Pokemon Fan Makes Incredible Poke Ball Using a 3D Printer

A Pokemon fan with a knack for painting has created a cosmetic Poke Ball accessory. After purchasing the design blueprints, he created the item with a 3D printer and then applied a custom paint job to make the final product look like the real thing. This marks another fan-made Pokemon item that is now finished and on display.

Trainers use Poke Balls to capture their Pokemon, and they keep them on hand when one is needed. Though varying in design and color, the vast majority of Poke Balls share an identical size and shape. Two halves open up at the press of a button, revealing the power that's inside.

AsimPaints showed off his magnificent Poke Ball — a custom paint job on one model that he printed. The 3D model design that he used for the universal Poke Ball can be purchased online. While there are many Poke Balls to choose from, Asim picked the standard red and white for his first. The 3D design model for the Poke Ball required nine total pieces to be printed, sanded, and primed before Asim could start painting them. Four pieces make up the top and bottom domes, with a button to act as the lock. The finished Poke Ball design adds a magnetic seal that opens when the button is pressed, as well as a hinge to connect the two pieces.

While there are more fan-made Poke Balls out there, this one required an arduous process to make. The airbrush spray paint used by Asim takes, in some cases, several days to dry. Assembly takes place once that is all done (the hinge and magnets used to create the opening and closing effects need to be bought separately). The result is a standard Poke Ball with highly detailed paintwork on the outside and inside, with metallic hues all around.

Asim's repertoire of Pokemon fan art includes many 3D printed models of Pokemon that he custom paints. While many Pokemon painters dabble in watercolors or acrylic paintings of Pokemon, Asim's joy comes from painting resin models that can be small or large. His small models fit perfectly inside the Poke