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YOU CAN BUILD AN ETCH A SKETCH THAT DRAWS YOUR PHOTO BY ITSELF

A robot camera that snaps a picture, turns it into one continuous line and draws it on an Etch A Sketch by turning the knobs for you.

by Every Flavor Robotics

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

RoboticsDisplays

Built withESP323D printing

difficulty
●●●●○
time
a weekend-plus
license
MIT (code), CC BY (CAD on Printables)
repo
repo ACTIVE58 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

This is the robot camera that makes an Etch A Sketch take portraits. An ESP32-CAM takes the picture and sends it over Wi-Fi to a computer, which turns it into one continuous line through an AI-assisted image-to-G-code pipeline and sends that back over Wi-Fi to the team's MotorGo board; two motors then turn the knobs. The video shows portraits and a dog drawn with nobody touching the toy, which is the whole point. The CAD is published as 29 STEP files and the code is open, but there is no parts list and no build guide. You will be working out motors, wiring and assembly from the CAD and the build montage in the video. The MotorGo board is required for this version: the firmware is written for it. The team's later stepper-motor version avoids it, but that is a different design. The CAD also includes a 3S lithium polymer battery, so treat the power side with care. If you have built motor-driven projects before and do not mind filling in gaps, this is a weekend-plus project; if you need a step-by-step guide, this is not it.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —29 STEP files on Printables (CC BY): housings, frame, clamps, knob gear and pinion, motor mount, camera housing, plus reference models of the battery, MotorGo board, ESP32-CAM, motor and encoder board.
  • —MIT-licensed firmware, G-code server and web app on GitHub; the repository has since grown to cover the later stepper version too.
  • —No parts list: an ESP32-CAM, the MotorGo board, two motors, a 3S battery and an Etch A Sketch are visible in the CAD, but models and quantities are not documented.
  • —No assembly instructions; the video has a short build montage and many drawing tests.
  • —MotorGo is a board the team sells; this version's firmware depends on it.
  • —Code (MIT) and CAD (CC BY) both allow commercial use, the CAD with attribution.

Parts to buy

6 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • ESP32-CAMFind
  • MotorGo boardFind
  • Two motors (models not published)Find
  • 1500 mAh 3S batteryFind
  • Etch A SketchFind
  • Wiring and fastenersFind

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Can I build this?

PrintHousings, frame, clamps, knob gear and pinion, motor mount and camera housing from the 29 STEP files (no STL provided).
BuyESP32-CAM, MotorGo board, two motors (models not published), 1500 mAh 3S battery, an Etch A Sketch, wiring and fasteners
Tools3D printer, soldering iron, screwdrivers, PlatformIO for flashing, a computer with Docker for the server and web app
SkillsIntermediate 3D printing, motor control, ESP32 programming and Wi-Fi networking. The hardest part is choosing motors and wiring them without a schematic.
TimeA weekend-plus if you know motors and ESP32 boards; longer if you are working out parts and build order from the CAD alone.
Cost$$ — the MotorGo board, motors, ESP32-CAM, battery and the Etch A Sketch itself; no custom PCB to order.
SafetyLow-voltage electronics, but powered by a 3S lithium polymer battery in the design: charge it with a proper charger and protect it from damage. Keep fingers clear of the gears while the motors run.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

We Built the World's First Etch-a-Sketch Video Camera30:53

Every Flavor Robotics' own video about this robot: motivation, a short build montage and a long series of drawing tests and demos. It is not an assembly guide.

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Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Download the STEP files from Printables (29 files: housings, frame, clamps, knob gear and pinion, motor mount, camera housing, plus reference models of the electronics.)
  2. 2.Clone the GitHub repository (It contains the board firmware, the G-code server and the web app. The server and web app start with Docker.)
  3. 3.Get the MotorGo board and choose motors (Motor models are not published; use the motor mount and encoder board in the CAD as your reference.)
  4. 4.Print the frame and mechanical parts (No print settings are given. Convert the STEP files to printable meshes and leave out the reference models.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • There is no parts list, so motor models, wire gauges and fastener sizes have to be worked out from the CAD. Check before you buy motors.
  • The firmware for this version is built for the MotorGo board. Using another driver means porting the firmware, or switching to the team's separate stepper-motor version.
  • There are no assembly instructions. You work out the build order and wiring from the STEP files and the build montage in the video.
  • The image processing, G-code server and web app run in Docker on a separate computer, not on the board. You need that computer on the same Wi-Fi network, and you have to put your Wi-Fi name, password and the server's IP address into the firmware before flashing.
  • Printables has STEP files only, no STL. Convert them in your CAD tool or slicer, and skip the reference models of the battery, boards, camera and motor.
  • The CAD includes a 1500 mAh 3S lithium polymer battery. Use a proper charger and protect the pack from damage.

Can I build this without the MotorGo board?

Not this camera version: its firmware is built for the team's MotorGo board. The same team later published a separate stepper-motor Etch A Sketch (NEMA 17 motors, Adafruit Feather ESP32-S3), and its firmware is in the same GitHub repository. Its CAD is a different Printables model under a non-commercial licence.

What motors do I need?

The project does not publish motor models or a parts list. The CAD includes models of the motor, its mount and an encoder board, and the code drives the motors through the MotorGo board, so check the CAD and the MotorGo documentation before you buy.

Does it draw in real time?

Yes. The computer streams G-code over Wi-Fi to the board, which turns the knobs while you watch the drawing appear.

Can I use any Etch A Sketch?

The files do not say which Etch A Sketch model or size they were designed for. Measure your toy against the clamp and knob-gear parts in the CAD before you print.

Is there a place to ask questions?

Yes. The team runs a Discord server, linked from the GitHub README and the video description.

Community builds

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The Etch A Sketch has been around since 1960, and here a robot turns it into a camera that draws your photo with its own two knobs. What would you photograph with yours?

CompareeTEAM4d ago

What the project gives you: 29 STEP files on Printables, the firmware, G-code server and web app on GitHub, and a 30-minute video full of drawing tests. What it does not give you: a parts list or build guide. Motor models, wire gauges and fastener sizes are left to you. This version needs the team's MotorGo board, and the CAD includes a 3S lithium polymer battery. One thing to know: the GitHub README now describes setting up the later stepper-motor version, so keep the camera version's Printables files and the MotorGo firmware apart from that one.

Every Flavor Robotics

Every Flavor Robotics (YouTube channel Every Flavor of Robot) built this robot as their demo for the OpenSauce 2024 convention and to celebrate reaching 600 subscribers. It was mainly a showcase for MotorGo, the robot platform they make and sell. They published the CAD on Printables in May 2024 as MotorGo LLC, and in the video description they credit another Etch A Sketch robot that inspired them.

GitHub Web

Star the project on GitHub

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  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
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