Del boceto al master: un día dentro de nuestro estudio de escultura

What actually happens between a back-of-napkin drawing and a production-ready resin master? Seven steps, two weeks, and a lot of small decisions you only notice if something goes wrong.

Most clients send us one of three things: a hand sketch on paper, a flat 2D illustration, or a low-poly 3D file from a game engine. Whichever it is, our first job is the same — translate the silhouette into a sculpt that survives both molding and mass production. That translation is where 80% of the quality of the final figure is decided.

Step one is the brief call. We talk through scale (1/8, 1/7, 1/6, chibi, palm-size), pose, accessories, and which IP/character rights apply. We also ask about the customer's intended retail price, because that drives the level of paint detail and packaging we recommend. A $29 desk figure and a $299 collector statue have very different production paths.

Step two is the digital sculpt in ZBrush. Our head sculptor blocks out the rough mass first, then refines silhouette before any surface detail. We send the client a 360° turntable render after about 4 working days. This is the cheapest moment to change anything, so we ask for opinionated feedback.

Step three is the cut. A figure isn't a single solid piece — it's planned from the start to break into 6–14 separate pieces (head, torso, two arms, two legs, hair pieces, accessories) so each part can be molded with no undercuts. Bad cuts force seam lines down the middle of the face. Good cuts hide them under collars, behind hair, in armpits.

Step four is the resin print. We 3D-print each piece on industrial DLP printers, sand the layer lines smooth, then do a second silicone-mold pull from the printed master. This 'second master' is what we use to make the production silicone molds — protecting the original from wear.

Step five is the test cast. We pour one resin copy in raw beige, hand it to the head painter, and let them paint the first 'master sample.' Painting reveals problems the sculpt didn't — undercuts that trap paint, surfaces too smooth for a wash to grip. We loop back to the sculpt if needed.

Step six is the master sample sign-off. We ship the painted master to the client. They look at it under their own lighting, hold it in their own hand, photograph it for their marketing. They sign off on color, weight, finish. This is the contractual reference for the whole production run.

Step seven is mass production planning. We calculate how many silicone molds we need (each mold is good for ~80 pulls), order resin, schedule the painters, build the inner tray, finalize the box artwork. From sign-off to first ship date is typically 28–35 days for runs under 1,000 units.

If you're starting your first resin project — sketch in hand, no idea what comes next — that's the path. Send us the sketch. We'll get back within 24 hours with a free 3D mockup and a transparent quote, and you can decide from there.