It’s that time of the year again: time to be scary, dress up, and fill our bellies with more candy than we probably should eat! Halloween is all about carving pumpkins, seeing ghosts, scaring people, haunted houses, trick-or-treating, and party planning!
It’s also a great time for 3D printing, which is an ideal way to make props, costumes, pumpkins, and much more.
In this article, we’ve gathered the most interesting and spooky 3D printed decorations and accessories. If you see something you like, but your printer’s currently possessed and all your attempts at exorcism have failed, try Craftcloud. Pick the material and finishes you want, and our professional 3D printing partners will handle the rest.
Without further ado, let’s get scary!
Jack-o'-Lanterns
Jack-o’-lanterns are an age-old tradition. You carve scary faces into pumpkins, put a light inside them, and watch the creepy faces glow in the night.
With these designs, you don’t need a pumpkin or carving talent. You only need a 3D printer, some filament (preferably orange), and Halloween spirit.
Classic
This classic jack-o’-lantern design was chosen because, with hundreds of makes, it’s a pretty popular model. The design is divided into two components: the pumpkin and the lid. The top opening of the pumpkin has a 24-mm diameter, so you can fit a LED light or electronic candle inside. For quality results, it’s recommended that you print with a 0.2-mm layer height and 10% infill.
- Who designed it? Makies
- How printable/popular is it? With 243 makes and 36 remixes shared, this model is highly popular!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Pumpkin Spider
When you’re getting the pumpkins ready to carve, make sure it’s a pumpkin and not something else! This 3D printed jack-o’-lantern is a spider in disguise. But don’t worry, it’s pretty cute.
While printing the spider, you can either print the parts in multiple colors or paint them after printing to resemble a pumpkin. The maker has printed this with a 0.15-mm layer height and 10% infill.
- Who designed it? Megawillbot
- How printable/popular is it? This pumpkin arachnid can compete with Spider-Man in popularity, as it has more than 130 makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Snap-on Faces
What’s more Halloween than Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas? This jack-o’-lantern design is composed of a base and a stem as well as different faces that snap to the base. The designer provides 12 different face models, and there are several more that were designed by the community and posted as remixes, including Oogie Boogie and Jack Skellington.
With one base, you can swap out the face every day for a different theme. The designer recommends printing the model with only two shells, as the lantern glows better this way with a light inside.
- Who designed it? thjelmfelt
- How printable/popular is it? This popular model has 116 makes and 38 remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Adorable Pumpkin
This adorable and cute Halloween pumpkin is a delightful addition to the spooky season. This charming pumpkin is designed to inject a dose of cuteness into your Halloween decor, providing a refreshing break from the traditional eerie motifs.
You can choose from a few accessories for the top, and the stem with a leaf adds some extra cuteness. There’s also a stem without a leaf or a witch hat. Printing this little fella should be a breeze, and a 0.2 mm layer height is recommended for optimal results.
- Who designed it? Macroglossum
- How printable/popular is it? This cute pumpkin has been downloaded nearly 2,000 times and over 60 makers have shared their print.
- Where to find it? Printables
Jackie
This design feels like it’s also right out of The Nightmare Before Christmas.
It can be printed either as one piece or two. You’ll need supports for printing the eyes and teeth, but not for anything else (including the stem). It can also hold an electronic candle or LED light inside.
You know what people say: When it’s Halloween, you can never have too many pumpkins!
Trick-or-Treating
By far, some of the best parts of Halloween are the sweets, the creative food ideas, and the trick-or-treating. You just need a good costume, some courage, and you’re ready to go house to house, asking strangers for candy.
Here are some accessories to make trick-or-treating efficient, fun, and original!
Candy Dispenser
Don’t want to spend the whole night giving out candy? Want to enjoy some scary movies instead? With this dispenser, you have the solution. This clever design includes a hollowed-out cylinder (the stem) with a hole on its side. Fill the pumpkin through the stem at the top, rotate the stem to make the pumpkin’s mouth open, and out comes the candy!
- Who designed it? muzz64
- How printable/popular is it? This popular model has 30 makes. One important detail to keep in mind when printing this model is to avoid using automated supports. Instead, follow the instructions given by the designer on where and how to place them.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Ghost-Shaped Cookie Cutters
Thinking about what you’re going to bring to this year’s Halloween parties? These cookie cutters will give your snacks extra flair. There are four shapes: three ghosts and one pumpkin.
The designer printed the models in PETG, which is a food-safe filament. While the resulting cookies will look good, we can’t vouch for how they’ll taste, so make sure you follow a good recipe!
- Who designed it? TeamOlivia
- How printable/popular is it? These spooky cookie cutters have six makes as well as a remix.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Twist Lock Pumpkin
The Twist Lock Pumpkin is a cleverly designed pumpkin-shaped box equipped with a concealed rack and pinion latch. The designer posted an instructional video demonstrating how the mechanism works. This feature makes it an excellent choice for storing or carrying Halloween candy securely.
What sets this box apart is its versatility. Users can select from two base designs, a smiley face or plain, and three ring designs, including “Happy Halloween,” “Trick or Treat,” or a plain option. This flexibility allows individuals to tailor the twist-lock pumpkin to match their Halloween aesthetic or message.
No supports during printing simplifies the manufacturing process.
- Who designed it? 3DPrinty
- How printable/popular is it? This clever design has over 1,200 downloads and 45 shared makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
Safe Distance Trick-or-Treating
This model is based on a scan of an actual pumpkin; that’s why the texture looks so realistic. With a handle added on its side, you can attach the pumpkin-shaped scoop to a selfie stick, a broomstick, or anything you’ve got on hand.
The model’s design will make trick-or-treating safer, as you’ll be able to maintain a good distance from other people, making the overall experience more comfortable for everyone involved.
- Who designed it? TobyCWood
- How printable/popular is it? One person has shared a successful-looking make, and you won’t need supports to replicate it.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Creatures
Models in this category include scary animals and beings that are the stuff of nightmares. These 3D printed models will definitely spook trick-or-treaters and make for great decorations!
Gizo the Spider
Gizo the Spider is a charming print-in-place spider figurine that can add a touch of whimsy to your 3D printing projects. This cute arachnid comes with the added feature of customizable eyes, which are provided as a separate file to print in a different color. Try out fun filament options like glow-in-the-dark or dual-color.
The designer even includes a leg test file to serve as a helpful calibration tool. When it comes to printing Gizo, several makers have reported using a brim around the legs helps ensure good layer adhesion. Using adaptive layer heights was also recommended for optimal results.
- Who designed it? MerganMcFergan
- How printable/popular is it? Over 5,000 people have downloaded this friendly foe, with 160 sharing an image of their print.
- Where to find it? Printables
Raven
This design is a replica of a raven with red LED eyes. Set just about anywhere, it’ll creep people out and scare the pigeons away.
The maker has also uploaded an animated version of this raven, which takes it to the next level. You can program the head to move from side to side and the LED eyes to blink at different intervals.
- Who designed it? danman
- How printable/popular is it? This model has over 26,600 downloads, and 48 people have shared their successful makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Scarecrow
This 3D printed scarecrow head has a very convincing and lifelike look to it. Even if it doesn’t scare the crows away, it’ll definitely give people a start.
You can print the model at the scale of an actual human head or as small as you’d like. The designer has also provided a separate file for a hanging scarecrow. One maker printed it using wood filament, then painted the features, giving it a more realistic look.
- Who designed it? Bugman140
- How printable/popular is it? Eight people have shared their scarecrow heads in different styles and paints.
- Where to find it? Printables
Frankenstein's Monster
This Frankenstein’s Monster’s head has many uses. You can use it to scare children, store candy, or pot a plant. You could also opt to keep the brains inside, and maybe on a stormy night, try to bring it to life.
Although the model is closed on the bottom, the author suggests cutting that off in the slicer, so that it stands better. When you print it, you’ll need supports to correctly capture all the details.
- Who designed it? yeg3d
- How printable/popular is it? 66 successful makes have been shared so far.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Ghost Bat
This ghost bat can be hung from places, making it seem like it’s flying. Besides pumpkins, skeletons, and webs, bats are one of the most essential elements of any Halloween decoration.
To print the model using minimal support, you’ll have to rotate it 150° toward its back. For reference, the model is upright initially.
- Who designed it? yeg3d
- How printable/popular is it? 33 people have printed this model in different filaments, including glow-in-the-dark.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Functional Decor
Decorating your house is one of the more exciting parts of Halloween. You can turn a normal house into a terrifying mansion or a mad scientist’s laboratory. But in addition to the decorations, some items just need to be functional, like coasters, planters, or lighting. With 3D printing, you can keep the functionality and still make your house look like something from Halloweentown.
Coasters
The original creator of these coasters used wood PLA to make them look as if they were carved out of wood, but you can use any type of filament you want. Four designs are available, all “carved” into a pumpkin-shaped coaster.
A 65% infill is recommended to hold the weight of glasses without bending. Print as many as you need for all the glasses or social spaces in your home.
- Who designed it? StevenQuinn
- How printable/popular is it? This model has over 570 downloads, and 5 makers have shared their prints.
- Where to find it? Printables
Skeleton Lamp
You don’t need to be afraid of the dark, not even on Halloween. With this cute skeleton lamp, you can keep some light on even when everything else is dark.
You’ll need 17 ultra-white LEDs, and the color of the light will depend on the color of PLA used. Play around to find the best combination!
- Who designed it? rayjizza
- How printable/popular is it? The model has over 2,100 downloads, and 42 makes have been shared.
- Where to find it? Printables
Hand Vase
Although this hand can be a bit tricky to print, the results look like the real deal, and what’s more, it’s able to stand on its fingers or by the wrist. If standing on its wrist, it can be used to hold objects. Or, if it’s standing on the fingers, it has a candle holder on the other side. When printing the model, supports are required, and the designer also recommends using a raft.
- Who designed it? StevenQuinn
- How printable/popular is it? This model has over 730 downloads, and 8 makers have shared their creepy prints.
- Where to find it? Printables
Spider Web Lantern
The Spider Web Lantern is a Halloween-themed LED tealight lantern measuring 140 x 70 x 70 mm. Its design, with thin print settings, allows it to illuminate beautifully when paired with LED candles, creating an eerie and atmospheric effect.
The panels should be printed individually, lying flat, in the color of your choice. Use a pause at layer height to swap to a black filament for the panel border and spider. Panel files come with and without a spider ornament, making it easy to mix and match however you’d like.
- Who designed it? laptop-guy
- How printable/popular is it? Over 500 people have downloaded this lantern design and one of them shared their impressive make.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Skull Vase
Even your plants can add to a scary ambiance! You can 3D print a skull planter to make the plants part of your decoration. If you’ve got the right type of plant, they could even look like brains.
Make sure to use a filament that’s water-resistant. A food-safe filament might also be a good idea so that the damp dirt doesn’t damage the plant, and the plastic of the filament doesn’t contaminate the earth. Printing-wise, the author recommends using supports in the eyes and nose.
- Who designed it? Clockspring
- How printable/popular is it? This model has almost 4,000 downloads and 9 community prints. All of them look scarily good.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Twist Lock Coffin
The coffin design is a secret candy storage box. You can use it to keep candies for trick-or-treating or to hide them from prying fingers. Twisting the lid of the coffin is the only way to open it.
The maker has uploaded a few different coffin models with different lids and bases. If you want to store more candy or bigger pieces, scale up the coffin as large as you want.
- Who designed it? 3d-printy
- How printable/popular is it? Over 11,400 Thingiverse users have downloaded this coffin to stash their candies, and between the two sites, makers have shared 90 different takes on the design.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, Printables
Ornaments
Aside from the functional decor, some additional designs can make your house a truly scary space. Although you can’t print yourself a complete mansion of terror, there are certainly many ways to set the Halloween mood. We’ve gathered the best decorations to place around your house, office, or any place you prefer.
Skull Illusion
This skull ornament is a captivating addition to your Halloween decor, employing optical illusion to create a spooky effect. It achieves an eerie ambiance through the clever use of parallel bars that, when illuminated from a certain angle, cast a shadow resembling the outline of a skull.
A 0.2-mm layer height is sufficient to produce the desired effect, allowing for a balance between print quality and efficiency. However, for those seeking an even smoother finish, a 0.1-mm layer height will also work. Some makers have reported successful prints after scaling 200%.
- Who designed it? Kagarov
- How printable/popular is it? This eerie model has captivated over 1,800 makers into downloading it for themselves and 32 have shared a picture of their printed result.
- Where to find it? Printables
Cauldron
As it was developed by Adafruit, this cauldron has some electronic components to make it more interesting. It uses different colored LED lights that are stored in a compartment located at the bottom of the cauldron. You can put candy or a cool smoke effect like the one shown in the picture without risking damage to the electronics. Complete instructions for the wiring are linked in the model’s description.
Reaching Hands
If you went into a room with all the lights off and felt this on the wall or table, it would probably give you quite the scare! There are four different hand designs. When affixed to a surface, they appear as if they’re coming out of it. It could be just what you’re looking for to bring your Halloween decor to the next level!
- Who designed it? F0R63
- How printable/popular is it? There are 59 prints and 9 remixes shared by the community. The author recommends using 0% infill so it’s lighter and easier to hang on the wall.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Tree & Pumpkins
This Halloween ornament is a tree with a scary face and mini pumpkins hanging from its branches. The tree and pumpkin are separate models, so if you want, you can hang other mini ornaments on the tree. One maker used glow-in-the-dark filament to print spheres, then placed them in the eye sockets of the tree, making it look like the tree is alive – or rather undead!
- Who designed it? alike86
- How printable/popular is it? With almost 17,000 downloads, this ghoulish tree has scared 22 makers into sharing their prints.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Grave
Complete with a mini jack-o’-lantern, this realistic-looking grave can be printed without any supports. A bit of glue will be necessary to assemble its parts, and you can also put LED lights inside the coffin and make it light up. It could be a great addition to your garden!
License: The text of "Halloween 3D Prints: The Scariest Models to 3D Print" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.