The maker world is making bold moves this summer. Elegoo's Jupiter 2 pushes large-format resin into sharp new territory with a 16K screen and a build volume that fits full-size busts on one plate, while Creality's new Hi Combo brings four-channel multicolor FDM printing to $599. And for miniature painters, The Army Painter just put their Speedpaint 2.0 formula into a felt-tip marker, which changes where and when you can paint.
Elegoo Jupiter 2: 16K Resin at Large-Format Scale
The Jupiter 2 is Elegoo's answer to the gap that kept large-format resin printing frustrating: you could print big, or you could print sharp, but rarely both. This machine gives you a 302.4 x 161.98 x 300 mm build volume paired with a 16K screen and 20 x 26 micrometer XY resolution. That combination is genuinely rare at this price point. For figure printing it means you can run a 200mm character bust at the same detail level you would expect from a much smaller machine. Smart features include a quick-lock FEP film system that swaps in about ten seconds (Elegoo claims ten times faster than standard methods), auto resin feeding, smart tank heating, and Wi-Fi cluster support for managing multiple printers at once. At $949, this is a serious machine for serious work. If you are printing large resin pieces and your Saturn 3 Ultra is hitting its ceiling, the Jupiter 2 is the natural step up. One important note for anyone new to large-format resin work: do not skip the PPE. You need nitrile gloves rated at 5 mil or thicker and a half-face respirator with organic vapor cartridges. A standard N95 dust mask does nothing for resin fumes. The 3M 5101 Organic Vapor Respirator is a solid starting point and it is available on Amazon.
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Creality Hi Combo: Four-Channel Multicolor FDM Without Ecosystem Lock-In
The Creality Hi Combo launched in July 2026 with a four-channel filament system (CFS) that enables up to 16-color blending, a 260 x 260 x 300 mm build volume, and a top speed of 500 mm/s. At $599, it sits in a genuinely competitive spot: you get serious multicolor capability without being locked into a proprietary filament or ecosystem. The CFS approach is different from Bambu Lab's AMS system, which means different software workflow and different filament compatibility trade-offs, but it also means you can run third-party filament without restrictions. Auto-leveling, a clog-free extruder design, and 95 percent pre-assembly make it reasonably beginner-friendly out of the box. For prop makers and figure painters who want multicolor display bases, terrain pieces, or character parts in a single print run, this is worth a close look. My honest caveat: Creality's slicer ecosystem is still maturing compared to Bambu Studio, so expect a steeper manual-tuning curve at first. If you are already in the Creality world or you want multicolor without the Bambu price, the Hi Combo is the most direct answer on the market right now.
Army Painter Speedpaint Markers: Contrast Paint in a Felt-Tip
If you have used Speedpaint 2.0 you already know how fast it moves: one coat, self-shading, instant depth. The new Speedpaint Markers take that exact formula and put it in a felt-tip marker, and that changes a lot about how and where you can use it. Paint at a convention demo table without pots and palettes. Take one or two colors to a game night. Touch up a model without finding the right bottle and checking if the dropper is clogged. The Felt-Tech tip handles both broad surface coverage and fine-line detail without swapping tools, and the Speedpaint 2.0 formula means you still get the shadow-pooling behavior that makes this product work on miniatures. The Starter Set ships with 9 highly saturated contrast colors and 1 metallic, which is a solid spread for testing the format before committing to individual colors. At $63.71 for ten markers, you are paying a premium over pots, but the portability and the zero-setup workflow make them genuinely useful. The Army Painter is also at SDCC 2026 this week (Booth 1534) if you want a hands-on demo before buying.
That's Maker Monday
That's the maker world for this week. If any of this got you thinking about a custom print, paint, or engraving, come see what we make on the commission page. See you next Monday.
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