While some maritime creatures may be 100% scary (hello, Kraken), an octopus is a bit more approachable. Especially when it’s 3D printed in dazzling colors and you can fidget with it.
If you’re nearby your 3D printer, why not try to 3D print some octopus models? Whether you’re searching for a cool desk ornament or useful octopus-themed objects, there are plenty of models to choose from.
For example, you can 3D print an octopus with wobbly legs or perhaps test different filaments, especially flexible ones, with an octopus model. Also, if you’re a fan of plants, there are even models of octopus-themed planters.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the best 3D printable octopus models!
And if your 3D printer isn’t in the mood to bring to life any underwater creatures or you don’t have the exact filament you’d like for it, know that with Craftcloud, the octopod of your dreams will be delivered to your doorstep.
Decorative & Fun
Octopuses in this category are the ones that will look great on display, and they include some adorable and extremely detailed models of this magnificent creature. Aside from these, we’ve included a few that can be used as toys.
Articulated
This is a very interesting 3D model of a small octopus. In the picture above, you can see that the tentacles are movable thanks to the chain-like design that’s printed all at once, also known as print-in-place. The best thing is, there’s no assembly required!
This model can be printed without supports, and we suggest printing it in PLA, although makers have posted successful makes in just about any filament out there (and even plenty of resins). After printing, just detach the model from the build surface, and it’s ready to roll!
Many makers have added their own twist to this octopus model; Vaderpus and an earring are two of the more interesting ones.
- Who designed it? McGybeer
- How printable/popular is it? With over 3,300 makes shared on both sites, you can definitely say it’s a popular model.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, Printables
Octoplush
An adorable model that was designed to look like it had been made using crochet. These figures come with holes so you can use them as keychains, attaching them to your keys, bags, or purse to bring with you everywhere you go.
You’re in luck if you’ve already got Bambu Lab’s Automatic Material System (AMS) or another multi-material unit, as you’ll need something to that end to print the eyes on a different color given that the model is a single piece. That said, the designer included profiles for both multi-material setups and printers without them, so you can choose the one that works best for you. If you don’t have access to a multi-material printer, you can always give your eyes a quick paint job to complete the look.
- Who designed it? VRsculpts
- How printable/popular is it? These crochet prints are quite popular, with over 1,700 prints according to MakerWorld. They’re so cute, it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular model!
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Fidget
Are you fan of fidget toys? Then this is the model for you. It’s a remix made by combining two fidget toys – a fidget ring and an articulated octopus.
The best part is that it’s completely print-in-place, which means it can be printed all at once. That said, you’ll need to ensure that your printer is adequately calibrated.
You can easily print this fidget with PLA at a 0.1-mm layer height and 20% infill, similar to a maker who has printed this piece on their machine.
- Who designed it? ImagineThat
- How printable/popular is it? 80 makers have shared their fidget rings. Besides that, this model has more than 4,700 downloads!
- Where to find it? Printables
Mood Octopus
The Mood Octopus is a cute and customizable 3D printed octopus. The different models can display at least 16 individual moods and expressions. With all the different sizes and varying faces, these cute models can be a fun addition to your desk.
One of the interesting parts of this octopus’ design is that you can stack them one on top of another. You can find all the respective print settings and considerations for the main parts on Thingiverse. And if you want more customizations, the maker has already added a bunch of accessories and remixes for your Mood Octopus.
- Who designed it? leonardlee
- How printable/popular is it? With over 6,000 downloads, 4 makes shared on both sites, and 7 remixes this octopus is quite popular.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, MyMiniFactory
Croc Charms
Want to add a bit of charm to your favorite Crocs? Now, you can have some colorful tentacles and proudly display your love for octopuses wherever you go.
You’ll find five different models available for download. Given how small and detailed they are, the settings presented by the designer include a 0.16-mm layer height, so make sure your printer is calibrated before you get started. While some tentacles require a bit of support, you should have no issues trying to print them all.
- Who designed it? ashandrose
- How printable/popular is it? 80 people have printed this model according to MakerWorld, showing that it’s definitely worth a look.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Complexity
If you’re the kind of person who likes challenges, this model could be a great choice for you. Why? Well, as you can tell by looking at the picture above, this is a rather complex model. The bottom is not flat, which makes it tricky to 3D print.
However, with a bit of work and a healthy amount of support material, we’re sure you’ll manage to do it. Choice of filament is up to you, but remember, you can’t go wrong with PLA.
A few makers have painted the octopus in different styles. One of them has attached hooks and repurposed it as a key holder and another has modified it be a hair clip.
- Who designed it? Nihlton
- How printable/popular is it? Around 100 users have printed this model and shared their takes, as can be seen on both sites.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, Printables
Ink Art
HueForge enthusiasts will be excited to see another great art piece that they can add to their collection. This model, when printed using HueForge, will create an amazing display piece that you can add to your desk or hang around your home.
All you need is some black and white filament for this print. The designer left a couple of instructions in the description on how to print the model if you don’t have an AMS unit in your setup. In any case, given the detail, for best results a layer height is suggested of 0.08 mm. Seeing the impressive results from makers, it’s easy to understand why you’ll want to go that low.
- Who designed it? Bunk.Wire
- How printable/popular is it? This mesmerizing piece has been printed 300 times already according to MakerWorld.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Functional
Octopuses’ tentacles have a phenomenal grip, perfect for holding and grabbing things. These functional models are helpful in everyday life because they can store and support items. Overall, having more than two limbs is surely helpful.
Chip Clip
Keep your bread bags, chips, and other snacks safely stored away using these adorable octopus clips. Because they’re easily scalable – and there’s the ease of printing without any support – they can be used for a variety of size of bags.
If you like the clip design but aren’t fond of the octopus theme, you can find a complete collection of similar models from the same designer here.
- Who designed it? TripleGWorkshop
- How printable/popular is it? This model is quickly gaining in popularity, with almost 100 makes already posted.
- Where to find it? Printables
Threaded Box
If you need somewhere to keep all of your trinkets or want something fun for the kids to play with on your next beach adventure, then a threaded octopus box might be your next print. This cute model uses a simple thread to keep itself closed and makes for a great sand cup for building miniature sand sculptures.
The box prints without any supports, though you might need a brim if you’re experiencing bed adhesion issues. The two-piece print is small enough that you could get it printed on the same day with a fast enough printer.
- Who designed it? PetraOllender
- How printable/popular is it? This recently released model has already earned itself three makes on Printables.
- Where to find it? Printables
Planter
Love plants? Give your plants a new home with this cool 3D printed octopus planter. It doesn’t require any supports and the suggested layer height is 0.25 mm.
Naturally, there are no rules for which filament to choose, but we reckon PLA or PETG would work nicely here. Although this model is primarily for plants (you can ensure it’s waterproof), you can also use it as a storage container.
- Who designed it? Chaolinx
- How printable/popular is it? 95 Thingiverse users have successfully made this model.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Ring Holder
Whether you have a lot of jewelry that you need to store or you want a place to proudly display some of your favorite pieces, you can rely on this octopus ring holder to do the job. Four outstretched arms are ready to keep your rings safe and make it easy to grab what you need and go.
While designed to print small for rings, you can potentially scale the model up and print yourself a nice octopus-themed bracelet and necklace holder as well!
Given the hanging tentacles, it’s expected that you’ll need to enable supports – needless to say, be very careful when removing them.
- Who designed it? JD3D
- How printable/popular is it? This ring holder has earned 5 makes on Printables and over 230 prints have been reported by MakerWorld.
- Where to find it? Printables, MakerWorld
SD Card Holder
Losing SD cards is a stressful experience, especially if there are important files on them.
With this cute 3D printed octopus SD card holder, you’ll never lose your SD cards again. With the flat bottom, it’s perfect as a useful desk ornament.
This model doesn’t require supports and it can be printed using lots of different filaments. The choice of material and color is up to you!
- Who designed it? tjstroker
- How printable/popular is it? With over 23,000 downloads, 3,000 likes, and over 100 shared makes, it’s easy to see this is a very printable and very popular model!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Tablet Holder
Tablet stands always come in handy, so why not print one? This one’s in the shape of an octopus’s tentacles and looks cool. The intended scale for the model is 210 x 132 x 69 mm.
Supports are required since the tentacles form a large overhang. Regarding the filament, we think that PLA would definitely serve the purpose. However, printing this in rubber-like filaments may also make sense.
- Who designed it? notcolinforreal
- How printable/popular is it? This tablet stand has been downloaded almost 111,000 times and 252 makers have shared their printed tablets.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Bookends
Bookends help keep your books upright while also adding flair to your shelves. This 3D printed bookend is an octopus that grabs the books using its tentacles.
The tentacles that “pass through” the books (it’s an illusion) are the most fascinating aspect of this design. You can create this by placing the two separate tentacle pieces between the books.
A maker has printed the octopus in rainbow PLA, which adds to the dazzling look of the model.
- Who designed it? o4saken
- How printable/popular is it? These bookends have nearly 900 likes and more than 2,200 downloads.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, Printables
Alexa Echo Dot Pedestal
Give your Alexa device a new place of honor by printing her one of these tentacle pedestals. This will keep your device elevated, in one place, and give it a very cool appearance when the lights come on in the dark.
You’ll want to make sure that your print bed is clean before printing this model, as the thin tips of the tentacles could begin to curl without proper adhesion.
- Who designed it? rreibel
- How printable/popular is it? You’ll find 10 unique makes for this model, including one that is being used as a candle holder.
- Where to find it? Printables
License: The text of "3D Printed Octopus: 15 STL Files That Are Decorative & Fun" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.