Before the kids break out the screens, inspire hands-on creative play with a series of 3D pen projects to encourage skill building and creative exploration.

Drawing and coloring are timeless activities but now kids can take creativity off the page with a 3Doodler 3D pen. Transform your ideas into tangible, three-dimensional masterpieces, letting kids (and adults!) create anything they can imagine.

Jump start summer fun with a few ideas to get those creative gears turning!

Your Summer’s Creative Sidekick

As educators, you know first-hand how important it is to offer options to encourage creative play and reduce summer learning loss. Introducing 3D pens to inspire learning at home, can help in many ways.

Oodles of 3D Pen Doodles

Miniature Beach Scenes:

Create tiny palm trees, surfboards, flip-flops, and even little crabs or fish. You can then assemble them on a base to make a personalized beach diorama.
Pro Tip: Use blue filament for waves and clear/translucent for water effects!

Get the Stencil

Custom Keychains & Bag Tags:

Design personalized keychains with names, initials, or summer-themed icons like ice cream cones, popsicles, or suns. These make great gifts for friends or mementos of summer adventures!

Get the Stencil

Nature-Inspired Art:

“Draw” flowers, butterflies, or even intricate spiderwebs. Go on a nature walk and collect leaves or twigs for inspiration, then replicate them in 3D!

Get the Stencil

DIY Room Decor:

Craft unique picture frames to display summer memories. Design small decorative sculptures for shelves or desks, like abstract art pieces or geometric shapes. Create personalized pencil holders or small organizers for their summer reading nook.

Get the Stencil

Wearable Wonders:

With adult supervision, create unique earrings or pendants for necklaces. Design fun glasses or headbands for a quirky summer look (think oversized sunglasses or flower crowns!).

Get the Stencil

Bust summer boredom and embrace the world of three-dimensional possibility. 3Doodler 3D pens are a gateway to creativity and hours of screen-free fun. So, grab your pens, a rainbow of filaments, and let the summer doodling begin!

The post Doodle Days of Summer: 3Doodler’s Guide to Creative Adventures first appeared on 3Doodler.

Biomimicry, or biomimetics, draws inspiration from nature to solve challenges and design new technologies. It’s an exciting way to approach problems, and using 3Doodler 3D printing pens makes it easy to break down the concept into small lessons for students to explore. We’ve pulled together a few examples to encourage students to experiment with biomimicry using their 3D pens in the classroom!

Students can study the Fibonacci sequence with our lesson plan and use their 3Doodler 3D pens to practice building interconnected lines to form a net-like structure and create a working model.

In addition, students can discuss how spiders use different silks for different purposes, and how this translates to using different 3D pen filament types for different structural properties. How would they apply their learning to real-world problems?

Get The Lesson

Patterns & Structure: Seashells

Seashells often exhibit spiral growth patterns and can show the Fibonacci sequence but also feature strong, curved layered structures. Studying these patterns and exploring ways to apply them to real-world problems is helpful. For example, students can explore how seashells are formed through biomineralization and how their shapes provide protection and structural support.

Invite students to learn more about shell structure and design by creating models with their 3D pens. It’s an easy way to study the science behind shells and have fun!

See The Tutorial

Color, Camouflage & Symmetry: Butterflies

According to the Smithsonian, there are approximately 17,500 species of butterflies in the world. Butterflies come in all sorts of colors, shapes, and sizes. They are beautiful and curious insects with a lot to teach us, from the unique ways they use color to camouflage themselves from predators to their ability to repel water and dirt.

For younger students, butterflies offer an excellent lesson in symmetry. The 3Doodler lesson plan invites students to study the symmetry of Monarch butterflies and create their own butterflies to demonstrate their understanding of the concept.

Older students could have an opportunity to research different butterfly species and identify their unique characteristics. They can connect their learning to real-world applications and identify opportunities for biomimicry. Examples include self-cleaning surfaces to repel dust and debris, aerodynamic design for aircraft, or using color for textiles and technology.

Get The Lesson

The post Bio-Inspired Builds: 3D Printing Pens and the Wonders of Nature first appeared on 3Doodler.

Whether you’re looking to boost collaboration, or offer up a creative outlet for your students, we’ve got you covered.

These heartwarming Valentine’s Day classroom activities will have your students full attention, while teaching communication and problem solving skills all while using their 3D pens!

Add a touch of whimsy to your classroom and dive into STEM with lessons about flowers, their function, and a plant’s lifecycle. Explore the different shapes and sizes or how they attract pollinators. There’s so much to explore and a fun 3D activity to accompany the lesson!

Spring Flowers

Students can explore their artistic style and develop one-of-a-kind 3D or multimedia art projects. 3Doodler’s 3D heart-shaped balloons are easy to design. Use them as pendants, key chains, or even added onto a card for a whimsical greeting. Follow our tutorial or explore your creativity with more complex patterns, swirls, or multiple layers!

Balloon Hearts

Add a tasty and personal touch to Valentine’s Day celebrations with custom cookie cutters students can create and use at home! Explore our tutorial or encourage students to come up with their own designs. The project could involve students collaborating as they brainstorm ideas and share 3D printing techniques. Students might want to give the cookie cutters as gifts for friends and family once finished. It’s a sweet hands-on project your classroom is sure to remember!

Cookie Cutters

The post Surprise Students with 3 Sweet Valentine’s Day Classroom Activities! first appeared on 3Doodler.

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.

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.

The post ISTE 2023 Key Takeaways and Promising Practices first appeared on 3Doodler.

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 filament 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.

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.”

The post Artist Spotlight: Anela Ming-Yue Oh first appeared on 3Doodler.

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 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.”

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 filament, 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 filament 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!”

The post Dive Under the Sea with a 3D Pen Mermaid first appeared on 3Doodler.

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.

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!

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

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

The post Celebrate National Library Week! first appeared on 3Doodler.

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.

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 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.

The post Finding Inspiration Through Street Art, 3D Glasses, and a Mexican Artist first appeared on 3Doodler.

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 filaments promise outlines our work to ensure our filaments are completely safe to use. 3Doodler Start+ filaments are eco-friendly, and ALL of our filaments 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.

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

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

Transform Leftover Filament

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 filament scraps. It’s a fantastic way to make the most of all your filament. Play with different color combinations for your own truly unique recycled creations!

Create Beautiful Decor

The post Upcycling for Earth Day! first appeared on 3Doodler.

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.

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

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, filament, 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

The post Gear Up for Major League Baseball’s Opening Day first appeared on 3Doodler.