Art Project #53: 3-D Printing

Well, I finally got around to blogging about the day we learned how our library's 3-D printer works.  

As part of our 100 Days of Art Challenge I have been trying to introduce my boys to new genres and areas of art.  I was thrilled when I realized we could use our library's 3-D printer for a lesson in combining art and technology.  

We had such a great time taking this private "class" and learning all about 3-D printing.  The boys had a few questions but mostly they enjoyed watching the machine at work and looking up their own printing ideas. 

The printer we have access to

Checking out the wheel of plastic "thread" and how it feeds into the machine

Looking at some of the projects they've made we found BB8!

The colors of plastic we have to choose from

Watching it print a Pokeball 

Looking with the librarian at some of the projects other have designed 

The machine started mis-printing while we were there.  We were bummed not to have a
Pokeball to go home with but it allowed us to see how the machine really works.  

To clear the machine when it malfunctions the material is threaded back out and back in then it
starts streaming some plastic for a bit before it once again starts printing. 

The machine automatically prints a waffle design inside to use less plastic and make the items
more light weight.  It also helps them print out faster.

 

My boys each filled out a paper to have their own items printed.  Since it is a 3-D printer that is available for the whole town to use we had a few restrictions.  They can only print one item a week and print jobs can not take more than three hours.

The boys were thrilled to find such a huge variety of projects on-line that are readily available to choose from.  People from all over the world are sharing 3-d printing ideas on sharing sites.

Alec chose Articuno

Ian chose a bulldozer 

Evan chose Squirtle 

Our other art projects:
Project 1: Painting with Hexbugs
Project 2: Tissue paper flowers
Project 3: Star Wars Crafts
Project 4: Watercolor compass circles
Project 5: Floral pens
Project 6: Watercolor outlines
Project 7: Scratch art jellyfish

Project 8: Oil pastel flowers
Project 9: Fingerprint dandelions 
Project 10: Beaded Sun Catchers
Project 11: Bird Crafts and Snacks
Project 12: Color Mixing Butterflies
Project 13: Water Gun Art 
Project 14: Using Watercolor Kits
Project 15: Dragonfly Silhouette Paintings 
Project 16: Painting Pet Rocks
Project 17: Spray Paint Resist 
Project 18: Water Bottle Windsock 
Project 19: Stained Glass Kits 
Project 20: Tin Can Windsock
Project 21: Firework Glue Art
Project 22: Qixel Art
Project 23: Makit Bakit Kits 
Project 24: Wood Burning Project 
Project 25: Making Our Own Raft
Project 26: Spray Painted Canvas
Project 27: Paper Bowl Jellyfish 
Project 28: Tin Foil Art
Project 29: Oil Pastel Bubbles
Project 30: Chalk Pastel Paintings 
Project 31: Washi Tape Votive Holders
Project 32: Drip Painted Pots
Project 33: Sun Art 
Project 34: Tissue Paper Transfer
Project 35: Stained Glass Class
Project 36: Visiting the Art Museum 
Project 37: Taking an Art Class
Project 38: Making Minecraft T-shirts
Project 40: How to Draw Books
Project 41: Wax Resist Watercolors
Project 42: Splatter Paint on Canvas
Project 43: Fine Line Fall Leaves Drawings
Project 44: Fairy Village Trip
Project 45: Oil Pastel Resist Leaves
Project 46: Tissue Paper Leaf Art
Project 47: Bat Silhouette Paintings
Project 48: Beginner Photography 
Project 49: Making Harry Potter Wands
Project 50: Making Cat Faces
Project 51: Making Homemade Cards
Project 52: Learning the Art of Zentangle

Project 53: 3-D printing 

Project 54: Gingerbread Train

Project 55: Paint Swirled Ornaments 

Project 56: Loom band ornaments and bracelets 

Project 57: Candy trees 

Project 58: Strand of light chalk drawings

Projects 59-64: Christmas Crafting Kits from Oriental Trading

Project 65: Painting Ceramic Village Pieces 

Project 66: Washi Tape Cookie Cutter Ornaments
Project 67: Learning Origami 
Project 68: Art Books and Artist Study
Project 69: Playing Go Fish Art
Project 70: Edible Chocolate Art
Project 71: Geometric Hearts 
Project 72: Marble Swirled Hearts
Project 73: Solid Tempera Paint Drawings
Project 74: Qixels 3-D Maker
Project 75: Making Cupcakes
Project 76: Window Marker Art
Project 77: Shamrock Zentangles on Scratch Paper
Project 78: Painted Pandas 
Project 79: Minecraft Digital Art
Project 80: Charcoal Drawings
Project 81: Chalk Pastel Lighthouse Drawings
Project 82: Dying Easter Eggs With Bleeding Tissue Paper
Project 83: Painting Pottery
Project 84: Drawing En Plein Air
Project 85: African Savannah Paintings
Project 86: Woven CD Garden Decoration
Project 87: Working with Clay
Project 88: Art Lessons with Art Academy
Project 89: Melted Bead Wind Chimes
Project 90: Perler Bead Projects
Project 91: Ivory Soap Carvings
Project 92: Ice Cube Tie Dye
Project 93: String Art
Project 94: Multimedia Ocean Paintings 
Project 95: Balloon Splatter Painting
Project 96: Making Mosaic Stepping Stones
Project 97: Glass Bead and Glue Sun Catchers 
Project 98: Coloring Book Art
Project 99: Metal Stamped Bookmarks

Project 100: Water Balloon Art