How We Turn Your Photos into a 3D Printed Figure

The most common question we get about photo-based figures is some version of "is that really possible?" It is — and it doesn't require a 3D scanner, a studio visit or any technical skill from you. Here's exactly what happens between sending photos and unwrapping a figure.

Step 1: You send photos

Three to six ordinary photos are enough. Phone shots are fine as long as they cover the angles:

• Front, side and three-quarter views of the face — these carry the likeness.
• A full-body photo if you want a full figure rather than a bust, so proportions and posture come out right.
• Even lighting without hard shadows, so we read the features and colors correctly.

The photos don't need to be from the same day or even the same year. For memorial pieces we regularly work from a handful of old pictures.

Photos reach us by email: the contact form carries your brief — size, deadline, who it's for — while the pictures themselves come as attachments or a file-sharing link.

Step 2: A digital artist sculpts the model

This is the part software can't do alone. A sculptor builds the head and body in digital clay, checking against every photo you sent. You choose the style up front:

• Realistic — a portrait bust with true-to-life features.
• Stylized — slightly softened, friendly proportions that suit gifts.
• Character — you as a knight, an astronaut, a game hero; pets as royalty are a perennial favorite.

Sculpting takes 2–4 business days for a typical figure.

Step 3: You approve a preview

Before anything is printed, you receive rendered images of the sculpt from several angles. This is the moment to say the nose isn't quite right or the smile should be wider — revisions at this stage are quick and included. Nothing goes to the printer until you've signed off on the likeness.

If you want the digital file itself (to reprint later or archive), the STL can be included as an add-on.

Step 4: Printing

The approved model is printed in the size you ordered — anywhere from a 15 cm desk figure to a life-size build on our large-format printer. Small figures print in fine layers for smooth detail; large ones are printed in one piece up to 800 × 800 × 1000 mm, so there are no seams across a face or body. Current sizes and guide prices are listed on the figures page.

Step 5: Finishing

The base price covers a clean single-color print — many customers choose a neutral tone and treat it like a classical bust. Options on top:

• Hand painting for full-color likeness
• Sanding and priming for a smooth, paint-ready surface
• Bases and plaques with an engraved name or date

Step 6: Tracked delivery

Figures ship in rigid boxes with foam cutouts, tracked to the door. Within the EU that's typically 2–6 business days after finishing; worldwide express runs 3–8. All in, most orders arrive within about two weeks of the first email.

What does it cost?

A desk-size figure starts around €59–99 including the sculpting work; statuettes and display figures scale up from there, and life-size pieces are quoted individually. The sculpting is what you're paying for on small figures — the printing itself is the cheap part.

Ready to try it? Start on the contact page with a sentence about who it's for and the size you have in mind, then email us the photos — you'll get a quote and a sculpting plan within one business day.