Book Lovers Rejoice
Is your bookshelf or library full of great books about 3D printing and design, but a total mess? We’re here to help you get organized and never lose your place in a book you’re reading.
We’ve scoured the web and put together a list of the coolest, most interesting, and most impressive 3D printable bookmarks and bookends. Our list is broken down into a few categories: entertainment, animals, functional, and home deocration.
If you find a design you like but don’t have the means or desire to 3D print it yourself, try Craftcloud. With a range of materials and finishes, your book accessory will be on it’s way to you in just a few clicks.
General Printing Tips
Although printing models will vary somewhat, there are some considerations that you’ll want to think about when printing either bookends or bookmarks.
Of course, bookends need to be strong because they have a lot to hold up! You may need to attach your print to a base to give it some extra heft and keep everything in place. Stronger filaments, infill percentages and patterns, as well as model design can all contribute to how effectively they hold up your books.
On the other hand, bookmarks are a great place to start if you’re new to 3D printing, as they are quick, easy, and usually straightforward prints.
Now, dust off those book jackets, and let’s get you organized with our list of great prints!
Film & TV
Here are our favorite bookends and bookmarks from some of the most beloved movies and shows.
Pennywise Bookmark
If you enjoy horror, we have just the bookmark for you: Pennywise from It!
The designer sliced this in Cura and added a pause at the layer where the hair is to swap the color from white to red. They recommend printing the model at a 0.1-mm layer height. If you would like to brush up on your slicer knowledge, check out our article on mastering Cura’s settings.
Who designed it? DubaiBuilds
How popular/printable is it? This file has been downloaded over 200 times.
Where to get it? MyMiniFactory
Snoopy Bookmark
He may have just finished fighting the Red Baron or hanging with his buddy Woodstock, but our dear old friend Snoopy will do his best to keep your place with this bookmark.
This Snoopy bookmark is only 0.7 mm thick and will be a nice, quick print that uses only three grams of filament.
Who designed it? NémésisCC
How popular/printable is it? There are no community prints uploaded but with over 1,200 downloads, there’s a good chance of some Snoopys hanging out in a few libraries.
Where to get it? MyMiniFactory
Harry Potter Bookends
While it may not include Hagrid’s booming voice, you can read his memorable words, as well as James’ promise of support, with these fantastic Harry-Potter-inspired bookends.
This model requires no supports and was made using metallic filament. Note that one maker states “the print for the “until the very end” bookend keeps jamming between 30 and 45%… the other prints like a beauty!” We have yet to see if this has been resolved in the model file.
Who designed it? GCZ3D
How popular/printable is it? This file has been downloaded by more than 1,100 makers and viewed over 11,200 times!
Where to get it? Cults
Han Solo Bookends
Han Solo, iconically frozen in carbonite, will help keep your books from falling over. Remixed from a plain model of Han’s frozen state, this bookend consists of two STL files: one of Han Solo trapped in carbonite and the second of the carbonite container. Note that the container is hollowed out and attached to a sleeve so that it can be placed over a generic bookend. As a bonus, the box has a secret compartment that you can access either by pulling on Solo’s foot or using a pencil through a designated hole to pop out the body.
The designer recommends printing Han at a high resolution, while the box worked fine at a 0.3-mm layer height. For post-processing, the designer used a knife to remove the support from inside the sleeve. To obtain that carbonite-looking effect, they used a light dry-brush technique with a silver enamel paint over the printed black PLA.
Who designed it? WeeksB
How popular/printable is it? There are two great Makes of these bookends posted.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Witcher Bookends
This Witcher bookend is a remix of what was originally a Witcher smartphone stand, with added space in the base of the stand for weighted material.
This designer printed these bookends with 20% infill. To minimize supports, this should be printed with the stand perpendicular to the print bed.
Who designed it? Axtn8r
How popular/printable is it? There’s one Make of these cool bookends.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Mickey Mouse Bookmark
The iconic Mickey Mouse silhouette will make you smile every time you’re reading.
This bookmark should be a quick print with no foreseeable problems. If you’re not sure how fast to print, check out our tips about 3D print speed.
Who designed it? rival330
How popular/printable is it? This design has almost 1,000 downloads and 1 Remix.
Where to get it? MyMiniFactory
Stargate Bookends
This is a rather complex print, with 18 separate pieces needed to form each end. The designer had to rework and remove some of the details from the original design in order to create a more printable model.
Depending on the part being printed, infill will be necessary, with some parts requiring a brim and others supports.
Who designed it? wjordan819
How popular/printable is it? This design has almost 300 downloads and over 3,400 views.
Where to get it? Cults
Critters & Creatures
Here are our favorites that include both magical and real creatures.
Bookworm Bookmark
This multicolor bookworm bookmark will be sure to keep you on track with your reading.
To learn more about how to create a print with more than one color, check out our guide on turning your single extruder printer into a multicolor one.
Who designed it? MosaicManufacturing
How popular/printable is it? There have been over 300 downloads and almost 3,000 views, though no prints of this cute bookworm posted yet.
Where to get it? Cults
Owl Bookmark
Another bookmark by MosaicManufacturing, this similarly styled multicolor owl is another you’ll want in your collection. It was printed using 100% infill and with two shells.
Who designed it? MosaicManufacturing
How popular/printable is it? This design has no community prints shown but is part of 7 collections and has over 700 downloads.
Where to get it? MyMiniFactory
Butterfly Bookmark
These simple butterflies will flutter their way into your 3D printing heart. In fact, it’s based on a similarly styled heart bookmark.
This designer used a Prusa i3 MK3 when printing, though these should be a simple print on any printer. A maker used PETG, but PLA or ABS are good options too.
Who designed it? CreationsForYou
How popular/printable is it? There’s one posted successful Make.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Bee Bookmark
These honeybees are perfect page keepers, right down to their honeycomb markers.
Like most bookmarks, they’ll require low filament usage as well as print time. You may want to reduce the retraction in your slicer settings to reduce potential stringing over the open combs.
Who designed it? BEEVERYCREATIVE
How popular/printable is it? There are over 200 downloads and 3,500 views, though no shared prints yet aside from the creator’s.
Where to get it? MyMiniFactory
Unicorn Bookmark
You might not be able to get your hands on the real thing, but these unicorn bookmarks are a close second! One maker even created a Remix of a dragon bookmark in the same style.
The designer used a Prusa printer with an infill setting between 15-40%. Most Makes are in PLA or PETG, including one in glow-in-the-dark filament.
Who designed it? Zeeta
How popular/printable is it? This design has eight Makes and two Remixes.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Gadgets & Functional
These models all do more than just hold your books up or remind you of your place!
Pointer Bookmark
Not only will this clip-on bookmark keep your page, but the pointy finger will also keep your place on the page. No more rereading to find where you left off!
Although the designer used nylon, a majority of the Makes are in PLA.
Who designed it? Alejoo
How popular/printable is it? There are an impressive 39 Makes and 5 Remixes of this clever design.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
One-Handed Page Holder and Bookmark
This one-handed page holder is designed for comfort and includes a hook feature so you can use it as a bookmark, too.
This design has the word “read” on the outside, but could be customized with whatever you’d like since the SolidWorks file is included.
Who designed it? mechengineermike
How popular/printable is it? There are over 100 views and 13 downloads of this model.
Where to get it? Cults
Dyslexia Bar
This dyslexia bar is a simple yet functional print to assist readers of all ages. The solid parts block out text above and below the line being read to help the user focus. When not actively reading, it could also double as a bookmark. Additionally, there’s a loop on the end for adding it to a keychain so you’ll always have it handy.
The designer stated they printed this easy model in just 10 minutes.
Who designed it? NeatoBrian
How popular/printable is it? There are almost 1,000 views and 60 downloads of this file, plus 1 community print.
Where to get it? Cults
Hands-Free Page Holder
This smart holder will keep your book open to whatever page you’re on while you’re multitasking or wanting to read with no hands. This could come in handy during cooking!
The designer included assembly information of the three pieces on the project page. They printed it in PLA, but a maker used PETG as well.
Who designed it? Cameron
How popular/printable is it? This design has been downloaded almost 200 times and the comments indicate a few successful prints.
Where to get it? PrusaPrinters
Customizable Bookmark
Perhaps you want to create your own bookmark with customized text? We’ve got you covered. There are two separate design files for this design, one for a centered text box and one offset. It’s actually a Remix of a plant sign.
Although the printing itself should be very straightforward, the comments suggest some users had trouble with the text. One maker provided a link to fix this issue that should help you select your text.
Who designed it? skarab
How popular/printable is it? There are 3 Makes and an incredible 2,234 Remixes!
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Decorative
Add a little decoration and check out these special models!
Opus
This scene is taken from the satirical Opus comic strip by Berkeley Breathed. The title character, Opus, is a penguin who has to work after moving to Bloom County from Antarctica.
The design consists of 31 STL files to be assembled, and the whole thing should be about 210 mm high when finished. No supports are required and the designer includes lots of assembly tips and diagrams on the model page.
Who designed it? redadsteve
How popular/printable is it? There are nine colorful Makes posted and one Remix and they all look amazing!
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Heart Bookends
This mesh heart design will keep your shelves looking sweet and tidy.
This part was made on a Prusa MK3S using eSun PLA Pro. The designer printed it with the mesh part down on the print bed. They used six to eight perimeters, as well as an infill density of 15%.
Who designed it? Vin Truong
How popular/printable is it? This design has 87 downloads and was printed by at least 1 other maker besides the designer.
Where to get it? PrusaPrinters
Zipper Bookmark
Last but not least, this neat zipper bookmark finishes off our list.
This model is listed as a fairly easy print. The designer used ABS and states that you’ll need about 10 grams of filament and about an hour to print. You also might need some glue when assembling.
Who designed it? michaelaregan
How popular/printable is it? This design has over 16,000 views and over 2,000 downloads. Although there are no posted community prints, one comment suggested a maker had success with printing.
Where to get it? MyMiniFactory
Lead image source: JohnRatt via Thingiverse
License: The text of "20 3D Printed Bookmarks & Bookends for Keen Readers" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.