11 Cool 3D Pen Art Projects 2023 (With Video Guides!)

3D drawing pens are a marvel of technology. Born from the need to fix a fault in a 3D printing job, what is essentially a handheld 3D printer quickly found traction and is now being used to create 3D art in many forms.

Today, 3D pen art ideas are popping up all over the internet. From simple cubes to larger pieces, it’s easy to see why these pens are popular with artists and doodlers alike.

• We also have a ranking of the best 3D pens.

Whether you’re using a stencil or exercising your creativity by drawing freehand, 3D pen creations are fun to make and cool to see. Unlike 3D printers which can use abs filament, most 3D pen models use pla plastic as their material. The heated plastic doesn’t come out at particularly hot temperatures, making them safe for use even by younger artists to use, helping them explore their creativity and develop problem solving skills.

If you’ve ever wanted to make the Eiffel Tower in hot pink, create a park bench sculpture with your name engraved on it, or just add your own features to any existing object; three dimensional art made with filament pen technology is a great tool for self-expression and creative play, and can even be educational for child and adult students alike.

3D pen creations range from easy for beginners, to challenging for advanced artists. So whether you’re just starting or are looking for a project guide for your next creative outlet, here are our picks for the coolest 3D pen art ideas available today using different brands and filament types.

What to Draw With a 3D Pen

Many shapes, sizes, colors, and styles are waiting to be made with a 3D pen. This is a list of our favorites, but there are many stencils available for any taste and niche out there. There’s always room for unique creations, whether you’re drawing for yourself, making 3D pen Christmas gifts, or trying to think of some neat 3D pen art ideas to sell.

• We also have a guide to the coolest things you can 3D print.

Remember; 3D pens are pens! If you’re thinking of what to draw, you can also think about what to draw with a 3D pen. This is an exciting concept for experienced artists and newcomers alike. So when you’re thinking about what to draw with a 3D pen, keep in mind that your imagination is the only limit.

So get your draw on, and be sure to share your favorite 3D pen art templates with the world!

3D Pen Jewelry

3D pen templates for jewelry are a great place for newcomers to work on their craft. Stencils are available for a number of items like adjustable earrings and necklaces. These wearable trinkets are an excellent example of easy 3D pen ideas for beginners.

With enough practice and a steady hand, following a stencil can be a snap, making these some of the easiest 3D pen art projects out there. They are good training for those looking to get used to working with a flat surface, and the results are pretty cool too.

Learning how to use a 3D pen to make jewelry is as easy as creating and printing the design you want to make your stencil and then covering it with a piece of clear plastic. From there, carefully trace over the line with your 3D pen and then slowly peel off the plastic when you’re done.

These easy 3D pen templates can be used to make a range of wearables like necklaces, earrings, and bracelets in any design and color you choose.

As you get better, you can make more complicated designs including jewelry with notches and slots for accessorizing with different jewels and charms.

Dragons

3D pen art comes in many forms, and one of the coolest is taking beloved characters and bringing them to life.

Of all the things to draw with a 3D pen, one of the simplest to begin with are snakes and dragons. The basic forms of these are tubes, which can be added to to make some really cool statuettes from your favorite movies, or you can let your imagination run wild.

One of the coolest 3D pen art ideas we found includes dragon Haku from the famous film Spirited Away. The body design is simple to follow with practice, and then end result is very cool.

A similar 3D pen design for the beloved Mushu is also available for children or those who are just willing to learn.

The beauty in these designs is that they are a mix of simple and complicated, and they make for very good practice for those wanting to make cool statues or are looking for inspiration for their own 3D pen creations.

Model Buildings

For some reason, it’s impossible to search for 3D pen ideas without seeing a picture of the Eiffel Tower.

There are various free 3D pen templates for the pride of Paris out there, as well as the famous Elizabeth Tower of London, home of the Big Ben. The best part about these designs is that all four sides are the same shape, meaning it’s a good idea for beginners looking to improve their sculpture skills.

For people looking for a more challenging 3D pen art project, complicated structures like the Tower Bridge or the Statue of Liberty are great creativity exercises and make good projects to improve your skills.

For an easier idea, simple house and shed templates are available to explore, as well as Tudor buildings for an older aesthetic.

Animals

Who among us hasn’t doodled our favorite animal on occasion? 3D pen animals make for fun doodling sessions, or deep creative pieces. Either way, animals make for some awesome 3D pen projects for kids and adults.

Because the animal kingdom is vast, and 3D pen animals are popular, tutorials and free stencils cover the internet. This means you’ll be able to find your favorite without issue, and have access to any number of teaching videos.

From puppies and foxes to turtles and sharks, tutorials for all skill levels are easy to find and create.

Don’t forget that one of the coolest things about 3D pens is the color possibilities. Hot pink sharks or lime green foxes aren’t beyond the limits of 3D pens, so you can create whatever color animal you like.

Accessories

Bracelets and earrings aren’t the only 3D pen creations you can wear. While DIY accessories are nothing new, drawing your own accessories is a novel approach to dressing up. 3D pen art breaks the mold of traditional accessorizing by making accessible the ability to create homemade clutch purses, badges, and even partial outfits.

3D pen projects don’t get much more expressive than making your own wardrobe. Even bras and corsets can be made with a 3D pen and a dressmaker’s dummy, so there are a lot of options to explore.

Clutch purses are simple enough to develop that you can jazz up with any artwork or pattern you want, from an old favorite to a new creation. In any case, your skills are bound to turn heads.

Artwork

3D pen art doesn’t have to mean originals. There’s nothing wrong with making your own copy, or developing your own spin on a favorite piece.

Much like with basic jewelry, any artwork can be recreated in any style or size. Simply printing out the design you want, covering it with clear plastic, and tracing it with your 3D pen is enough to make your own 3D pen artworks.

Depending on your tracing skills, the same can be applied to photos and other pictures to make a personal 3D penned masterpiece to display any way you want.

If you’re more artistic, you can make your own 3D pen artwork by using the pen as a brush to create your own masterpiece. Even if you’re not confident in your drawing ability, you’ll find that creatives of all ages can make abstract and creative shapes worth bragging about.

The same methods can be applied to make personalized holiday cards and invitations, making unique seasonal greetings or party favors for any occasion.

And there’s no need to stick only to the classics. Anything from cartoons to 3D pen anime art can be found as stencils or traceable materials anywhere you look!

Containers and Holsters

Clutter is never nice, and often makes us lose important everyday things like pens, USBs, and loose change. One of the best 3D pen ideas for dealing with little messes is containers.

Small storage boxes and holders are very simple to make simply by using your 3D pen to create a shape and then adding as many layers as you need.

3D pen creations make for great pen holders, change boxes, and any other small container to keep loose odds and ends, even keys and toothbrushes. These can be made in any color and personalized with your own decorations or patterns that can be made and added whenever you like.

Some creative people have even created water bottle holsters for bikes and cup holders for hot takeaway cups with their 3D pens, making for a greener and cheaper way to travel with your beverage.

Mobile Device Stands

When in use, it’s pretty common to prop your phone up with a book or a stuffed animal, but these aren’t always reliable. Of all the ideas of what to make with a 3D pen, a phone stand is amongst the most universally useful.

Having a secure place to set your phone comes in handy in many situations. Whether you’re watching relaxing videos to doze off to, having a reference screen at your workstation, or keeping track of a recipe without getting your phone covered in flour; phone stands are a lifesaver.

The trick to making a 3D pen phone stand is getting the dimensions right. By measuring out your phone, you can get started on making a little holster for your favorite device. As with all 3D pen creations, you can customize holders as you like to really make them your own.

By tweaking the size, you can make a tripod for your cell or a stand for your tablet. And these 3D pen ideas don’t just translate to your electronics! Book stands follow the same basic shape, and they always look unique!

Pokémon

It’s difficult for any gamer to consider new things to create with their 3D pen without considering the iconic Pokémon. Fortunately for them, there are any number of tutorials and sculptures of just about any of the 1000+ pocket monsters out there.

3D pen art means your favorite of these (and we all have a favorite) can be made from scratch before your eyes! While you can find Pokémon on any list of the coolest things to 3D print, there’s something about making one as a 3D pen creation that’s very satisfying.

Here we’ll see some of our personal favorites, but any simple YouTube or Google search will yield guides on the art of making 3D pen Pokémon for fans of all ages.

Of course, some are more intricate than others, but 3D pen art Pokémon are a great place for 3D pen beginners or artistic experts as the challenge changes with whichever pocket monster you want to play with.

Wine Stoppers and Keychains

3D pen art is all about expression, but it’s also about conversation starters. While there are many examples of 3D pen creations to get people talking, one of the most fun is 3D pen made wine stoppers.

Starting with a simple circular base, wine toppers can be extended into any shape, from the Batman symbol to sports logos and flags. Of course, these projects are geared toward adults rather than children.

Even if you’re not a wine person, the same 3D pen creations can be made for keychains. Personal expression is what 3D pen art is all about, and a common way to express yourself is by drawing and attaching your homemade symbol to carry around with you any day.

Much like jewelry, 3D pen wine stoppers and keychains can be made with a sheet of plastic and trace material, but they can also be made in any original or creative pattern to exercise your personal preference in your 3D pen creations.

Lampshades

For something to really make your home your own, there’s no 3D pen idea quite like a lampshade.

With the range of available translucent pla filament, lampshades are a great way to show off your 3D pen art when the lights go down.

The basic shape of a lampshade makes these luminaries wonderful things to create for beginners who still want to develop their creative sides.

Creating your own 3D pen lampshade is as easy as figuring out the shape and size of the plastic you need to use. From there, all you have to do is decide on a pattern and get to drawing!

Stencils for artworks such as Van Gogh’s famous Night Sky and Hokusai’s The Great Wave Off Kanagawa are our favorites, but anything is possible! 3D pen anime art or abstract patterns make for great lampshades as long as you remember to use translucent plastics like specialty PLAs.

Essentially you can use any template or stencil book to create a lampshade with 3D pens, but you can also try your hand at drawing freestyle too!