So you want to start sharing 3D printing with the world. Great! If you already know how to 3D print, this section might help you figure out how to share it with printing newbies. If you want to learn how to 3D print, this primer is best for someone who has a design background and understands more or less how to work with graphic files.

Concepts

• Design Process TinkerCAD is a free, open source web resource where people can create an account and start making designs. They also have many free tutorials. I like to think of the design process as creating with digital Legos. It helps to ask people to think through breaking down their design into modular pieces.
• Printing Process: I like to explain the printing process as building up layers and layers of melted material, kind of like string theory. One of my students once described it as "drawing in air". I explain that after a piece is designed, the slicing process helps slice the design into these layers to create a file with instructions for the printer.

Demo Videos

• How 3D Printing Works - Materials and Printer
• How to create 3D models in TinkerCAD - TinkerCAD also has lots of tutorial projects on their website.

Resources

Your local maker space is an excellent resource! Local maker spaces will have equipment, as well as techs who know how to use and train others on the equipment. It's a great way to start making without having to make a large investment.

• Los Angeles - Octavia Lab
• Santa Fe - MAKE Santa Fe

Digital Classroom

You can set up a digital classroom with a free educator account on TinkerCAD. This classroom allows you to add students by creating a roster with unique usernames. Students can access TinkerCAD without an account to work on their projects, and as the educator you can view their projects and provide feedback. You can also share demo projects in this classroom.

Sample Classroom Budget

• 3D Printer:$200-$400
• PLA Filament: $100
• Electricity

What is Community Visioning?

Community visioning at its most basic level is getting a group of people to align on a shared idea, be that an idea for a community garden, a cooperative store, or a shared maker space. A vision helps make our values concrete, and helps guide us in our everyday actions. In the case of Urban Planning, a community vision can help advocate for neighborhood services. The best Community Visions are based in relationship-building.

How can 3D Printing be a part of Community Visioning?

Art helps us tap into our creative side and unleash our imagination for what can be possible. It can often be a non-intimidating way to talk deeply about stories, values, and principles. I also like to introduce the concept of Afrofuturism and ethnofuturism, which is the practice of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) artists creating a vision of the future to imagine a way out of oppression. Naming the futures that we want to see in our communities is a social justice practice. 3D printing brings together these concepts of creativity and future technologies. Also, it's just cool.

How much detail should I go into about Urban Planning vocabulary and policy?

Urban Planning language and conversations can be intentionally obscure and involve pages after pages of terms like "Zoning Code" and "Floor Area Ratio". Imagine how difficult it might be for someone who doesn't already have this interest or background and is participating in community advocacy after hours. At the same time, without knowing these concepts, we lose control over the future we want in our neighborhoods. When sharing about vocabulary and policy, remember that your purpose is to educate and to empower. This means breaking down concepts into simple language, and offering resources for additional training.

Goals

To provide an interactive art making experience that allows participants to articulate their thoughts and wishes for improving their neighborhoods. Participants will receive an overview of 3D printing and design. If resources and supplies are available, participants will receive a 3D printed model of their final design.

Notes

This workshop is designed with a take-home "art homework" portion, and an in-person 60 minute workshop reviewing the "art homework" and introducing 3D printing. This workshop could easily be split into 2 workshops, the first one in which everyone collectively works on the art worksheet in realtime, and the second one in which people receive a more robust introduction to 3D printing.

Supplies Needed

Drawing supplies, printed take-home art worksheets.

Digital Facilitation Tips

• Even though everyone is participating online, utilize some physical icebreakers like stretching, or taking a collective breath.
• Utilize breakout rooms and paired conversation to manage larger groups
• It's OK to use some of your online time as creative work time! Not everyone needs to be engaged in conversation all the time!

Sample Agenda

Introduction and Welcome

Review Art Homework/Do Art Homework: Take this time to either review answers to the take-home art worksheet or to work through the take-home art worksheet one section at a time. Ask some/all of the following questions to debrief the take-home worksheet:

• What did your drawings of the future look like?
• What were the gifts that you gave Zorb?
• What were the gifts that Zorb gave you?
• What do you notice and/or like about what everyone else shared?
• What is the future that you want?

3D Printing Technology Overview: Use some of the tips provided in the Intro to 3D Printing section.

3D Design Work Time: Set up a digital classroom by signing into TinkerCAD with an educator account (free). If possible, ask for pre-enrollments so that you can set up different accounts for students. I like to add some generic account names for drop-in students. This digital classroom allows you to view projects that students are working on and provide support.

Closing

Available Downloads

Take-home art-kit worksheets, printable workshop agenda and notes.

Goals

To provide an interactive art making experience that allows participants to articulate their thoughts and wishes for improving their neighborhoods. Participants will receive an overview of 3D printing and design. If resources and supplies are available, participants will receive a 3D printed model of their final design.

Notes

This workshop is an in-person version of the digital Community Visioning session, which means that you can be much more interactive and imaginative with your supplies! Feel free to ask the participants to make models out of popsicle sticks, construction paper, pipe cleaners, and more. The important part is to provide a space for imagination. The in-person nature of this workshop also makes it possible for you to do a physical demo of 3D printing either with your own 3D printer or in collaboration with a local maker space.

Supplies Needed

Modeling craft supplies such as: pipe cleaners, pom poms, felt, popsicle sticks, glue, scissors, paper, pencils. 3D printer for demonstration (optional).

Sample Agenda

Introduction and Welcome

Context: Give some context to the activity. Are there existing community plans or projects that you're seeking feedback on? How does this activity about imagination relate to real world efforts to transform communities?

Community Visioning Art Session: Introduce the idea of Inventions for the Future. Ask people what they want to see in their community in 50 years, and ask them to model and/or draw the inventions that they need in order to create the future they want to see. During the shareback, ask people to comment on each other's inventions.

3D Printing Technology Overview: Use some of the tips provided in the Intro to 3D Printing section. If you have access to a 3D printer or a maker space, this is a great time for participants to see 3D printing in action and to ask questions.

3D Design Work Time: Ask participants to rework their designs now that they have a greater understanding of 3D printing. They can rework their designs on paper or digitally. For digital designs, set up a digital classroom by signing into TinkerCAD with an educator account (free). If possible, ask for pre-enrollments so that you can set up different accounts for students. I like to add some generic account names for drop-in students. This digital classroom allows you to view projects that students are working on and provide support.

Closing