Johnny Appleseed 2.0: the Incredible 3D Printing Gumball Gallery

Finally! Gumball machines are relevant again! Or they can be, if Josh Ajima, the teacher behind the Design Make Teach blog, can get his hands on some 3D printed art for his Incredible 3D Printing Gumball Gallery.

As a modern day Johnny Appleseed, the idea is that Ajima would tour the United States (the world??)  with a gumball machine filled with tiny 3D printed models created by 3D printing artists and designers.  Visiting art venues, conventions, maker faires, and schools, the teacher would fill his gumball machine with these pieces of printed art in 2″ vending capsules. Every patron of the Incredible 3D Printing Gumball Gallery would then receive, in addition to the 3D printed model, a little fact sheet with information about the artist and a 3D printing design principle, spreading the knowledge and love of 3D printing everywhere Ajima goes.

Ajima, ever understanding of the importance of “why” in education, gives the why behind the project on his Design Make Teach blog:

Why: I want to spread the idea of the beauty and value of 3D printing and design. I hope to bring the The Incredible 3D Printing Gumball Gallery to classrooms and have students see examples of great 3D designs and then have students create and stock the Gumball Gallery with their own models. The 2″ vending capsules provide scale and make a natural constraint to the student design. Because the physical models/artwork will be shared, students will have an incentive to produce their very best work.

Now, all Ajima needs is a vending machine and some 3D printable art.  He says, “Help make the project awesomer. Contribute a design, suggestion, name or random idea in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @DesignMakeTeach or via email.” If you’re a 3D printing designer and you’re reading this, I say you should throw a few polygons his way.  Who can it hurt?