Beautiful Secret Revealing Picture Frame

I designed this beautiful frame as a gift where the contents can be revealed by removing a sliding cover. On the inside, there is a recess that holds a piece of paper or thin cardboard in A5 format with the picture or text on it. With the slot on one side, this card can be inserted after assembly and stays in place because of the recess.

A second piece of cardboard, slightly longer, can be inserted as a cover. A small strip of this cover will be visible at the side of the frame, where it can be grabbed and removed.

How to Print the Frame

There are several ways to print the frame, depending on your 3D printer's capabilities. All variants share the following print recommendations:

I tested the print on a Prusa XL, but it should also be doable on a Prusa MK3S+ or similar printer. Therefore, I provided PrusaSlicer example projects for both printer types.

The Front

The front part is the same for all variants and requires a color change based on the layer height. This can be a manual filament change or a change of the toolhead, depending on your printer's capabilities.

I created two PrusaSlicer example projects: one for the MK3S+ that uses a manual color change and one for the Prusa XL, which uses a tool head change to automatically switch the color at the given layer.

The Back

There are six variants for the back part of the design, each with slight differences to accommodate various printers.

• open: These variants feature a slot at the side where the contents of the frame can be replaced, and a removable cover can be installed.
• closed: These variants are for permanent installation, where you put the picture in the frame and glue the front on it.

For both "open" and "closed" variants, there are three print options:

• -a: Plain, without any ornaments.
• -b: Engraved ornaments.
• -c: Multicolor print, with the ornaments filled with a second color.

Dimensions

The recess is made for a card with A5 dimensions (210 × 148 mm). The cutout, with the visible area, is a rectangle 169 × 119 mm centered on this A5 card.

To design a slide-cover, use a card with the dimensions 230 × 148 mm. It is basically an A5 card extended on the right side. Use a 5mm wide area at the very right side of this card to place arrows or instructions that will be visible.

Assembly

The assembly is straightforward. The front part fits into the back part and rests on the wide ledge that runs around the recess.

Use a suitable glue (two-component glue for plastics) to glue the front panel to the back part, or use thin double-sided tape for a less permanent solution.

About the Ornaments

The ornaments on the front and back were created with the (licensed) font "Accolades CX" and "Accolades C" from ASTYPE. You can buy a license for this font here: astype.

Filament Recommendations

For the frame:

• Prusament Galaxy Black
• 3DJAKE ecoPLA Sparkling Violett

For the ornaments:

• Formfutura High Gloss PLA Gold
• AzureFilm Silk Gold
• AzureFilm Silk Silver

Explore More from Meti·kumi

Interested in my designs? Browse through my collection of 3D models:

👉 https://metikumi.com/3d-models/

Stay connected on social media for the latest updates and work-in-progress insights:

👉 https://metikumi.com

Conclusion

This frame is a charming way to present a special picture or message. The sliding cover adds an element of surprise, making it a perfect gift. If you find this design delightful, please rate it and share photos of your print.

Happy printing!