08/10/2026
Has 3D printing changed the CRAFT of designer toys… or are we just romanticizing pouring resin? 👀
This debate comes up a lot in the designer toy world, and I’m curious where everyone stands.
Traditionally, we sculpt a master by hand or digitally, 3D print the master, make a silicone mold, then cast duplicates in resin. Mixing, pouring, pressure casting, demolding, cleanup, failed casts, deteriorating molds… there’s a learned craft to doing it well.
But now we can skip the mold entirely.
3D print the sculpt. Print 20. Paint them. Sell them. Need more? Print 20 more.
Some artists argue that a poured resin edition represents more craftsmanship and usually results in a more substantial, less brittle piece than a typical resin 3D print.
But then there’s the OTHER argument:
Is pouring resin actually art… or is it production?
Let’s say YOU designed and sculpted the original piece. You make the mold, pour your casts, demold and clean them up.
But that’s it.
No hand painting. No unique finishes. No creative changes between pieces. You’re reproducing your original sculpture in different color resin.
Are those individual pours another act of creating art?
Or was the ART the original design and sculpt, while everything after the mold just crafting and lazy production?
And here’s where it gets interesting:
If mold making, casting and cleanup are considered craftsmanship because they require knowledge and skill, why wouldn’t mastering supports, orientation, exposure, curing, sanding and finishing a 3D print ALSO be craftsmanship?
For me, 3D printing is an incredible tool. Resin casting is an incredible craft. Neither automatically makes something art.
The ART is what you bring to the piece.
But designer toys were built on artists sculpting, molding, casting and hand-finishing small editions themselves.
Have we lost something when the mold disappears and we can just hit PRINT again?
Or are we old-school toy makers romanticizing the process? 😂
I want to hear from BOTH sides.
👇 3D PRINTED EDITION or RESIN CAST EDITION?
As an artist, which do you prefer, and WHY?
As a collector, which do you prefer?
😂 🍿 🍿🍿
