3D Printing?

This Christmas, our family decided to get a 3D printer as a family gift instead of filling stockings etc. We had some reservations at first because of the concerns about plastic waste, but we ultimately came up with some exciting reasons to go for it.

My husband is a big DIY fan and a vintage car enthusiast. We realized a 3D printer would allow us to print our own replacement parts for all sorts of things around the house. This means fewer trips to buy new items since my husband really believes in the “fix it instead of replace it” mindset.
Then there’s my son, who works as a Library Technician. He was overflowing with ideas about how a 3D printer could enhance his library and motivate young readers.
Now for my turn. What could I possibly use a 3D printer for? While my family was focused on practical projects, I couldn’t help but get excited about the artistic possibilities! My research took me down a fun rabbit hole, and I came to a delightful conclusion: I can definitely use this! I’ll be able to create beautiful art with almost no waste, and I can also make handy tools and storage solutions without always needing to make a run to the dollar store or order cheap items online.

It’s going to be a fantastic adventure for our family!

Christmas Through 3D Art

Once we were comfortable with this new tech, we decided that any gifts we gave needed to be hand made. I was charged with creating art with the printer. Here are a few things that I made?

How Do ATCs Fit into This?

Part of my rabbit hole discoveries included learning all about Lithophanes. While other enthusiasts focused on using photographs of family and pets (which I did also), my mind immediately went to ATCs. How could I use this for my daily ATC creating?

What if I scanned in my actual art pieces and then turned them into lithophanes? Is that actually a thing? Indeed it is.

Learn more about lithophanes and what I have created in the next post.