15 Easy Models and Drawings to Make with a 3D Pen

Finding a good 3D pen model is often what turns a promising gift into a real passion: once the pen is in hand, the child mainly needs creation ideas within their reach. Here are 15 easy models and drawings to make with a 3D pen, ranked from simplest to most ambitious, so your child succeeds from day one and keeps wanting to come back. From flowers to small 3D figurines, there's something for every level.

Getting started: begin flat with stencils

Before relief creations, the secret to a child who has fun (and doesn't get discouraged) is to start flat. You trace over a printed template or a stencil: the child follows the outline, the filament hardens, and they peel off their very first shape. It's the ideal exercise for learning to control speed and pressure.

The Pad'Up stencils are designed exactly for that: templates to reproduce that guide the hand and guarantee a clean result from the very first attempts. Perfect for 6–8 year olds just starting out.

5 easy flat drawings (beginner level)

These first creations are made flat on a stencil or a sheet of paper, then peeled off once hardened. Quick, rewarding, ideal for first steps:

1. A flower: a few petals around a center, a stem. The classic first successful drawing.
2. A heart or a star: simple shapes, perfect for practicing closing a line cleanly.
3. A butterfly: two symmetrical wings that the child can color with multiple filaments.
4. The letters of a first name: trace, thicken, peel off — a ready-made bedroom name sign.
5. A small fish: a body, scales, a fin — ideal for having fun with details.

5 animal and character models (intermediate level)

Once flat tracing is mastered, you introduce volume by assembling several pieces. Animals are kids' favorites:

• A turtle: a domed shell resting on four small flat legs.
• A cat or a dog: a body, a head, ears — assemble the pieces standing upright.
• A dinosaur: the favorite of 7–10 year olds, with back plates that are easy to reproduce.
• A stick figure or a figurine: body, arms, legs — the child invents their own character.
• A ladybug: a red dome with black spots, simple and always cute.

To go from flat to volume, the principle is always the same: draw the pieces flat, let them harden, then weld them together with a line of filament. Our complete 3D pen guide details this technique step by step.

5 volumetric objects to make (advanced level)

For children who are comfortable (often 9 years and up), it's time for real 3D objects — ones you use or wear:

1. An Eiffel Tower: the ultimate "trophy" project, to be built face by face.
2. A small house: four walls, a roof — perfect for understanding assembly.
3. A keychain: a solid flat shape + a ring: useful and customizable.
4. A pair of glasses or a crown: "wearable" objects that always make an impression.
5. A cube or a mini vase: assemble the faces, build upward — 3D in all its magic.

What to draw with a 3D pen by age?

To choose the right model, go by skill level rather than exact age:

• 6–8 years: flat drawings on stencils (flower, heart, first name, simple animals).
• 8–10 years: first volumes through assembly (turtle, house, figurines).
• 10 years and up: ambitious objects and free creations (Eiffel Tower, vase, mechanisms).

The trick that works at every age: alternate between guided templates (to succeed) and free creation (to express yourself). That's what keeps the fun going.

Where to find templates and everything you need to create?

To never run out of ideas, the simplest approach is to start with Pad'Up stencils that guide your hand, and to have enough colors on hand thanks to the filament spools. And if you're just starting out, the Pen'Up 3D Complete Pack brings together the pen, stencils, templates and spools so you can create from day one.

FAQ, Templates and drawings with a 3D pen

What are the easiest drawings to make with a 3D pen?

Flat drawings to reproduce on a stencil: a flower, a heart, a star, a butterfly or the letters of a first name. The child follows the outline, the filament hardens, then they peel off their shape. It's the ideal way to start and succeed on the first try.

What to draw with a 3D pen for a 6-year-old?

Stick to simple flat models (flower, heart, simple animals) on stencils that guide the hand. At this age, children enjoy reproducing clean shapes before moving on to volume.

How to make a 3D drawing?

Draw several pieces flat, let them harden, then assemble them upright by running a line of filament along the edges: the hot filament welds the pieces together. That's how you build a house, a figurine or an Eiffel Tower.

Do you need stencils to get started?

It's not mandatory, but it's highly recommended: stencils like the Pad'Up ones guide the hand and guarantee a clean result from the very first attempts, which prevents frustration and keeps kids wanting to continue.

Where to find 3D pen creation ideas?

In the templates and stencils provided (for example the Pad'Up stencils), and by drawing inspiration from simple everyday shapes (flowers, animals, objects). The ideal approach is to alternate between guided templates and free creation to keep the fun going.