Pinshape’s 3D Printed Kids’ Toys Design Challenge Has Launched

If you somehow managed to marry Etsy to a 3D printer, their offspring would probably look somewhat like Pinshape. This startup was launched in 2014 and a visit to their website is like strolling down a mainstreet whose storefront windows are chock full of all kinds of 3D printed delights.

Now, they are taking their dedication to the medium and pairing up with Amazon to offer a Design Challenge that will warm your heart. Starting now you can enter a design for a kid’s toy to be rated by community members and then judged by exactly the kind of panel you would love to show your work to. Best of all, the winners’ designs will be printed and given to the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, CA.

The prizes are nothing to sneeze at either. First through fourth places will be awarded, and the rewards for winning include things like a Cintiqu13 HD from Wacom, a subscription to Digital-Tutors, 3D printing credits from Sculpteo and Pinshape, and, of course, the knowledge that sick children’s days are brightened a bit by your design.

The judges:

Adam Ross | Professional 3D print artist whose work includes Iron Man 3, Wolverine, and Captain America

Greg Callahan | Professional 3D character and toy artist whose work includes Marvel, Sideshow Toys, Sony, and Serpa Powers

Joe Menna | Professional 3D print artist whose work includes DC Collectibles, Dark Horse Comics, Mattel, and Fisher-Price

Klim Kozinevich | Creative Director at Bigshot Toyworks whose work includes mascot characters, hand-sculpting prototypes, and overseeing production of best-selling toys for mass market

Paul Gaboury | Pixologic’s 3D Product Development Manager whose has worked with major studios including Legacy Effects, Disney Animation, Pixar, and Hasbro

There’s no restriction on the type of toy design that can be submitted to the contest, except, of course, those imposed by the designer’s imagination and the laws of physics. The contest is free to enter and you may submit as many designs as you like. In order to make it to the round that is judged by the panel, the design must receive positive attention from the community at large. Only those that are in the top 10% of ‘likes’ will be moved forward to the ‘panel judging round’.

The panel judges will be evaluating using these guidelines for the toy and its presentation:

• Overall quality
• Novelty
• Innovation
• Ease of printing
• Description (what it is, how you came up with it, and how it should be printed)
• Quality of images (bonus for printed items)

Even if your design doesn’t make it into the final round, it can still be offered for sale through Pinshape and give you an opportunity to find a market for your idea.

The contest is open to entries from around the world and there is no limit on the number of unique designs that can be submitted. So get cracking, the contest closes August 1^st and the winners will be announced the week of August 4^th.  Let us know if you enter the contest by posting a link to your design in the Pinshape Toy Challenge forum thread on 3DPB.com