3D Remind turns children's drawings into 3D printed sculptures

Every kid is talented in making drawings. Proud parents often put them up on the fridge to show how amazing they are. And now Osaka company 3D Remind has started offering a 3D printing service called Rakukuri, which will bring children's imaginations to life using 3D printing.

Here's how it works: You start by snapping a clear photo of your child's drawing and uploading to 3D Remind site. For 19,900 yen (about US$205, size 7~10cm), the site will take the 2D drawing, model it, and print it out. In a month you will receive a 3D printed figure made of plaster. The prices for medium(17~20cm) and large sizes(27~30cm) are 25,900 yen (about $265) and 40,900 yen ($420) respectively.

 

The figurines are made of plaster so the surface is a little rough, says the site. so no, your child couldn't play with the thing. And there are also some limitations, like very thin lines, spiky shapes or too light photos, which they probably won't be able to use it.

The printouts cost more than most figurines, but if you're one of the first 100 customers, you'll get 4,900 yen (roughly $50) off your order.

 

Though 3D Remind is one of the innovative ventures, it's not the first iteration of this idea. Crayon Creatures has been offering a 3D printing service that transfers your child's drawing into a 3D-printed full color version since January. The service is the invention of Bernat Cuni, a Spanish designer working in Barcelona with a focus on emerging 3D printing applications. The digital model is uploaded to Shapeways, that uses a Z-Corp 3D printer and sandstone material to create a physical model. And South Carolina based Doodlesculpt does the same thing: turning cute drawings into 3D sculptures by using 3D printing technology.

We find materializing the imagination of children isn't just for kids, adults often want to re-live their childhood by sending drawings they saved while growing up as well. So if you want to get one of your own drawings, or your child's drawing printed, check out more info here.

Take a look at some of the designs from their site, below.