The world is full of bold, creative, and imaginative people whose out-of-the-box ideas push the limits of what we think is possible. Some creatives have embraced 3D printing, a technology that almost feels like magic, to forge truly impressive and wild designs that range from the super functional to the incredibly artistic. Usually—a bit of both!
Our team has curated this list of the coolest and most stunning 3D printed projects, as shared by the inventive members of the ‘3D Printer’ online community. Keep scrolling to check out their best works, and you never know, you might just feel inspired to pick up a new hobby.
#1 Made A Scuba Diver Kid’s Halloween Costume That Blows Bubbles!
Image source: Savings-Diver-5279
Good design doesn’t often happen by accident. It requires a lot of careful planning, testing, and editing. No matter the medium, industry, or era, there are some aspects of design that don’t change. They are fundamental.
At their core, they are deeply empathetic because they put the needs and wants of the consumer first. And they strike a delicate balance between function and form.
Legendary industrial designer Dieter Rams encapsulated his ideas into ten principles of design that continue to guide creatives to this day.
#2 Just Deadpool Toasting Marshmallows On Ghost Rider 🙂
Image source: DennisXaweryMoore
#3 I Made This Cute Albert Einstein Model For The Physics Contest!
Image source: Puzzleheaded_Ad6953
According to Rams, good design is:
- Innovative
- Makes a product useful
- Aesthetic
- Makes a product understandable
- Unobtrusive
- Honest
- Long-lasting
- Thorough down to the last detail
- Environmentally-friendly
- As little design as possible
#4 Modern Self-Watering Planter Collection
Image source: Old_Community_7680
#5 New 3D Printed Soap Dish / Sponge Holder Collection – Now With More Models
Image source: Sociedelic
#6 My Son’s New 3D Printer
Image source: Downtonjul
Half a century ago, in the late 1970s, Rams was becoming more and more concerned about the state of the world around him, which he describes as “an impenetrable confusion of forms, colors, and noises.”
So, he started asking himself whether his designs were good, seeing as he was an iconic figure in the industry.
#7 I Designed This Cool Soap Holder That Looks Like A Water Splash!
Image source: LifeCareless3033
#8 Tick Remover – Little Act Of Kindness Suggestion
Image source: BeatInteresting6979
#9 For Your Toolbox
Image source: Ok-Car-8671
Vitsœ, which has “continuously worked” with designer Rams for 65 years, points out that the possibilities for innovation are not exhausted. There’s always room for novel approaches.
“Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself.”
#10 Just Surprised My Colleagues
Image source: BeatInteresting6979
#11 I’m Sorry But I Had To Print This. Just In Case
Image source: JustZ0920
#12 3D Printed Anti-Theft Fake Bluetooth Trackers
Image source: Bike_Relative
Meanwhile, when designing anything, you have to remember that products have to be, well, useful.
“It has to satisfy certain criteria, not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic. Good design emphasises the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could possibly detract from it.”
#13 Tentacle Stand For Your Xbox Controller
Image source: Mefisto_Dice
#14 I Designed This Cute Little Elephant Design That Looks Like It’s Just Been Knitted/Crocheted!
Image source: Puzzleheaded_Ad6953
#15 Doggo
Image source: Bike_Relative
On the opposite end of functionality, you have aesthetics, which is an important factor because it affects your well-being as a consumer. Or, to put it simply, people like looking at beautiful things. So, naturally, we want the things that we use daily to look nice.
And yet, you can’t go too far in the artistic direction or you might undermine the functional qualities of the item.
#16 Modular Drawer System | Push-Push Lock
Image source: Matthew-Ghost
#17 How Much Would You Pay For It?
Image source: Malconio
#18 Trying To Make 3D Prints Look Premium
Image source: Bike_Relative
“Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore be both neutral and restrained, to leave room for the user’s self-expression,” Vitsœ explains.
Well-designed products are pretty much self-explanatory and intuitive to use, and they do not try to manipulate consumers’ expectations “with promises that cannot be kept.”
#19 I Made These Mathamatical Objects 15 Years Ago In College And Finally I’ve Been Able To Print Them
Image source: coolkid1717
#20 I Designed And Printed A New Cat Skull Mask
Image source: Practical-Big-1155
#21 I Think Alot Of People Underestimate The Capabilities Of Fdm For Miniatures
Image source: Z3temis
Furthermore, genuinely good design embraces a long timeframe and timelessness and goes against throwaway culture. It avoids becoming antiquated by rejecting fashionable designs in the first place.
Meanwhile, good designers don’t leave anything to chance and are careful and accurate in their work. They also conserve resources, reduce physical and visual pollution, and aim to protect the environment.
Lastly—and somewhat counterintuitively—good design avoids over-the-top design work. Instead, you embrace the most essential aspects, avoid non-essentials, and focus on the “less is more” mantra.
“Back to purity, back to simplicity,” as Vitsœ puts it.
#22 I’m Designing Weird Lamps, The First One Is A Pushpin
Image source: Visible-Pilot9900
#23 Gothic Style Horse Box
Image source: Significant_Drink314
#24 Concerete Mixer 3D Printer
Image source: 3D_Printing_Pavllo7
The ‘3D Printer’ community is one of the many awesome niches on the internet that unites hobbyists and fans who love the flexibility of 3D printing technology.
The group has been inspiring creatives to share their best designs since 2012, and it doesn’t look like it’ll be stopping any time soon. At the time of writing, the community boasts a solid 49k weekly visitors.
#25 My First Lithophane Cube
Lit From A Single LED With A Printed Diffuser In A Printed Battery Box. 80mm Pic Size, So About 2.5 Hours Per Side At 0.1 Layer Height. All From Blender Tutorials On Youtube, And Free Advice Here And On Facebook. My Thanks To All Those Who Freely Share Knowledge
Image source: chip_worker
#26 I Truly Respect Those Who Work In The Field Of Design. It’s Such A Challenging Job
Image source: [deleted]
#27 First Terrain Piece Off The Ender 3 With Default Settings
Image source: Singuy888
Which of these projects and designs impressed you the most? Which ideas are you itching to put to the test, whether using a 3D printer or another creative medium?
What things would you love to create if you had a 3D printer at home right now? Meanwhile, if you already own a 3D printer, what are the most interesting, functional, or niche projects or parts you’ve ever forged?
Once you’ve upvoted your favorite pics, feel free to join the conversation in the comments!
#28 Printed By Flying Bear Ghost 5 With Direct Drive Upgrade
Image source: RR-Design
#29 Escape Dinosaur
Image source: Kevin3dprint
#30 Designed A Sith Obi-Wan Kenobi Lightsaber Hilt
Image source: FupaTroopAdmiral
#31 Hello Everyone! I Want To Share My New 3D Model Of The Sr-71 Blackbird
Image source: Decent-Option3260
#32 I Designed And Printed This Model For Valentines Day!
Image source: Puzzleheaded_Ad6953
#33 For Everyone Who’s Ruined A Keyboard With Coffee At Least Once
Image source: supergeometry
#34 As Per Popular Request, Following Up From Albert Einstein. I Designed This Cute Nikola Tesla Ams Model!
Image source: Puzzleheaded_Ad6953
#35 Project Ooglees | Optical Illusion That Follows You With Its Gaze
Image source: Altenife
#36 3D Printed Taxi From Fifth Element
Image source: comicalchemical
#37 I Designed This Cute Little Triceratops Design That Looks Like It’s Just Been Knitted/Crocheted!
Image source: Puzzleheaded_Ad6953
#38 DIY Smart 3D Printer Enclosure, For Those Winter Days :)
Image source: JKSniper
#39 I Made A 3D Map Of Ghent, Which City Should I Do Next?
Image source: bodon_be
#40 Freezer Thaw Indicator
Image source: Stevengerrard08lfc
#41 Made Some Free Gamebox Designes
Image source: Infamous-Persimmon85
#42 3D Printed A Bonsai Pot That My Local Bonsai Guy Actually Approved
Image source: Old_Community_7680
#43 I Made A Slightly Tweaked Version Of The Popular And Incredible 3D Boaty Model By Depep1, To Include And Incline Overhang Test! I Call It, The Bench – E!
Image source: Puzzleheaded_Ad6953
#44 Perfection
Image source: Hootend3D
#45 I Haven’t Printed In Forever So I Was Excited To Make A Yarn Bowl For My Wife Who Just Took Up Knitting
Image source: vernanonix
#46 City Maps 😁🔥 Done And Done
Image source: Marvellous_3D_Print
#47 Good Luck With This One
Image source: Bike_Relative
#48 Full-Scale 3D Printed And Finished School Mascot
Image source: 2000AJM
#49 Just Printed My First Print
Image source: Calm_Selection420
#50 Sharing Some Of My Models
Image source: No-Calligrapher-8875
#51 An Xbox Controller Stand I Made For A Coworker
Image source: YEAHthatllSHOWme
#52 Resin Print
Image source: DennisXaweryMoore
#53 Tool Box Labels
Image source: Serious_Type_9328
#54 Made Some Vases That Catch The Light In A Cool Way
Image source: Bike_Relative
#55 Introduction And Free Playsets
Image source: gatcke
#56 My Biggest Print So Far
Image source: Material-Pilot6191
#57 This Color Looks Nice
Image source: Kevin3dprint
#58 Printed On Mars 2 Pro
Image source: Apprehensive-Law-549
#59 Recently Got A Epax E10 And Here’s A Couple Busts I Printed Using Epax Hard Grey Resin
Image source: BrownTownGames
#60 Aku Aku – 1st Print That I Painted
Image source: Rosco1231
#61 Printable Kit Card Mini Mech
Image source: judasbrute
#62 3 Ways To Print Spider-Man
Image source: iczfirz
#63 Daffman
Image source: SanDiegoSavage00
#64 My 3D Printed Tow Hook Spacers
Image source: Peyton_Peck718
#65 M4a4 Sherman
Image source: Last-Establishment24
#66 The Ultimate Filament Swatch Card
Image source: StarGalaxiCZ
#67 So Close To Being Done On The Final Stages Of Painting Now Can’t Wait To Finish It!
Image source: ohorrockso1
#68 I Designed A 3D Printed Bird Feeder To Go On The Window
Image source: ebob_designs
#69 Multi Color Dilbert Model
Image source: nicolas_z
#70 I Just Wanted To Share One Of My 3D Printed Sculptures! A Dolphin On A Wave. This Is One Of My Favorites So Far. If Anyone Is Interested I Have A Youtube Video On How I Created It!🙂✨
Image source: Cotton_Candy_Kiwi
#71 Today’s Finished Product
Image source: SanDiegoSavage00
#72 I Designed And 3D Printed This Rc Car, Should I Post Stls?
Image source: miguelopezx
#73 Got Some New Multi-Colored Filament And Tried It Out On Baby Yoda. This Was My Longest Print Yet And I’m Pretty Happy With The Turnout
Image source: Eatacorndog
#74 These Printed Super Clean
Image source: FupaTroopAdmiral
#75 Mount Fuji As A 91 Piece Krypt Style Jigsaw Puzzle
Image source: Bike_Relative
#76 Spawn Printed On The Epax E10
Image source: rrlong89
#77 Batman Came Out Really Clean
Image source: FunCollectibles
#78 Tiny Hippo
Image source: Bike_Relative
#79 A Resin Printed Hello Kitty By Lr-002r: Vacation Will Be On After 2 Weeks :)
Image source: creality3D
#80 Check Out My Printing Mushroom😜
Image source: Careless_Scar7889
#81 Those Are Some LED Crystals I Made, Controlled Over App. Link For Files And A Manual In The Comments :)
Image source: mateomodar
#82 Goth Bulbasaur
Image source: shadowfocus603
#83 Spawn Resin Print
Image source: DennisXaweryMoore
#84 I Designed This Low Poly Deer For Our Winter Wonderland!
Image source: Puzzleheaded_Ad6953
#85 Life Sized Statue Of Link
Image source: Laveniuk
#86 Hippo’pot’amus Collection I Made!
Image source: ScenicCuriosities
#87 I Designed And 3D Printed This Model In Preparation For Father’s Day!
Image source: Puzzleheaded_Ad6953
#88 Sideshow Bob No Ams
Image source: Ok-Marsupial5558
#89 Sharknado! It Lights Up And Spins (Video Link In Comments) This Was A Lot Of Fun
Image source: Die20Gaming
#90 Japandi-Inspired Desk & Bathroom Holder
Image source: Old_Community_7680
#91 Stand For Benchy Tentacle
Image source: Glory_Eyes
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