3D pens, are they really useful or is it a myth?
Freedom comes with creativity! A creative hand is a successful hand and a hand that create will lead. Being creative makes you a different person, a unique being, and not a copycat. It makes your design special and makes it stand out, different from others. There are a lot of brands that had been known all over the world today, which their source can be traced back to their ability to be creative. Being creative means to be able to bring out an original idea, something different from what others had done in a way that will be more better, more attractive and more appealing to the targeted populace. In this technological inclined world, creativity comes with designing and design itself comes with drawing. Drawings can be done either in graphics, by computer or by hand. As important as the first and second are, the importance of the third one (hand drawing) cannot be overemphasized. Hand drawing can be done using pencil and other tools. But in this piece, I will be talking about drawing in a creative way using the 3D Pen.
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF 3D PENS
3D Pens are just like 3D printers, but with slight and significant difference. The 3D pen has almost popped up in most places around the world in recent times due to its effectiveness and usefulness in creativity. In this article, I will analyze and discuss about this creative tool.
WHAT IS A 3D PEN?
A 3D Pen is a tool that works with electricity (I.e. an electric tool) which is used to create things out of plastic. It is like an handheld 3D printer and uses the same heating elements like the desktop 3D printer. The major difference between the 3D pen and printer is that while the 3D printer is being controlled by computer software and motor, the 3D pen is being controlled by hand and this makes its a very easy creative tool. Some prefer to call the 3D pen a toy, but in my own opinion I named the tool as an upgraded version of the hand play – dough
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Just like the way most of the 3D printing devices works, the 3D pen is not an exception because It works on heat too. A plastic filament is heated till it reaches its melting point inside the pen, and it is forced out from the pen through the tip(extruder tip). While the melted plastic is being forced out of the tip, it will be used to create the desired shape or design by the user and when it dries up, it takes back ita plastic form but with the shape of whatever design it has been made with when it was still melted! This process is very similar to the process of designing a cake using the pastry bags.
TYPES OF PLASTIC USED
The 3D pen uses the same type of plastic being used by the 3D printers. Although there are some 3D pens that will specify the type of plastic to be used, but in general, plastics like PLA is preferred. PLA is known not to be very harmful when it fumes and also know to require less heat because it melts at a slightly lower temperature when compared to other plastics.
HOW TO USE THE 3D PEN
Before thinking of using the 3D pen, there are some basic things to be considered. Just like learning how to drive a car, it will be wrong to just go start to drive a car without first learning about some principles that needs to be obeyed, less the car will be damage. One of the most important things to consider before using the 3D pen is how to control the pen.
How to control the 3D pen
Since the 3D pen is to be operated by hand, it is very necessary to know how to control the pen. This will be considered under the following points:
* Temperature
* Speed
* Motion.
TEMPERATURE
This is the most important aspect to be learnt about before using the 3D pen. The 3D pen works on heat, and it is necessary to know the temperature required by the plastic being used by the pen. There are different temperature requirements for different plastics, so the knowledge of the temperature the plastic is very essential.
SPEED
Controlling the speed at which the melted plastic pop out of the tip of the pen is important. You will not want the melted plastic pop out in large quantity when you intend to draw a very thing line, it has to be slow, steady and minimal.
MOTION
You need to know how to control the movement of the pen i.e. the forward and backward movement of the 3D pen. The pen use plastic filaments, therefore it has both forward and reverse movement. The forward movement is for drawing while the backward movement is for removing the unused filaments. It is as simple as that!
WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THE 3D PEN
With the 3D pen, effective and amazing drawings with the use of plastic can be made. The plastic can be used to form any desired shape and design. The 3D pen can also be used add more design to objects, created unique pattern and make them much more beautiful and attractive. Experts in the use of 3D pen can use it to create drawings in an empty space! That is what I call “Amazing!
CONCLUSION
As a lover of craft and creativity, I would rather get a 3D pen and be more creative in my design. Getting a 3D pen will help me out in my creativity with my kids, and neighbors. Get a 3D pen today and experience the freedom you can get with your own creativity!.