I didn't expect to spend so much of 2026 learning about 3D printers, but here we are!
Since May, I've been spending a lot more time working on LouLou Art. Unfortunately, the reason for that wasn't something I'd planned.
I've been struggling with ongoing neck and nerve pain, which has stopped me from being able to work at my usual job. It's been a pretty rubbish experience, especially not knowing when things might improve or what I'll be able to manage in the future.
I've always enjoyed being creative, so having LouLou Art to focus on has given me something to work towards while everything else has been a bit uncertain.
It's also given me a good excuse to spend a ridiculous amount of time learning about 3D printing.
Getting Into 3D Printing
I've always enjoyed making things, whether that's drawing, painting, digital art or trying something completely new.
I think that's why I've become so interested in 3D printing. There's so much you can do with it, and I love the fact that I can come up with an idea and eventually turn it into something I can actually hold.
I especially enjoy the designing part.
Most of my ideas start as sketches on my iPad. I'll play around with different layouts, shapes and details until I've got something I like. Then I can start turning that sketch into a 3D model.
I've been learning more about 3D sculpting and making printable 3D files on my iPad, which has probably become one of my favourite things to do.
It's quite satisfying seeing something go from a rough sketch to a proper model, especially when I've designed it completely from scratch.
Although I do have a habit of making things more complicated than they need to be!
There's a Lot More to 3D Printing Than I Thought
Before I got into it properly, I had no idea just how much there was to learn.
I think it's easy to look at a 3D printer and assume you just load a file, press print and wait for your finished item.
Technically, yes, you can do that.
But getting something to print well is a completely different story.
I've spent so many hours learning about different settings and how they affect the finished product.
Print speeds, temperatures, cooling, layer heights, wall thickness, infill, supports, ironing, flow rates... there's a setting for practically everything.
And then you have different types of filament, which can behave differently depending on the printer you're using.
Even the same file can print beautifully on one machine and look awful on another.
I've found myself spending hours researching a particular issue, reading forums, watching videos and testing different settings just to improve one small part of a print.
Sometimes it works straight away. Sometimes I make it worse.
And sometimes I change so many things that I can't remember which setting actually fixed it.
Probably not the best method, but I'm learning!
Trying to Get That Perfect Finish
One thing I've become particularly fussy about is the finish of my prints.
Because I sell the things I make, I want them to look as good as possible.
For example, with my 3D printed bookmarks, I want the lettering to be nice and sharp, the colours to look clean and the top surfaces to be smooth.
That sounds simple enough, but I've learnt that there can be quite a lot involved in getting those results.
I've spent ages experimenting with ironing settings alone, trying to get a smoother finish without creating rough patches or making the lettering look worse.
It's funny how you can spend hours trying to improve something that most people probably wouldn't even notice.
But I notice!
I've also become really interested in understanding why certain problems happen, rather than just copying somebody else's settings and hoping for the best.
I want to know what the printer is actually doing, why a particular setting makes a difference and how I can use that knowledge on future projects.
I think that's one of the things I enjoy most about 3D printing. There's always something else to learn.
Working From My Home Studio
Most of my time is now spent in my little home studio, surrounded by printers, filament, packaging supplies and various projects that I've started but haven't quite finished.
It's not always the tidiest place, especially when I'm in the middle of trying out a new idea.
Working from home has been helpful with my neck and nerve pain because I have a bit more control over what I'm doing and when.
Some days I can spend a good few hours designing, printing or packing orders. Other days, the pain makes even sitting at my desk difficult.
It's frustrating because my brain usually has a long list of things it wants to do, but my body doesn't always agree.
I'm still trying to find a balance between getting things done and not overdoing it.
One advantage of 3D printing is that I can sometimes get a print running and leave the machine to do its thing while I focus on my next design.
Learning to Run a Small Business
Since May, I've also been putting more effort into the business side of LouLou Art.
There's a surprising amount to do when you're running everything yourself.
Alongside designing and making products, there's photographing them, writing Etsy listings, packaging orders, working out prices, keeping track of materials and trying to remember to post on social media.
I enjoy some parts of that more than others!
I've also been thinking a lot about what I want LouLou Art to become.
I'd love to eventually make a full-time living from my own designs and artwork. I know that's not something that happens overnight, and I've still got plenty to learn, but it's something I'd really like to work towards.
I especially want to keep developing products that feel like my designs, rather than just making the same things everyone else is selling.
That's part of why I'm spending so much time learning how to create my own 3D files.
The more I learn, the more ideas I can actually make.
What I'm Working Towards
I've got quite a few ideas for new products, and I want to keep improving the things I'm already making.
I'd also like to share more of the designing and printing process here on the blog.
Not just the finished products, but the sketches, the modelling, the testing and all the little problems that come up along the way.
I think it's interesting to see how something is made, particularly with 3D printing, because there's a lot happening behind the scenes that you don't necessarily see when you look at a finished item.
I wouldn't say I'm pleased about the circumstances that led me to focus more on LouLou Art this year. I'd much rather not be dealing with the pain and uncertainty.
But I am pleased that I've been able to spend more time learning something I enjoy, and I'm hoping I can continue building on it.
I've still got a lot to figure out, both with my health and the business, but for now I'm enjoying making things, trying new ideas and seeing what I can learn next.
Thanks for following along and supporting my little business. It really does mean a lot.
Jody
LouLou Art Studio
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