Over the years I have made many custom pet figures for folks who want to have them on their wedding cakes, have a little reminder at work, or memorialize their furry best friends for all eternity.
Custom pet commissions typically start at $75 for a four inch figure.
Custom orders require a little legwork on your part in order for me to give you a price quote.
Here's what you need to do to get your project rolling:
1. Take photos of your pet from each angle.
The four images below are my ideal examples of the photos I need from you in order to get started. Please make sure your pet is standing up and if they just can't stand still, have a friend hold the animal in position like you see in the photos here. This really helps me to have a clear idea of the body shape and saves us all time in the long run during the design process. If you're tempted to just send me photos on hand, think of it this way: I'm a dog lover, but not an expert on the standard in every breed. I'm going to make a 3-D model of your dog standing up, so I need to see what your dog looks like standing up. I alternated actual photos of my dog with the same angles of the sculpture I made of him so you could see what I mean, jelly bean.
custom dog figure
custom dog figure
2. Make a list of what's important to you about your pet!
It's also helpful if you make a list of the things you use to describe your pet's features--especially breed, fur markings, length of tail, etc--anything that stands out to you as especially distinctive and/or unusual and is important to have on your figure. Feel free to add any other desires you might have (collar, favorite toy, grassy display base, etc.) Need to explain exactly what color your dog is? Use my handy dandy color chart!
3. Size matters!
If you are having me create more than one of your family pets, please send a photo of them together so I can make sure they are in scale to each other.
4. Contact me via Etsy
Once you've gathered your photos and information, please contact me via Etsy conversations. This helps me keep all your information in one place and associated with the sale. Unfortunately, Etsy only allows three attachments per message, but you can send multiple messages if necessary. If it's similar to a dog I've already done, I'll send you images of the previous piece, and if not, I'll do a sketch of the proposed piece and quote you a price. If you approve, I'll set up a special Etsy listing where you can pay for it. I can only add your project to my production schedule once payment is complete. Orders typically take 1-3 weeks to create and ship--I'll be able to give you an accurate time estimate when you contact me, but it always helps to plan ahead!