Synopsis: 

Ballpoint pens have been used around the world for over a century by people of all ages, but not many know how it works. As the name suggests, ballpoint pens work as a “ball and socket” with the casing as the socket and a bearing as the ball. The ball collects a small amount of ink and rolls the ink onto the paper as the pen glides. 

The invention of the ballpoint pen in 1888 solved the problem of loose ink pens that were hard to transport and took a long time to dry. Ballpoint pens are fast-drying and use an oil-based ink, as well as mess free with the ball acting as a stopper. Retractable ballpoint pens also contain a spring mechanism to retract the ink tip of the pen back into the casing body which eliminates the need for a pen cap.

Objective:

To use 3D animation to showcase the unique make-up of ballpoint pens. A 3D model of a retractable ballpoint pen will be built with all parts fully removable and movable. The animation will go down the parts of the pen and outline what each part of the pen is responsible for doing/what role it plays in the bigger picture. 

Audience:

The audience can be people of any age, but it would targeted towards high school students to adults. Anyone interested in the inner workings of a ballpoint pen/ how a ballpoint pen functions.

References:

Shared Google Drive link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YPOGB8tAUNHu_EfK8FTFvF06C2Sl3WC3?usp=drive_link

Contact me at: aimee.lee@stonybrook.edu