While not as sophisticated as a 3D printer, 3D pens are an artistic way to create custom parts. To make objects with a 3D printer, you use a 3D model file (such as STL), but for a 3D pen, creating objects is a manual process. You can use a 3D pen template or stencil to make drawing a model easier.
In this article, we’ve listed some of the best 3D pen templates and divided them into categories, such as animals, vehicles, and more. For each template, we’ve described the complexity and features of the design.
Before we get started, it’s worth noting that the templates don’t always include every single part. We’ve highlighted where you need to go off-template with the term “free drawing,” which refers to making some design features on your own. Enjoy!
Animals & Creatures
This section is full of templates for animals and other creatures, such as a dog, a butterfly, and even a fire-breathing dragon!
Puppy
First up, this template can help you create a very cute puppy. Also included is a shoe accessory, so your four-legged friend has something to gnaw on.
As seen in the image above, you can make this dog in multiple colors to enhance its visual appeal. It’s important to note that the template only covers (in 2D) the dog’s face and outline of its body, so you’ll have to free draw the third dimension of the dog (the widths).
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: Mynt3D
Owl
You’re sure to have a hoot of a time making this adorable owl! The beginner-friendly stencil features a wise owl, complete with large, expressive eyes and feathered wings.
This project, from the Craft Passion blog, features extensive resources, including a YouTube tutorial, tool suggestions, and tips from the creator. Smooth strokes and perfect accuracy are not required for this design, and should you make any mistakes, it’s easy to just cover it up. If you do end up with messy strings, you can trim them off with a wire cutter.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: Craft Passion
Pastel Butterfly
Next, this pastel butterfly should be an easy project to make as no free drawing is required. The template only involves three pieces, including a small body and two intricate wings.
To add more flavor to the model, use a few vibrant-colored filaments when making the wings.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
T-Rex Skeleton
Skeletons, especially T-Rex skeletons, are fairly popular objects to 3D print. You can also make them with a 3D pen using a template.
This template contains a lot of detail and requires you to draw 21 pieces. You’ll also need to perform some free drawing on the skull, spine, and other parts. Luckily, the maker includes thorough instructions for making the skeleton in the template PDF.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Dragon
This dragon template is one of the more complex selections on this list but yields an impressive creature when used properly.
The maker of this design recommends using a few extra objects, such as a marker and pencil, to help you free draw the parts of the dragon not included on the template. You can also use multiple colors to make the different features of the dragon (like fire and wings) stand out from the body.
- Difficulty: Hard
- Where to find it: Mynt3D
Action Figure
Want a buddy to hang out with you on your desk? You can make this awesome action figure with your 3D pen! The template is pretty simple, and the whole design fits together in a few pieces. However, we recommend this project for more advanced creators, as working with organic shapes can be a little tricky for beginners.
Using the provided template, trace out the wireframe for each body part and use your pen to fill the gaps. After you’re done, add accessories like a hat, shoes, clothes, and whatever else you can think of!
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Bird Feeder
Although this bird feeder isn’t exactly an animal, it’s animal-related. This great outdoor project will make your backyard birds very happy.
This template involves five distinct parts, some of which you’ll need to make multiple times. The best part of this model is that no free drawing is necessary, and the edges of the 25 pieces involved should all match up.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Fandoms
From Pokémon to Star Wars, the following 3D pen designs will help you show your love for your favorite fandoms and fictional characters.
Red from Angry Birds
Dive into the vibrant world of Angry Birds with this Red stencil, an engaging project that will bring the iconic character, with its distinctive color, heavy eyebrows, and signature determined expression, to life in your workspace.
This straightforward design should make it easy and achievable to create this fiery fowl. If you’re having trouble making the sphere for Red’s body, 3D Pen Den shows how to follow a different method in this YouTube video. The result is a dense foundation that could translate nicely into this project.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: 3DKit
Detective Pikachu
Step into the electrifying world of solving mysteries with the Detective Pikachu 3D pen stencil, a challenging project that allows artists to recreate the iconic Pokémon.
Ideal for moderately experienced 3D pen artists in search of a challenge, this project will take some time (and patience) to complete. Some Pokémon 3D pen artists use a butane lighter to heat individual finished parts up for assembly. This method saves filament, as you don’t have to extrude more plastic to weld parts together.
- Difficulty: Hard
- Where to find it: 3DKit
Star Wars Ships
Who doesn’t love a good Star Wars spaceship dogfight? You can use this collection of templates to make rebel X-Wing and empire TIE Fighter ships. Also included in the template is a design for an AT-AT Walker.
The ship templates (not including the Walker) involve a total of over 20 pieces, but, as you might expect with designs as intricate as Star Wars ships, some free drawing is required. You might also want to use multiple colors to highlight features of the spacecraft, such as their weapons and boosters.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: Mynt3D
SpongeBob
With his big toothy smile and fun personality, SpongeBob SquarePants is a favorite cartoon character for many! Thanks to 3D pens, it’s never been easier to create a 3D memento from the show that made many childhoods.
To make SpongeBob, start with a 2D template to draw on. After tracing and filling all the pieces, you can join the sponge skeleton together, which gives you a base to work on. You can then add the eyes, nose, arms, legs, shoes, and that iconic red tie! Keep in mind that this project may be a little tricky if you’re just starting your 3D pen journey.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: Mynt3D
Vehicles
In this section, you’ll find 3D pen templates for various vehicles, including helicopters, planes, cars, and more!
Vespa
Step up your 3D pen artistry with this magnificent Vespa scooter template. In addition to growing your 3D pen skills, this challenging project celebrates the enduring appeal of the Vespa. From the sleek frame to the vintage headlights, this project captures the essence of the scooter’s iconic design.
After making the different panels, you can use a small, portable heat gun to shape and adjust the body panels. The creator notes that the project took them 5 hours in total, along with a lot of patience and passion.
- Difficulty: Hard
- Where to find it: Thingiverse
Propeller Airplane
This propeller plane can be a great model figure for your desk or bookshelf. The template involves 14 different parts. As the template is 2D and doesn’t cover all of the features of the design (like the propeller tip), some free drawing is needed. Still, most of the parts should fit together pretty well.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Rowboat
Time to go for a boat ride! This rowboat template contains eight different parts that should fit together nicely, with no free drawing required.
While the boat probably won’t be watertight, the template includes paddles so you can make it back to shore!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Sports Car
A sports car might not fit into your monthly budget, but this template allows you to create a mini one. Although it can’t go fast or drift, this model includes some pretty sweet features, such as headlights and a license plate.
The template for this car contains almost 20 pieces, and you’ll also have to do some free drawing for the windows and body, but it should be a fairly achievable feat.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: Mynt3D
Submarine
Submarines make for great decorations in any fish tank, and this 3D pen template allows you to create your own.
The template has seven different parts that need to be made a few times each; however, the ship’s main body isn’t included in the design. This means that you’ll have to make the cylindrical body of the submarine on your own, but the maker provided some helpful instructions for doing this.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Helicopter
You can make this awesome helicopter using this template as well as a few strands of filament.
The template is composed of 15 different parts. Although assembly is a little complex, the maker includes detailed instructions for binding the pieces.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Accessories
This section contains templates for useful accessories around the home, such as a phone stand and a cord holder, as well as a few cool items to accessorize or play with.
Phone Stand
It can be challenging to find a good place to display your phone or business cards. You can use this template to make your own mustache-shaped phone or business card stand.
Making this stand should be pretty easy as it only involves creating two copies of a mustache and connecting them. Using a 3D pen to make this stand also allows you to fit the accessory to your dimensional needs.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: Mynt3D
Picture Frame
What’s a picture without a picture frame? If you don’t have a good way to safely display a great picture, you can use this template to make your own with a 3D pen.
The template includes three different frame designs and a few accessories, such as frame stands and photo corners. If the frame doesn’t fit your image, you can always print the template larger or smaller to make it work.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: Mynt3D
Cord Holder
If you’re constantly moving devices around or plugging in your charger, it can be a pain to get the charging cable to stay put when you’re not using it.
Instead of reaching between your desk and wall to find that darn cable, you can make this cord holder to keep your cables in one convenient place. The template for this design is pretty basic, but some easy free drawing is required to give the design a third dimension (height).
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Cube Calendar
Whether you want to count down to the next holiday or just keep track of the date, this cube calendar is a great addition to your desk or a table. The design includes a stand, a cube for the month, and two cubes for the date. Since you have a 3D pen, feel free to customize the calendar however you’d like. A Christmas-themed or rainbow calendar would look pretty cool!
Since it’s easy to mix up the order of the days and month cubes, double-check that you have them arranged correctly. Also, make sure you use contrasting colors for the cube and the number so it really pops!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: Mynt3D
Glasses
These glasses are a goofy piece of apparel, great for Halloween or for a costume party. They should also be pretty easy to make as there are only three parts in the template, and no free drawing is required.
The edges of the involved parts should line up, making assembly a breeze. Just note that they won’t be hinged, so they won’t be able to fold up.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: 3DKit
Pinwheel Spinner
Pinwheel spinners are fun desk accessories that can entertain you when you need a break. You can make your own spinning pinwheel with this 3D pen template and a few other parts, including a pen for the shaft and a bearing to make it spin.
The template involves 13 pieces, and you’ll need to do some free drawing to connect the different components. You may also want to give the wheel part of the design in different colors to make the decoration look even better as it spins.
- Difficulty: Hard
- Where to find it: Mynt3D
Decorations & More
This last section includes various other templates for structures, decorative objects, and more!
Eiffel Tower
Transport yourself to the heart of Paris with this Eiffel Tower 3D pen template. Whether you’re a seasoned 3D pen artist or a beginner, this project lets you bring a piece of France into your creative space.
The solidly designed template, along with a video tutorial, helps makers recreate the Eiffel Tower’s iconic structure. You’ll need to create four copies of the tower section on the template, then weld them together to make the four-sided structure. Of course, you can’t forget to make the included croissant to really feel like you’re in France.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: 3DKit
Dreamcatcher
A dreamcatcher is a great indoor and outdoor decoration, and you can make one pretty easily with this three-part template.
The design of the centerpieces is fairly complex with small details, but it’s definitely achievable. The holes at the bottom of this part also allow you to hang a string or feather.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Poinsettia Flower
People love the look and smell of flowers. While you can’t really achieve fragrance with a 3D pen, you can make a good-looking poinsettia flower with this stencil.
The template comes with four different designs, which you can layer with different colors to achieve the combination that appeals to you the most.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Geode
Geodes are pretty fascinating and attention-grabbing! Rough and sparkly on the outside and shiny and smooth on the inside, they are a cool natural phenomenon. Although you won’t be able to replicate the same bling with a 3D pen, you’ll be able to use some unique color combinations you might not find in nature!
If you want the inside area of the geode to appear smoother, use a heated trimming knife to iron out inconsistencies. To improve the outside, draw a white border to make your geodes look more realistic.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Acoustic Guitar
While you won’t be able to play this guitar, this 3D stencil will leave you with a great mini instrument for display.
The template for this guitar involves three pieces, but you’ll have to perform some free drawing to connect them. You may also want to use some real string (or excess filament stringing) to make the guitar look even more realistic, as seen in the image above.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Where to find it: 3DKit
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge took four years to make, but you can use this template to make your own miniature version of it in under an hour (and it doesn’t have to be red).
This bridge uses a total of 22 pieces (4 different fairly simplistic parts), that should connect right up on their edges, making this project pretty easy to assemble. It’s also worth noting that, while miniature in width and height, this bridge is decently long.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
Cornucopia
Let’s take a moment to say thanks! The cornucopia has been around for a while, symbolizing abundance and a bountiful harvest. You can make this cornucopia to decorate your Thanksgiving table, which is a pretty good conversation starter!
The technique required to make this cornucopia might take a little while to get the hang of, but the end result is totally worth it. You can also add a layer of material to the outside shell for extra strength. Just be mindful of food safety matters if you intend to have it in contact with fruits or veggies you plan to eat.
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Where to find it: 3Doodler
License: The text of "30 Fantastic 3D Pen Templates & Ideas for 3D Pen Art" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.