How custom statue commissions work

1. A commission is a piece made for one person

A custom statue commission means an artist designs and builds a physical figure for you, and only you. It is not pulled from a warehouse shelf, and it is not a copy of a manufactured product. The sculpt is created from your references, the paint is applied by hand, and the finished piece is one of one.

Collectors usually commission a piece because the figure they want does not exist: a specific costume version, a pose from a favorite scene, an original character, or a scale no manufacturer produces. If any factory-made figure would do, a commission is the long way around. The point of commissioning is getting the piece you wish existed.

2. What you provide: references and decisions

Every commission starts with your brief. The essentials are the character (and which costume version), the pose or scene you want, and the display size you have in mind. Reference images do most of the talking: front and rear views, close-ups of details, and a screenshot of the exact moment if you want a scene recreated.

For an original character, anything you have helps: sketches, written descriptions, color notes. You do not need a finished design. Part of the studio's work is turning a rough idea into a sculptable plan.

Decisions you will make along the way include the final pose, the base design, and the finish. A custom figure from your references and a fully original custom sculpture start from different places, but both run on the same principle: you describe the result, the studio plans the build.

3. What the studio does: sculpt, print, paint, finish

Once the brief is agreed, the work moves through stages. First the sculpt: the character is built in three dimensions, working from your references. Then the piece is produced in resin, cleaned, and assembled.

Then comes the painting. This is the stage that separates a fine-art commission from a printed kit: every surface is painted by hand, with shading and detail work matched to your references. The Leda project and the Urek Mazino project show what hand-painted resin looks like at this level.

Finally the piece is sealed, quality-checked, and packed for transport. International shipping is planned around the finished piece, with insured delivery.

4. You approve the work as it progresses

A commission is collaborative. Before work begins, you and the studio agree on the design, the finish, the review stages, and which changes the proposal covers. At key milestones you see progress and confirm the direction before the next stage starts.

This is why the brief matters so much: changes are easiest at the design stage and hardest after paint. A good studio will tell you where each decision locks in, so there are no surprises.

5. How to start

Write a short inquiry: the character and version (or your original design), the approximate size, reference images, your country and city, and any deadline. You do not need every detail settled. The studio's private proposal then defines the scope, the schedule, and the delivery arrangements for your piece. Most commissions take months from brief to delivery.

See commissioning a figure from overseas for what to prepare as an international collector, and how long a custom figure takes for the timeline.