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You have drawn the character. Now you want it in your hand, and then you want to make copies of it yourself by moulding and casting. That takes two things: a 3D model that is faithful to your art, and a printed master clean enough that the silicone picks up the sculpt rather than the printing. We have been asked for exactly this, so here is how we go about it.

What to send us

From flat art to a mould-ready master

Drawings cheat in ways a sculpt cannot. A pose that reads perfectly from the front can have an arm that would pass through the body when seen from the side, or a cape that only exists in one view. We work through the art with you first and agree how the parts you never drew should look, so the model is your character from every angle rather than our guess at it.

You see renders of the sculpt before anything is printed and can ask for changes. Once you approve it, the master is printed in resin, which holds far finer detail than filament, and the supports are removed and the contact points cleaned back. Tell us it is a moulding master, and about any undercuts or thin parts you are worried about, and we prepare it with the mould in mind rather than paint.

If this is the first of a series, say so at the start. Keeping proportions, scale and level of detail consistent across several characters is much easier to plan for than to fix afterwards.

Size, material and finish

Size
Standard, around 15cm, suits most character masters. Small, around 10cm, and large, around 20cm, are both possible, and the size decides how much fine detail a mould will pick up.
Material
Resin, for the finest detail and the smoothest surface. Filament layer lines would show up in every cast.
Colour
Single colour, unpainted. A master is for moulding, and paint only adds thickness over the detail.
Footprint
If your mould needs a flat footprint, say so and the master is printed with one.
Model file
Ask for it in the quote request, so the file is part of the job from the start.

How long it takes

The quote comes back within one working day. After that the sculpt is the slow part, and a character worked up from flat art usually needs a round or two of renders before it is right. The quote gives you a lead time for your job before you commit, and if you are working towards a market, a launch or a deadline of your own, put the real date in the form.

Questions

Can I have the 3D model file as well as the print?

Yes. Ask for it when you request the quote, so the file is part of the job from the start rather than an afterthought.

Will the master show print lines in the mould?

Resin prints in very thin layers, far finer than filament, which is why it is the right material for a master. Support contact points are cleaned back before it leaves us. If a surface has to be glass smooth, say so up front and we will tell you honestly what is achievable before you approve the quote.

I might want a whole series. Does that change anything?

It helps to know early. We keep scale and level of detail consistent across the set, and each new character is quoted on its own once the first one has set the style.

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