Gnomes are charming creatures that can bring a touch of magic and personality to any space. Whether you’re a fan of these mystical figures or just want to add a fun element to your decor, 3D printing offers a great way to create your own gnomes at home. From detailed, realistic models to stylized, functional versions, there’s something for everyone in this article, regardless of their printing experience.
In this selection, you’ll find incredible gnome models to print, each with unique characteristics, all with essential tips to get the best results. Whether you want to decorate your garden, personalize a gift, or simply have fun with a creative print, these designs are guaranteed to be a success. Check out the options and choose your favorite!
And if you come across a model you like but your 3D printing setup isn’t up to task, check out Craftcloud. With manufacturers all over the world offering a variety of technologies, materials, and finishes, your Donsy could be on its way to you in the blink of an eye.
Gus
When your garden needs something extra and you aren’t sure what that can be, it’s likely to be a handsome guardian like “Gus”. If you’re planning to place this cute model in your garden, be sure to check out our dedicated article for valuable tips on making him waterproof.
In its original size of 17 cm or reduced by 50% to make a small plant pot, Gus fits into any environment, ready to protect your home with his peculiar charm.
Not only does he have an amusing design – he’s also very easy to 3D print. This gnome doesn’t need supports or infill; the designer opted for a resolution of 0.2 mm for the bigger versions, with a lower 0.12 mm for the smaller models. If you intend to leave it outdoors, PLA may not be the best choice, so consider a more resistant material, like PETG.
The smaller version is only 9 cm tall, and no matter what the size, it can be a fun print to paint. One maker made an ingenious choice: They used marble PLA for the beard for a very cool look.
- Who designed it? BirdBott
- How printable/popular is it? With 6 makes and 3,100 downloads, it is clearly printable and becoming very popular.
- Where to find it? Cults
Man 2 Autumn
Gnomes are naturally earth-loving and garden-loving creatures, but if you don’t have a garden, that doesn’t mean you can’t print your own enchanted kingdom. This little guy has some truly magical design details, with embellishments on his hat while holding a pumpkin and a sunflower.
You can have fun painting him or you could also make things more streamlined by using the 3MF file if you’ve got a multicolor setup. And should you not want him to feel lonely, the designer also created an equally cute companion.
When it comes to 3D printing, lower layer height values will help achieve smoother details – especially if printing at a smaller scale. The designer’s shared printing profile includes a layer height of 0.08 mm, 2 outer walls, 15% infill, and using tree supports, all of which takes the print time to almost 3 hours at the default size. Maker TheBigSlice successfully scaled the part to 300%, but in this case the print took around 14 hours.
- Who designed it? Twentse 3D Experience
- How printable/popular is it? According to MakerWorld, over 400 makers have already downloaded the file and more than 160 have recreated it.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Protognome
With its flexible and charismatic design, this is the perfect model for those who enjoy creative 3D printing.
The Protognome created by Corey Marchetti of CM Designs to showcase Protopasta’s Partly Cloudy, Partly Sunny, and Seafoam filaments that are part of the Endless PLA line. The especially cool part? There are two options for the beard. You can create a regular, neat beard that prints in one “static” part, or you can opt for a gnome that rocks the “Hair-i-fied” beard, as can be seen in the image above.
The model is divided into interlocking parts, so you needn’t worry if you don’t have a multicolor setup. Printing recommendations call for 15-20% infill with a layer height of 0.2 mm, and supports are required for the hat, while they’re optional for the beard. The designers also note that, because of the tolerances for the individually printed parts, it may be necessary to sand and glue them.
- Who designed it? Protopasta and CM Designs
- How printable/popular is it? At least 556 makes and 5,400 downloads have been noted, combined, from the different repositories.
- Where to find it? Printables, Thingiverse, Cults, MakerWorld
Supportless
Each gnome has unique features and a lot of personality, and perhaps one of the biggest characteristics for this particular design is that the protruding mustache doesn’t need supports – but it’s not the only thing that makes it so special! Its magic was practically proven by AnavPatel, who printed 200 of these, and after spreading them around college, he gained 10 new friends.
You can paint it, use a special filament, or just leave it as a solid color – no matter what, it will look amazing! And if you’re interested in putting your Bambu Lab’s AMS to good use, a maker at MakerWorld shared a printing profile meant just for that setup.
There’s a lot of praise for the design across the different repositories, and maker erffrfez pointed out that it worked even without any infill and using 2 perimeters. That said, default settings, such as a 0.2-mm layer height, 15% infill, and 2 walls, should do the trick nicely; in a single color, it’ll take almost 3 hours. There are a total of 7 remixes of this famous gnome in Printables and Thingiverse. There are options ranging from a chess set to ornaments and glasses holders, making them interesting gift ideas as well!
- Who designed it? BODY3D
- How printable/popular is it? This popstar currently has over 1,160 makes and more than 32,800 downloads combined from the different repositories.
- Where to find it? Printables, Thingiverse, MakerWorld, Cults
Baby
The Baby Gnome model is an irresistible choice for those looking to add a touch of cuteness and creativity to their baby’s room, to have as decor for a baby shower, or just to have something adorable around. Its charming design combines delicate details with a fun shape, making it a great option for those who like 3D models with personality.
To print the Baby Gnome, the designer shared profiles with a layer height of 0.16 mm with 3 walls and 10% infill, ensuring a firm model. Printing can be done in multiple colors or in a single shade, and you will find the files in both STL and 3MF formats. Remember that although PLA is relatively safe for contact with food, some care must be taken to make something like the photo above.
- Who designed it? Romwba3D
- How printable/popular is it? With more than 1,600 downloads and over 430 prints according to MakerWorld, this cutie pie is definitely printable and keeps gaining popularity as we speak.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Rocker
Another amazing design from the maker of the Baby Gnome, the Rocker Gnome is perfect for your metalhead or classic rock fan friend to complete their decor with something unique and fun. As with the Baby Gnome, the files are also available in both STL and 3MF for ease of printing depending on your setup.
It should be noted that, although the designer included the individual parts in case you want to print them separately, makers commented that they don’t fit together. The overall recommendation would be to print it in one color and then paint it or to split it yourself.
If you decide to print this in single color, the estimated time is just over 1 hour; however, for the full 5-color versions, this increases to up to almost 21 hours. The designer’s print recommendations are a 0.2-mm layer height, 3 outer walls, and 15% infill.
Go ahead and make your own right now to place next to your favorite band’s LightBox, like 2ndstoryprinter did.
- Who designed it? Romwba3D
- How printable/popular is it? More than 2,400 downloads and 1,100 prints per MakerWorld show that all you need to do is hit “Play” and then “Print”!
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
In Love Keychain
Gnomes are always around in gardens, forests, and pretty much everywhere they can find a safe spot! These cute little creatures can be mischievous, but they can also be very affectionate and easy to carry around in your pocket.
And why not create a mini guardian of your heart and keys that will always be within reach, right? Even if you already have a cool keychain, it can also serve as a decorative accessory for your bag or backpack.
The model’s approximately 50 x 15 mm, and it was designed to be printed with the AMS using a 2-color profile. That said, painting it shouldn’t be a challenge if you follow the guide from the image above for inspiration. For the settings, the designer’s shared printing profile includes a 0.2-mm layer height, 2 outer walls, and 15% infill, all of which mean an approximate print time of just over 5 hours.
- Who designed it? DrejkCZ
- How printable/popular is it? So far, over 120 downloads and more than 60 prints are the numbers reported by MakerWorld.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Shmebulock from Gravity Falls
If you’re a fan of Gravity Falls and want to bring some of the magic and humor of the series to your collection, printing Shmebulock might be the perfect choice. The little gnome, known for only repeating his own name due to a curse that lasted 1,000 years, can now, finally, speak freely.
And Shmebulock isn’t the only gnome in Gravity Falls, so it’s only natural that some people confuse him with other magical creatures – like Steve! While the one and only Shmebulock was created purely for decoration, Steve was created to be an alternative that can also add a fun touch to toothpaste discharge.
While there are no print settings shared for either gnome, given the suspended position of their hands, it’s easy to imagine that supports are needed. For reference, the print settings used in the make above were a 0.2-mm layer height and 20% infill.
- Who designed it? bigovereasy
- How printable/popular is it? In total, 19 makes and more than 5,500 downloads have already been shared combined from the different repositories.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, Printables, Cults
Vase Mode
Now that we’ve seen a range of gnome varieties, it’s worth checking out this remix. Because it uses “vase mode“, it becomes completely hollow and has a thin layer of perimeter – leading to very interesting aesthetics. You can use a translucent filament, for example, and create a decorative lamp, or you can simply print a Donsy without spending a lot of filament.
The model in the image above was printed in PETG for greater heat resistance, and maker mbroachaz points out that they had no problems scaling it to other sizes.
Other important suggestions from the designer include using a 0.6-mm nozzle or more to increase the wall width and to use 0.15-mm layer height or less for a better appearance. The last layer of the hat may require increased cooling to avoid warping.
- Who designed it? Norbert Cierpicki
- How printable/popular is it? More than 1,300 downloads and 45 makes show that you can also have this cool design keeping you company!
- Where to find it? Printables
Wall Art
It doesn’t take much filament to bring the magic of the world of gnomes into your space. This model was developed for laser cutting, but it was also shared in an STL file so it can be 3D printed! As the author indicates, you can print it on a smaller scale or simply print it in parts and glue them together later to form a larger panel.
From the remixes, two have followed this path and provide slots for each of the four gnomes, allowing you to print each one separately and get a larger size. If your wall is already full and you don’t have enough space, there’s also a remix that allows you to attach this to your garden or plant pot with a stake.
- Who designed it? Leonid Babarinow
- How printable/popular is it? With over 1,700 downloads and 21 makes, it’s clear that you could be the next lucky maker to have these companions on your wall!
- Where to find it? Printables
License: The text of "Gnome STLs: The Most Magical Gnome 3D Prints" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.