Markers and colored pencils usually do the trick when it comes to creative expression, serving as the perfect tools to make an artistic masterpiece on a sheet of paper. However, there’s a great new way to upgrade from 2D drawings to 3D creations.
With the PiKA3D Super printing pen from SCRIB3D, kids can construct their own 3D shapes and figures. The pen heats up polylactic acid (PLA) filaments, similar to a glue gun. The filament then becomes soft and bendable, allowing kids to draw out any shapes they want.
The box comes with the PiKA3D Super printing pen, a stencil guide, and four colors of PLA filament. There are 3 meters of filament for each color, adding up to a total of 12 meters of filament. My box came with green, blue, white, and black, but the colors included may vary.
Recommended for teens ages 14 and up, PiKA3D Super is fairly easy to use. The pen is powered by an included cord and block, but fits with any 2A portable charger, too. Once plugged in, make sure the pen is set to PLA, then hit the forward button. The pen will flash red while it heats up, then will change to green when the pen is ready to be loaded. The filament slides into a hole in the back of the pen. All kids have to do is press the forward button to make the filament load in automatically. Finally, they can press the forward button again to make the filament come out in its softened form.
Once the pen is ready to go, there are endless ways to create. Teens can build a towering skyscraper, design a mysterious spaceship, or even construct a blossoming flower. I recommend starting out by using the PiKA3D character stencil first, which is included in the quick start guide.
Initially, users may have some trouble getting used to the pen. I even had some trouble at first, when all of my creations looked like angry blobs of plastic caught in the middle of a bad hair day. After some helpful practice, my lines became crisper, cleaner, and more controlled. I suggest taking short breaks in between shapes by clicking the forward button again to stop the flow of filament. It only takes the plastic around six seconds to harden completely, providing a more sturdy foundation for further shapes.
The best part about PiKA3D Super is that clean-up is a breeze. Because all of the melted filament hardens quickly, there is no sticky mess left behind. The pen, instructions, and filament fit back into the box until it’s time for more creative play.
There are plenty of PiKA-bilities in store for all of the creative kids out there. The only question is: What will you create first?
