked only to visualise a concept. When students are given the tools to physically create a model of a cell, for example, they can see exactly how all the parts come together to function as a whole. Consider if students who have dysgraphia are asked to explain why a beetle looks the way it does—if they can create their own beetle and physically point out why it has adapted to its environment, they stand a better chance of being able to contribute to a class discussion than if they are forced to fall back on writing it out.

Dyslexic students, who may have visual or auditory deficiencies, may find that they excel when they apply tactile or kinesthetic methods to their learning. People who have trouble reading words, letters or numbers could benefit from creative solutions such as making their own words, letters or numbers (handy for those with dyscalculia) on plastic blocks helps them process sequences or equations better.

Across the board, in subjects that range from the arts to hard sciences, tactile technology has proven tremendously beneficial. When it comes to adapting for students with learning disabilities, it’s time to put down those pens and pencils and pick up a tool of a different sort. With new tactile tech, your students can have their hands (quite literally) full with tools to help them grasp the practical skills and knowledge that comes from innovative learning.

Get out there, and be creative. Your students will thank you for it.back to top image

Looking for more ways to bring 3Doodler into your classroom?
Check out our dedicated EDU section for classroom tips, lesson plans, and exclusive EDU bundles for educators.

Tiny Doodles Breathe Life into Tiny Spaces

Breathing life into an otherwise static scene is a challenge faced by every designer, architect or engineer in their daily work. “How can I convince my client that this town layout, building, museum or gallery will be enjoyed by real people going about their everyday business? And how can I bring hallways, auditoriums, and city streets to life with little more than an uninhabited scale model?”

To answer this question, Nikka Francisco, undergraduate at the Savannah College of Art and Design and 3Doodler design intern, takes us on a tour of a gallery teeming with Doodled life.

Blank Space

The gallery was created as a part of a course in 3D Design Form & Space, essentially a foundation course in how to think in 3D. The aim of the course is to think in different ways about installations and sculpture, creating models for presentation to others. Students have struggled to show how their ideas would work in reality, which prompted me to think a little differently, adorning the walls with the works of American Artist Alex Grey, and filling the gallery with a series of unique Doodled people.

Thinking Differently

Most of the time people purchase small sculpted models, but I wanted to make this my own personal work, even the people inside the gallery. The other problem with pre-made sculptures is that you can’t really change them – they are fixed and they aren’t designed for your specific space or experience.

  • 3d pen figurine easy doodle
  • 3d pen figurine easy doodle
  • 3d pen figurine easy doodle

Using the 3Doodler, things happen that you don’t always expect. You can’t always control the way the plastic flows, but that lack of predictability can often be more realistic. In some parts of the gallery it looks like the people are actually in motion, reacting to things, and it gave a better sense of relationship between the person and the artwork they were looking at.

  • 3d pen figurine easy tiny doodle
  • 3d pen figurine easy tiny doodle

All the right moves and all the right places

I didn’t plan out who would go where at the start. Instead I Doodled a small army of people and then placed them in different parts of the museum, in positions that fit best, moving them around until it felt right. On placing the people inside, it started to feel like an actual gallery, and that the space itself was possible.

  • 3d pen figurine mixed media
  • 3d pen figurine mixed media
  • 3d pen figurine mixed media

You have the two people in the lift peering out through the glass; your typical gallery poses – some people striding by, while others sit and stare at a painting for hours; and then those taking a time out out in the Cafe. Most of the people actually look like they’re dancing!

When I presented the work the reaction was surprise, but positive surprise.back to top image

Creative Couture in 3D

"And now, I’m just trying to change the world, one sequin at a time."-Lady Gaga Share

Sequins may not be what 3Doodler is all about, but just like Lady Gaga we’re looking to change things – one strand at a time!

Our community has shown us time and again how 3D elements can mix with fashion design to create something new and wonderful for wearable art. And the entries we saw for our 2016 3Doodler Wearable Award presented a runway of fashion-forward Doodles unlike any we had ever seen.

"Playing dress-up begins at age five and never truly ends."-Kate Spade Share

Fashion is a form of creative and personal expression. This is exactly what Carolyn Laing showed us with her incredibly detailed Doodled bra. The hot pink and black color combination, along with the rocker-chic style really shows off the creative personality behind this bra.

  • 3d pen fashion design bra top
  • 3d pen fashion design bra top
"Fashion should be a form of escapism, and not a form of imprisonment."-Alexander McQueen Share

And what better form can escapism take than with masks? These delicately Doodled masks by Heather Baharally showed the many different faces fashion can take. Starting with one basic pattern, Heather showed how creativity and imagination can lead to so much more when you think outside the template. With a designers eye, fashion can be transformative – just like with these masks which transform the wearer into something else completely!

Woman crafting fabric with 3D pen strands.
"People will stare. Make it worth their while."-Harry Winston Share

Erica Grey has shown us before how the worlds of fine art and fashion can blend with wearable works of art. For this year’s 3Doodler Awards, she showed us a different side to her Doodled collection. The golden headpiece and matching corset she presented looks fit for a queen, and is part of Erica’s new bridal collection. Wedding fashion is becoming increasingly daring as brides look for styles which reflect their own personalities, and Erica’s pieces show how customized 3D pieces can create the ultimate statement!

  • 3d pen fashion design bridal
  • 3d pen fashion design bridal
"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different."-Coco Chanel Share

And different is always what we’re looking for. Seeing our creative community break boundaries and Doodle outside the lines is always exciting for us, especially when the results are as stunning as this.

Aikaterini Kedikoglou took inspiration from coral reefs, but the incredible necklace she created not only managed to capture the beauty of nature, but went beyond simple representation with it’s creative form and carefully matched colors. While each individual element may seem simple enough, the piece as a whole showed us a design and form we had never seen before – securing her the win for the Wearable Award.

  • 3d pen fashion design necklace
  • 3d pen fashion design necklace
  • 3d pen fashion design necklace
"Fashion is not necessarily about labels. It’s not about brands. It’s about something else that comes from within you."-Ralph Lauren Share

Creativity and fashion can go hand-in-hand, and while you can always look to the world around you for inspiration, a true unique style can only come from you.

So get creative, and show us what your inner fashionista can do!back to top image

Design Thinking at 3Doodler

“Why don’t you add Bluetooth? Or have an app? Or put more sensors in it? You can get in the Apple Store!”. But that wasn’t what we were doing, or what 3Doodler is about. Sure it’s tempting to adapt a product and add bells and whistles so that you can sell even more, but at what cost?

What we sacrificed was being able to say we were part of the Internet of things. What we gained was the ability for anyone, tech savvy or not, young or old, smartphone equipped or not, to use our pens.

The idea of a 3D pen is such a new and unexpected concept that it needed to be as simple and easy to learn as possible. A tactile experience, just like using a pen or a pencil.

We’ve stayed true to that philosophy for over four years, and even with the release of the 3Doodler PRO, our most advanced product, it’s all about getting tactile, and eradicating any barriers that might exist between a user and their ability to create what they want.

"It’s about connecting you and your movements with the pen, and there’s no better way to do that than with your hands"-Howard Share

If anything we’ve been on a mission to make our products even simpler, not more complex; and not more connected or virtual. For example, the PRO has dials where it could have had switches (or an app that communicates with the pen). As a user gently turns those dials the pen responds, raising the speed or the temperature the same way one would gently nudge up the volume on a sound system. It’s about connecting you and your movements with the pen, and there’s no better way to do that than letting people get hands on.

That same tactile experience has also driven much of what we do in education. Back in 2014 we started to work with teachers for the blind and partially sighted, using our pens to draw instant tactile learning aids. In 2015 we ran a case study with a UK-based school and found, conclusively, that the tactile experience of using the 3Doodler gave visual learners a welcome leg-up in class.

Now with the kid-safe 3Doodler Start, which is completely cool to the touch, the scope for getting hands on has jumped another level. Users can touch and mould their Doodles the instant they come out of the pen – and those same blind and partially sighted students now have a pen they can use safely without any concerns about hot plastic.

So while the world is putting iPads in front of kids, or trying to connect everything to the big wide web, we’re putting down the screens and asking you to pick up, feel and craft; to rediscover what you can do with your hands in an unvirtual reality. We’re using the power of touch – and not the screen – to take you back to an era (not that long ago!) when creativity and play meant doing something with your hands.

And it’s working. As we near 2017 we’ll be marking our millionth 3Doodler, with users creating everything from curricular aids, to architectural replicas, 3Doodled dresses and cars, as well as art that is being proudly displayed in galleries worldwide. That’s a staggering win for the tactile, and the reason we’ll always strive for simple and accessible rather than overly-complicated.back to top image

Written by Daniel Cowen, Co-Founder & COO

A Model Town from a Model Classroom

We often discuss the classroom applications for 3Doodler in STEM subjects, or as a way for students to learn about emerging technologies. But the educational benefits of 3Doodler aren’t just restricted to math and science, as English teacher Eva Reilly shows.

Reilly challenged her high school English class to make a model of their home town – Phillips, Wisconsin – as a way to inspire proper research and learn how to find reliable and trustworthy sources.

The class constructed their eight-foot model of the downtown street as part of their non-fiction unit in their English curriculum. And as with any non-fiction project, the first step is research.

“They read and wrote reviews of articles, memoirs, letters from books, newspapers, periodicals, and the internet about Phillips,” says Reilly.

The students took note of notable historical events that had affected the town, and shaped how it looked – like the Phillips Fire of 1894.

This fire swept through the entire downtown area the students were recreating, levelling many of the original structures. In the rebuilding efforts, the major buildings were required to be made from brick as a fire-safety measure.

"History is not just about events of way back in the day; it is the making of our past, present, and future" Share

Knowing the history and events which resulted in how the town currently looks gave new meaning to the construction of the model. “After learning about the history of Phillips and its development, students picked business buildings downtown to reconstruct on a scale model,” Reilly says. “They didn’t realize how difficult the project would be at first.”

Students visited the buildings in person, taking photos to use in the construction of their model to make sure they could be as accurate as possible. They also talked to residents with first-hand knowledge of the buildings’ histories and how they had been renovated throughout the years, all while keeping notes in fieldwork journals to chronicle the project.

To create the models, Reilly introduced some cross-subject integration by having the student figure out the correct dimensions for each building using algebra and geometry. “They learned we need math in everything we do, not just in the classroom,” Reilly says. “Sometimes, quite frankly, they were confused as to whether they were in math, science, history, or English class, but the process sure kept them engaged!”

Using 3Doodler pens, the students got to work constructing their model town. They needed to refer to their notes, photos, and research to make the buildings accurate for a realistic model. “The students learned that English is not just reading about fiction or nonfiction material, but it is also a bit of a history lesson,” Reilly says. “History is not just about events of way back in the day; it is the making of our past, present, and future.”

"As teachers, we learn that hands-on projects help students apply what they learn in school to the world around us" Share

Reilly is continuing the project again with future classes. The model – which is currently on display at the Phillips Public Library – will continue to grow as students each year research a different area of the town.

“As teachers, we learn that hands-on projects help students apply what they learn in school to the world around us – predictable and unpredictable,” explains Reilly. “Students learn that, in the end, everything we learn in school comes together – English, history, math, science, and technology.”back to top image

Looking for more ways to bring 3Doodler into your classroom?
Check out our dedicated EDU section for classroom tips, lesson plans, and exclusive EDU bundles for educators.

Mixed Media Creations with Ilma Wasty

We’re continuing our series of features focusing on our talented and creative 3Doodler Community members. From hobbyists to professionals, these Doodlers have taken their imagination off the page and into the world around them to create incredible bodies of work.

Ilma Wasty Ilma Wasty

“My first attempt at Doodling was almost accidental,” says Ilma Bushra Wasty. The 28-year-old recently completed her MA in Interior and Spatial Design at the Chelsea College of Art at the University of Arts in London.

Ilma recently finished a large-scale mixed-media project for her MA in interior and spatial design, combining the delicacy of Doodled pieces with industrial concrete. Her final project, titled Revealing the Pattern, combined delicate patterns made with the 3Doodler and concrete rocks, steps and tiles.
"Like the pen or pencil, the 3Doodler was a new tool to draw and express." Share

“I got my 3Doodler when I came to the UK for my masters,” says Ilma, who is originally from Pakistan. “I had intended to use it for recreational purposes.”

But in the first unit of her masters program, Ilma explored new concepts and mediums. “Like the pen or pencil, the 3Doodler was a new tool to draw and express,” she says. “I do not view the 3Doodler as one art form, but rather as a tool which can be customized according to needs.”

“The first thing I Doodled was tracing out a small cup. This was not very successful, as it was my first attempt,” she admits.

But Ilma improved quickly, and found that skills she had gained as a child helped her when controlling a 3D printing pen. “The 3Doodler for me is a drawing tool, which allows me to draw a pattern that is 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional at the same time,” she says. “The way the plastic extrudes reminded me of henna pattern making when I was younger and I would draw patterns on other people’s hands.”

This bridge between traditional culture and modern life became the basis of Ilma’s final project in her MA. “Revealing The Pattern is inspired by old rundown buildings in interior Sindh, Pakistan,” she explains. “It had stemmed from a desire to develop a personal spatial expression rooted in culture.”

For this project, Ilma wanted to make craftsmanship a key feature of the final installation. “I used the 3Doodler to highlight the importance of hand craft and a contemporary interpretation of a very traditional craft from the Islamic patterned tiles,” she says.

“These tiles are proposed for an outdoor environment, where the cement has the opportunity to weather like at the seaside,” explains Ilma. “The pattern, therefore, reveals over time rather than being immediately visible.”

It’s this same sense of patience that Ilma says is the key to working with the 3Doodler. “Patience goes a long way,” she says, “but the beauty is also in the mistake. Doodles do not need to be perfect. Each mistake makes the particular object unique and beautiful.”back to top image

Creating a New Dimension with Matteo Magnabosco

To celebrate the creativity we see every day in our Community, we’re bringing you a series of stories featuring Doodlers who inspire us with how they’ve used the 3Doodler.

These Doodlers are from all over the world, with different styles, backgrounds, and creative concepts. But they all have one thing in common – they use the 3Doodler as their artistic outlet.

This week we head to Verona, Italy with 19-year-old Matteo Magnabosco.

Matteo Magnabosco Matteo Magnabosco

Matteo picked up his first 3D printing pen less than a year ago when he bought the 3Doodler. He knew right a way it was the creative medium he had been looking for.

“I saw a video on Facebook about the 3Doodler,” he says. “I was so impressed, at Christmas I bought it.”

“For me, drawing has always been a hobby,” says the 19-year-old from Verona, Italy. “Before the 3Doodler, I drew on paper with pencils.”

Working with the 3Doodler allowed Matteo to bring a new dimension to his careful line work. “My first drawing with the 3Doodler was an abstract line that intersected and formed three faces,” he remembers. Soon he was exploring all the possibilities that came with working in 3D.

"I chose to use the 3Doodler to be able to give shape to my designs." Share

“Drawings on paper cannot be used for other purposes,” Matteo explains. “The 3Doodler allows me to use my drawings to create useful items for everyday life.”

Matteo enjoys bringing his drawings off the page. “I chose to use the 3Doodler to be able to give shape to my designs,” he says.

Matteo especially enjoys creating Doodles in one strong color, like black or red. He makes sure to go slowly and carefully, to create clean and neat lines making his Doodles look like prints or drawings brought directly off the page.

“I’ve tried to practice a lot, and have gotten quite good results,” he says.

His meticulously detailed Doodles, from people to animals, are recreated by his own imagination mixed with things and characters from real-life interactions.

"Drawings on paper cannot be used for other purposes. The 3Doodler allows me to use my drawings to create useful items for everyday life." Share

“I am inspired by the things I see around me,” he says.

“My favourite thing I have Doodled is a woman who is smoking and in the smoke there is the face of a man,” Matteo says. “To do this drawing, I spent two hours.”

Matteo says this particular Doodle was an expression of his own thoughts on love and obsession. “When a woman is in love with a man, and when a man is in love with a woman, they are seen everywhere,” he says.

Matteo says that he hopes to bring his love of art and Doodler into a future career. “I’m still a student,” he says, “but I hope my work can tie together design and information technology.”back to top image

Getting Creative with Tanner Lamm

For the next few weeks, we will feature members of our community with a creative passion who have made the 3Doodler a part of their lives – whether as an outlet for creative energy, use as an artistic tool, or to create large-scale projects as part of a brand collaboration.

Every day at 3Doodler we get members from our Community posting or sending us the incredible artwork they have created. Whether on our Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook feed, or sent directly to us, we love seeing the creativity in our Community.

This week, we’re featuring Tanner Lamm, a longshoreman from Everett, Washington.

Tanner Lamm Tanner Lamm

“About four years ago, I got rid of my TV and became quite the YouTube nut,” says Tanner. “While on YouTube, I came across a video using the original 3Doodler. I instantly fell in love with the tool and needed to have it.”

The 35-year-old longshoreman from Everett, Washington donated to the 3Doodler Kickstarter campaign to get his first 3Doodler pen. “After messing around with the pen a little, I got straight to work and loved it.”

As with any new art medium, the 3Doodler took some getting used to. “I think I started with a few stick figures to get the flow down, then I made a small tree – which kinda fell apart,” Tanner admits.

But once he got the hang of things, Tanner’s imagination and his artwork took off. “I see inspiration everywhere and have more ideas than plastic strands to use,” he says.

"I love to Doodle because it allows me to pull my drawings off the page and into the real world." Share

From wriggling octopi inspired by his work as a longshoreman, to geometric trees emerging from intricate skulls, Tanner has used his 3Doodler pens as an outlet for his creativity and imagination. “I love to Doodle because it allows me to pull my drawings off the page and into the real world,” he says.

“My favorite Doodle so far is my Hang Glider Island,” he says. “It’s a big purple tree on a floating island with tiny wooden platforms for tiny hang gliders. It also has bigger hang gliders that fly around the island on fishing string.”

Hang Glider Island Hang Glider Island

“My inspiration was my love for drawing trees and my old paragliding days,” Tanner says. “It took me about 20 hours to make, and I used about 75 strands of plastic.”

Tanner says that when Doodling, it’s what’s inside that counts. “The best tip I can give is to make sure to pay attention to the inside structure of your Doodles,” he explains. Using a 3D pen is similar to 3D printing in this regard. “The bigger your Doodle, the more important structure becomes.”

As he continues to expand his creative work, Tanner plans to bring his Doodles to the next level with mechanical moving parts. “I want to see about getting some Doodles to move through wind power and cranks,” he says.

“The 3Doodler has been great for me,” he says. “I’ve used it no differently then if I were using a pencil. It feels like I’ve pulled my drawings right off the paper and then have the option to make them into so much more.”back to top image

Going PRO

With the release of the new 3Doodler PRO, we’ve taken the 3Doodler to the next level. More control, new advancements, and a wider range of materials make the PRO ideal for professional use in prototyping, art, and design.

Here are three creative professionals already exploring how the PRO can help them take their concepts further.

DYLAN BLAU

Co-Founder of #AllNaturalVines, freelance filmmaker and animator

DYLAN BLAU DYLAN BLAU

Dylan was studying Economics when first discovered Vine – and used it to clear his mind during finals. Three years later, and this past-time has become part of Dylan’s career as an animator with extraordinary stop-motion Vines. Dylan now works full-time on stop-motion animation, motion graphics, 2D cel animation, and 3D animation to create unique & stunning visual results.

“I’ve always been fascinated by platonic solids. In a lot of my videos, low poly paper craft shapes are used as part of the sets. What intrigued me with this project in particular was the ability to be able to see every edge and connecting point of the shape, since all that’s needed to hold it together is the wireframe.”

“With this project I wanted to show the very foundation of the PRO pen.”

“It is just as you expect, drawing in 3D space. By transitioning from a flat square to a cube, the goal was to illustrate that with the PRO pen, you literally ‘lift your imagination off the page’. And by implementing more and more complex shapes as the video goes on, the viewer realizes that the things you can create go beyond just the basics.”

"You can never get the same organic and crafty feel with computer generated imagery, that’s where I grab the PRO pen and turn my design into a piece of art." Share

“I like to draw on stencils first, which allows me to get the most accurate representation of the designs. Thanks to the ability to mold and weld the material with the tip of the PRO pen, edges and corners can easily be achieved, turning flat Doodles into 3D objects.”

“Usually it helps if I create a mockup in 3D software. You can never get the same organic and crafty feel with computer generated imagery though, and that’s where I like to grab the PRO pen and turn my design into a piece of art that you can actually grasp.”

“With speed and temperature adjustments right at your fingertips, the PRO pen is highly customizable, making it the most advanced 3D drawing experience yet.”

JONATHON HARRIS

Live artist, installation artist

Jonathon Harris Jonathon Harris

Jon Harris has been performing his own work for twenty years across 4 continents. Taking inspiration from the cultures around him, his own experience and the views and actions of others, he weaves together stories and images that are as unforgiving as they are emotive. The human form is always centre to Jon’s work, even when physical people are not present.

Jonathon is currently showing his exhibition “The Original Memory/The Final Act” from 25 August – 2 October 2016 at The Art Gallery of Ballarat.

“This exhibition is about revisiting fragmented memories and walking the fine line between fact and fiction. It really does depend how you remember it.”

“With voices recorded twenty years apart and on different continents, this is the original memory and a memorial – and at its center is a life-sized, hand drawn 3D drawing of the human form attached to a string of written and spoken thoughts.”

"I wanted to create a 3D drawing using my own 2D drawing style. The 3Doodler enabled me to do this directly onto a cast of the human body and not miss any detail." Share

“I wanted to create a drawing and shell of a human being that is both solid and fragile at the same time, using unexpected and emerging technologies. I wanted to create a 3D drawing using my own 2D drawing style. The 3Doodler enabled me to do this directly onto a cast of the human body and not miss any required detail. Once the cast was secured, different versions were made/drawn with the pen – enabling me to plan how different parts of the drawing could be joined and made whole.”

“Drawing the figure was a slow progress with 56 hour of drawing and 949 strands of black plastic, but with careful planning, the drawing began to come together and inform the piece as a whole including its environmental and performative elements.”

“The 3Doodler’s creativity and its innate pushing of boundaries allows me to blur the line between drawing and sculpture.”

  • 3D pen art: Man's body with red lines.
  • Close up of a face in a net, 3D pen art.
  • Wire 3D pen art with hanging paper pieces by Jon.
  • Close-up of 3D pen sculpture with person.

WENDY FOK

Creative director and founder of WE-DESIGNS LLC and Resilient Modular Systems, PBC.

Wendy Fok Wendy Fok

Wendy’s designs draw on inspiration from mathematics, tying in principles from architecture, digital media, and design. Her design installations have been displayed around the world in Singapore, Paris, London, Dubai, Toronto, Shanghai, Athens and more. Wendy’s work aims to incorporate art and interactive spaces into city planning and architectural design.

“My work focuses on an exploration of geometric structures and how they can be applied spatially in sculptural installations or other various projects. This particular design takes pyramids and prisms and gathers them at a focal point, so that the angular prisms eventually form a circular structure.”

"The PRO is most useful when integrating finer details into a sketch model, and visualizing how the design could fit into a landscape or architectural setting." Share

“My design process relies on continual feedback. There must be a back and forth between mediums: paper, digital, glue, 3D printers, or whatever else. There is constant interaction between the objects at hand and the digital form, and I feel that the relationship between mediums, tools, and techniques are integral to the process of design and creation.”

“The PRO pen is especially useful in this communication between the digital and material. Most of my designs are first made in my sketchbook. Ideas are then transferred between the sketchbook and the computer and sometimes re-iterated through other forms of model making materials.”

“The PRO pen is most useful when integrating finer details into a sketch model, and visualizing how the design could fit into a landscape or general architectural setting.”

“Simply, the PRO allows the ability to build in 3D space that a traditional fountain pen or digital plan does not.”back to top image

90’s Back In Style

Last week we looked at how 90s Nostalgia is in full swing, and could also be contributing to a new wave in creativity.

So we decided to get creative as we look at 90s inspired trends making it big in 2016! The 90s are back in style, and we’ve put together three Doodled outfits combining the best of 90s-chic, and modelled by our stylish trio of mannequins.

Just Jelly

Get The Look: killer shades, cropped sweater, mom jeans, and jelly shoes

Man with sunglasses, 3D pen art

“Mom jeans” got a bad rap after their heyday in the 90s, but 2016 is bringing comfy-lazy-chic back into fashion! Get creative and pair your mom jeans with a cropped sweater, baby-doll T or spaghetti-strap tank. Finish off the look with a shimmery pair of jelly shoes and killer shades for a total 90s throwback.

Blue-shirted man with a yellow tie - 3D pen art

Overall Fashionista

Get The Look: striped shirt, overalls, platform shoes

3D pen art: Wooden mannequin in blue overalls and sandals.

Every 90s cool kid remembers rocking overalls. Now the fashion world’s most utilitarian way to dress is back on trend! This is easily the most creative trend to get behind. Overalls are an artist’s dream, making easy cover-up for paint splatters and still showing your easy-going nature! Slouchy style, easy to match, and loads of pockets – overalls are leaving last year’s romper trend by the wayside.

Man with frisbee 3D pen art in grass

Grunge Chic Cute

Get The Look: fabric bow headband, Ray Bans, plaid shirt, ripped jean shorts, Dr. Martens

Wooden mannequin with sunglasses and plaid shirt - 3D pen art

The 90s were when fashion-conscious grunge rockers discovered that Dr. Martens are the perfect shoe for ANY outfit! Tortured musicians and other creatives know that whether it’s a plaid skirt, cute sundress, or even ripped jean shorts – there’s no better shoe for bringing back that 90s grunge style. Pair with a plaid shirt, and make it cute with a scrunchie or fabric headband!back to top image

Small doll with shoes beside wooden stick 3D pen art

Doodle up your favorite 90s trends in 2016 and be sure to tag us @3Doodler and use #3Doodler and #WhatWillYouCreate!

The Creative Nostalgic: Why bringing back the 90s is good for new ideas

From the resurgence of Pokémon, never ending movie remakes, as well as recurring trends in fashion and music, reminders of the 90s appear to be everywhere these days. Recent studies have shown that nostalgia has a positive impact on creativity and can inspire openness and new ways of thinking. 3Doodler investigates.

2016 is the new 1996

The X-Files and Fuller House are on TV, and the cool kids are wearing overalls. Blink 182 is selling out concert venues and the Backstreet Boys are back (and recording again). It’s 2016 but we may as well be partying like it’s 1999.

Man next to 3D pen art: paper cutout meets record

Den of Geek says there are at least 109 movie remakes and reboots planned for the next few years, and many of the titles will be familiar to a 90’s nostalgic audience. From Comedy with Ace Ventura, to SciFi with Stargate, and childhood favourites like Jumanji and Power Rangers, all these reboots will give audiences who love the 90’s plenty of reason to wax nostalgic.

Why We Love the 90s

“Every generation seems to long for their childhood and revels in the nostalgia of the pop culture of that time”, noted San Diego State University professor of Psychology, Dr. Jean Twenge in a recent interview. “Boomers did this for the ‘60s, GenX for the ‘80s.” It’s a common cycle to see. “Nostalgia is a powerful connection to a time when things at least seemed more innocent and simple.”

But why is 90s nostalgia hitting so much harder than past nostalgic trends, particularly for today’s Millennials? “The ‘90s were, arguably, the last good decade—the last time the economy was doing pretty well and the last time we weren’t worrying about terrorism,” Twenge argues. “Many Millennials experienced a ‘90s childhood of peace and prosperity, only to enter adulthood during the Great Recession. It’s like someone baited and switched them.”

Tumblr Teachings Tumblr Teachings

One user on Tumblr also pointed to the rapid advance of technology as an explanation for Millennial obsession with the “simpler” decade of their childhood.

Linking Nostalgia and Creativity

While the media loves to portray the Millenial generation as full of self-centered narcissists – what with their love of selfies and Instagramming each meal – there’s an argument to be made that this generation may end up being the most creative as well.

And it’s all because of nostalgia.

Psychologists from the University of Southampton recently published findings in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology showing that nostalgia can have a positive impact on creativity.

The team, led by Wijnand van Tilburg, tested the effect of nostalgic memories, defined as a memory that triggers “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past” against both ordinary memories and happy memories as preparation for writing a short story.

The study showed that people who were asked to think nostalgically had more linguistic creativity in their stories, compared to other participants who were asked to think of ordinary or even happy memories.

Van Tilburg believes that nostalgia may help form a willingness to try new experiences, which is directly linked to creativity.

“One of the strongest personality traits that predicts creativity is openness,” van Tilburg says. “People who are very open to novelty are more likely to, say, play around with new ideas or create connections between things where others would not.”

Because nostalgia gives people a rooted sense of belonging and security, they then feel more of that sense of openness that leads to creative thought.

Old Vs New

University of Connecticut educational psychologist Jonathan Plucker has a different idea. He says the connection between nostalgia and creativity may come more from the juxtaposition of the old with the new. Because creative ideas often happen when two different concepts are combined or compared, nostalgia may spark the creative process because it requires thinking about past experiences in context with a person’s current life.

“The warm, fuzzy feelings we get from nostalgia may actually make it easier for us to use that older information,” Plucker says. “And if nostalgia is just a very efficient way of getting disparate concepts, then I would absolutely expect it to lead to more creativity.”

So when brainstorming your next project, don’t be afraid to go old school. Pop on an old episode of Captain Planet, crack open a can of Crystal Pepsi, load up Pokemon Go on your phone – and let the creativity flow! back to top image

Beyond Arts and Crafts with Esra Oguz

“Initially I didn’t plan to Doodle such a big and detailed piece of artwork,” says Esra Oguz. “I got completely lost in Doodling until someone stopped me to remind me it was time to submit before the Awards deadline!”

Esra won the 2015 3Doodler Interior Design Award with an intricately Doodled basket of flowers, which took a month to complete with Esra Doodling up to five hours each day.

“My first plan was to create a simple bunch of flowers,” she admits. “One by one I improvised each flower, put them together and it turned into a big bunch before I realized.”

Esra first picked up a 3Doodler at the end of 2013. She started by using it to trace 2-dimensional drawings, but soon wanted to try more complex projects.

"Since I have a personality that loves to be challenged, I kept on working at it." Share

“I had trouble imagining how to create 3D objects with soft, smooth, curved surfaces,” she says. But the challenge of learning a new medium didn’t hold her back for long. “Since I have a personality that loves to be challenged, I kept on working at it—in a week’s time I had made my cousin a bird on a swing. It didn’t look spectacular but it sparked my interest in 3Doodling which has continued since.”

Esra soon developed her own unique method and style for creating 3-dimensional forms. She first begins by creating a wireframe to plan the structure of her objects. From this, she creates a stunning variety of objects, from cars to creatures.

“I use a variety of objects to start a base,” she explains, “for example crumpled newspaper. Sometimes I draw the initial image to start building the wireframe or Doodle in 2D before I lift it up and start using it as a base for turning it into a 3D structure.”

"Creating a 3D object in this fashion is more like engineering." Share

The next step is turning a 2D base into a 3D frame. “I usually use ABS filaments for wireframes because it stays strong when I fill the surface,” Esra says. “I’ve gotten used to making them, but it’s still the most time consuming part of Doodling for me.”

Esra explains that most of the time she simply Doodles around a hollow 2D piece to create a frame around it. “The other technique I use is breaking an idea into pieces and then assembling them,” she says. “Creating an object in this fashion is more like engineering.”

The results are a stunning variety of sculptures, all with Esra’s own unique and distinguishable style.

One of the hallmarks of Esra’s style is the uniform appearance on the surface of her Doodles. The key for this, she says, is patience. “I try filling the surface without any space patiently and avoid Doodling in the same space more than once to ensure textural consistency,” she explains. “Another method I use is reheating the Doodle to allow the plastic’s surface to become smoother, but the trick here is to do it without loosing the Doodle’s overall form.”

And just as with any artistic medium, practice makes perfect. “The more I Doodle the more comfortable I become with how the plastic behaves, how to control the pen, and everything else,” says Esra.back to top image

Fashion Focus with Patrick Tai

“I looked and looked for fabrics with repetitive lines, shapes, and unique textures,” says fashion designer Patrick Tai. “I didn’t have much luck, so I decided to improvise and sort of create my own texture.”

The search for something new was what led Patrick to the 3Doodler. A recent Fashion Design graduate from the Art Institute of Charlotte, Patrick was looking for a way to express his unique vision and aesthetic.

“My inspiration comes from geometric shapes, modern architecture, and unique textures,” he explains. “I want the texture of my garments to reflect my inspiration, and that presented a challenge.”

"I want the texture of my garments to reflect my inspiration, and that presented a challenge." Share

When he found the 3Doodler, Patrick knew right away it would be the perfect match for his designs. But it took some trial and error—and a lucky mistake—for him to discover the perfect mix of fashion and Doodling. “I originally started by experimenting with ABS plastic to get familiar with the 3Doodler,” he explains. “I started running out of plastic filaments, so I purchased more. I accidentally purchased the new FLEXY strands, and liked the flexibility of it more.”

As he Doodled more with the FLEXY plastic, Patrick’s design began to take shape, and an entire dress was created using only the 3Doodler. “Most of the dress is made with FLEXY plastic, with some ABS plastic at the edges for support,” he says. “The dress made completely with the 3Doodler took me just under 100 hours, not including the accessories.”

From that first dress, Patrick expanded his line to include more wearable dresses and accessories with Doodled accents and additions. “I’ve been lucky enough to showcase some of my designs in NCFA (North Carolina Fashion Association), along with other Fashion Shows around Charlotte, North Carolina,” says Patrick. “I have also participated in a couple of charity Fashion Shows.”

Wherever his Doodled designs are shown, Patrick says the response is overwhelming. “The reactions that I have received from these 3D fashions have been nothing but positive,” he says. “People have been so supportive and full of compliments, some people couldn’t believe that the pieces were created by a pen.”

For Patrick, the 3Doodler allowed him to take his personal creative vision and make it possible, by creating textures and concepts that hadn’t previously existed.

Patrick’s work with the 3Doodler is crucial to his designs and fashion concepts. “I feel that giving your audience the chance to feel your designs whether it’s being seen in a photo or on a runway is important.”back to top image

The Doodle is in the Detail with Grace Du Prez

“I’m always drawn to trying new materials and I love creating tactile surfaces,” says Grace Du Prez. A mixed media designer based in London, England, Grace was drawn to the 3Doodler as an experimental new medium.

Grace is no stranger to using unconventional materials in her design pieces. “My previous work has involved lots of surface design techniques including digital embroidery and fabric manipulation,” she explains, “as well as the use of many unusual materials from leather to human hair, and even Mini Cheddars!”

With the wide range of colors available, and having the ability to control the final texture of the plastic, Grace was immediately drawn to the 3Doodler. “It was really interesting to start working with plastic as a medium and exploring all the different effects you can create,” she says.

"It was really interesting to start working with plastic as a medium and exploring all the different effects you can create." Share

Her very first project—a Peacock Hat for Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot—was certainly a head-turner, and earned her multiple headlines and accolades. “This was the very first time I had used 3Doodler,” Grace says, “so I learnt a lot in a very short amount of time!”

Peacock Hat for Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot Peacock Hat for Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot

The completed hat took over 60 hours, all Doodled in the span of a week. “There were also a couple of days spent doing the initial designing,” Grace says. “The hat was made up of three different size feathers, all with three colours in them. Each one varied from around 15-30 minutes to make.”

Whether Doodling fanciful hats or fancy jewelry, Grace says it’s not as simple as picking up a 3Doodler and drawing away. “My design process is quite experimental and there is always an element of trial and development,” she explains. “I often start with a mood-board and a brainstorm of ideas.”

Then Grace moves on to drawing out her concepts. “I will draw a few basic sketches of the silhouette and then work out the templates using CAD,” she says. “Designing on the computer works well for me as I can easily make alterations and work out the exact scale. I can also try out different colour options.”

From those plans, Grace then creates a paper model by printing the templates from the computer models. “At this point I can see if it will work logistically,” she says. “For the final part of the planning process, I Doodle a test piece to see how it will look and make adjustments where needed. This step can be repeated several times so that each part works perfectly.”

The results are stunning pieces that reflect her careful planning and meticulous execution.

  • 3D Pen fashion design by Grace Du Prez
  • 3D Pen fashion design by Grace Du Prez
  • 3D Pen fashion design by Grace Du Prez
  • 3D Pen fashion design by Grace Du Prez
  • 3D Pen fashion design by Grace Du Prez

Sometimes, Grace says, ideas from one project will inspire something completely different. “I’ve just finished a vase that is totally waterproof,” she says. “It’s made of multiple circular layers all joined together—the same principle as a bracelet I previously made.”

After creating the bracelet, Grace says she was inspired by the clear plastic and the circular shapes. “It’s functional and the clear plastic looks really beautiful through the water,” she says. “I applied a layer of clear silicon to the inside surface to make it watertight.”

  • 3D Pen sculptures and fashion design by Grace Du Prez
  • 3D Pen sculptures and fashion design by Grace Du Prez
  • 3D Pen sculptures and fashion design by Grace Du Prez
  • 3D Pen sculptures and fashion design by Grace Du Prez
  • 3D Pen sculptures and fashion design by Grace Du Prez

For Grace, the 3Doodler seems the perfect tool for her artistic and design ideas. “I like that the 3Doodler combines modern technology and yet is still very hands on,” she says. “The making process is integral to me as a designer and I like my work to have a hand made quality.”

And while Grace is now an expert at using the 3Doodler to its highest potential, she says there’s always more to learn. “I’m always getting new ideas for projects,” she says, “and there are still lots of techniques I’d like to try!”back to top image

See more of Grace’s work on her website.

3Doodler for DIY

While the 3Doodler can be used to make incredible sculptures and works of art, it’s practical applications can’t be overlooked.

With a tool as diverse as this, the DIY options are endless. Here’s eight examples of simple fixes or DIY ideas for your 3Doodler.

1. Give Your Phone an Upgrade

Looking for a style switch up? Doodle yourself a new phone case. No need to look like everyone else, make yourself a case that will give your mobile phone some personal flair while keeping it safe.

2. Make Your Own Doodled Clock

Make a statement with your home decor and create your own interior design pieces with personal flare. For wall pieces, hard-setting PLA works great, and will help you Doodle pieces that will last.

3. Repair Snaps in a Snap

Instead of buying a new pair of glasses, fix them with your 3Doodler. PLA adheres to metal better than ABS, so it works great for quick fixes like this one. Simply join the two pieces and Doodle around the break point. This little fix makes for quite the talking point too!

4. A DIY That Holds Water

Repairing cracks in plastic cups or soap dishes is easy with your 3Doodler. Both ABS and PLA work well for this kind of quick fix. ABS is excellent for plastic-on-plastic Doodling because of its higher melting point which helps weld plastics together, and PLA has naturally strong bonding properties. The PLA Clearly range also makes for more discreet fixes!

5. Doodle Your Own Wallet

Use FLEXY to create a hand-made plastic wallet of your very own! For a more fabric-like look, push the nozzle of your 3Doodler flush with the surface you are Doodling on, moving it quickly to form a thin film of Doodled plastic.

6. Repairing Your Home Appliances

3Doodler came to the rescue to fix the shell of this broken vacuum cleaner. A simple repair saves time and money, and gets your back on track with minimal fuss!

7. Lighten Things Up

Get creative and make your own lampshade. This lampshade was constructed for our display window at the MoMA Design Store. Made from over 50 small triangles, the pieces were welded together like a mosaic to produce this stunning lampshade. Pick your own colours and style – it’s simply a matter of joining the pieces.

8. Mix Doodling for Dynamic Projects

Louis DeRosa was able to combine a passion for electronics and the 3Doodler by using it to help make his own Hexacopter. As you can see, when you start to apply your imagination to 3Doodling, the sky really is the limit!


With so many options to fix and repair, the 3Doodler is your go-to DIY tool for any occasion!

Not sure where to start when it comes to using your 3Doodler for DIY? Check out our Hot Tips section to get insider ideas on how get the most out of your 3Doodler, and have you Doodling like a pro.back to top image

Show us your 3Doodler DIY fixes by tagging us @3Doodler and using #3Doodler and #WhatWillYouCreate

Exploring Doodling with Louis DeRosa

“One of my favorite things about the 3Doodler is that every time I use it I come up with new methods to get the results I’m looking for,” says Louis DeRosa. “I don’t anticipate that exploration ever ending with this product.”

After only a few days after receiving his pen, Louis caught the eye of 3Doodler when he posted an adorable Doodle of his dog Bindi on social media. Impressed by how easy Louis made Doodling look in such a short time-frame, "The freehand ability offered by the 3Doodler makes it even more versatile than a conventional 3d printer." Sharethe company reached out to him for further collaboration. Louis has now helped the team with several projects including the MoMA Window Display, and has also led the way to discovering new tricks and techniques to use the 3Doodler to its fullest potential.

Louis says using the 3Doodler did take some getting used to, as it was an experience like none he’d had before. “When I first got the 3Doodler I wanted to use it like a regular 3d printer, building up layer at a time,” he explains. “But I soon realised 3d printers have to work that way. With the 3Doodler you’re free to work on whatever part of your creation you want without being limited to working from the bottom up.”

This realization encouraged Louis to experiment more with the pen and what it could do. “The freehand ability offered by the 3Doodler makes it even more versatile than a conventional 3d printer,” he says.

Experimentation has led Louis to discover new techniques that have surprised even the 3Doodler team. “I’ve found that combining techniques leads to the most interesting and intricate doodles,” he says. “Laying out structural elements flat on a sheet of paper and then peeling those up and putting them together and fleshing them out in midair has resulted in some of the coolest things I’ve made so far.”

Louis says sometimes the simplest solutions are best when it comes to Doodling. “Paper works as a really great under structure for creating all sorts of things,” he explains. “For example, I’ve made "We have only just begun to see what creative minds can do with the 3Doodler." Sharecustom rings by rolling paper around my finger to get the desired size then taking it off and taping it in place so I have the perfect size template to then doodle around. Once you’ve got your ring the right size you can doodle anything on top of it and get as wild as your imagination will allow.”

Louis says that ultimately the 3Doodler is a new creative tool that can inspire anyone with drive and imagination. “Like the many different ways people have used the paintbrush over the centuries, we have only just begun to see what creative minds can do with the 3Doodler, and we are not limited by canvases!” he says. “Truly, imagination is the limit, and when that’s the case anything is possible.”back to top image

Working Wire and Plastic with Jina Sim

Korean wire artist Jina Sim has taken 3Doodler around the world—in a manner of speaking.

Jina typically works with wire, creating complicated forms from tangles and twists. She wants her work to serve as a “boundary that distinguishes the outer world of an object, to separate what is real from what is not.”

Her complex wire-frame work allows the viewer to see the inner and outer aspects of each object simultaneously.

Recently, Jina has began taking this concept to new levels with the 3Doodler. Using the same basic design structure as with wire, she now creates her clean yet complex lines with PLA drawn into the air.

Her Doodled wireframe globe showcased the stunning possibilities that the 3Doodler can offer.

Jina began with a simple styrofoam ball, covering the surface with paper tape which she says prevents the PLA plastic from sticking, making the Doodled lines easier to remove.

On the tape, Jina then sketched the outlines for the countries and continents before setting to work Doodling along the stencil she had made for herself. She was careful to work only on half of the globe, so she could easily remove the the Doodle from the ball.

Once the two halves were complete, Jina Doodled them together to create a stunning finished product.back to top image