Need a small sculpture (more help, less advice)

Gandalf_the_Crazed

Have a very good friend of mine who will soon be leaving...it's unlikely we'll see each other again after this semester. I want to put together a truly unique going-away present for her.

She's been to Beijing a few times, and mentioned to me that she really grew to love the skyline there. In fact, she remarked that she wished she could have brought it home with her, like in a music box. Here's where you guys come in. I've looked everywhere I can imagine, and I can't find anyone who sells figurines of the Beijing skyline, much less in a music box. There's tiny versions of New York, London, etc. But no Beijing.

Is there anyone here who is artistically talented and could make me a tiny version of Beijing's most recognizable elements? Or, failing that, point me to someone else who could do so? Obtaining a customizable music box in which to place the sculpture seems like a fairly easy task by comparison, so really it's just the sculpture I would need.

You'd be paid for your services, obviously. We can discuss what's fair and more details via PM if you're interested.

(Also, there seem to be digital 3D models of Beijing here.)

ceres

You *might* want to try Artist's Corner. I'm not sure what their rules are on asking for commissions and so forth, but I think you're more likely to find what you're looking for there.

Gandalf_the_Crazed

I considered that. Seemed poor form to start off by asking for help/advice in a non-H/A forum, though. I'll go read their rules again.

ceres

It just seems like since you're possibly looking for a commission, it might be a good place to go.

Pheezer

If you're going to post a commission there, be ready to pay for it. And be willing to state what you're willing to pay.

Otherwise you might consider paying for stock photography of the skyline, and processing it in photoshop yourself. It's not hard or time consuming to learn how to make a photo look nifty using filters and some basic techniques.

Gandalf_the_Crazed

Pheezer wrote: »

If you're going to post a commission there, be ready to pay for it. And be willing to state what you're willing to pay.

Otherwise you might consider paying for stock photography of the skyline, and processing it in photoshop yourself. It's not hard or time consuming to learn how to make a photo look nifty using filters and some basic techniques.

Yeah, I can do photography manipulation like that, but I'd rather have something 3D like a sculpture.

And while I am ready to pay for a commission, I have no idea how much is reasonable to offer for a project like that. Any pointers?

Pheezer

You can run the Request For Quotation route. Usually the artist figures out what they need to make per hour to maintain their lifestyle, guesses how many hours will be involved, and quotes accordingly.

For a high school student, their time is worth about minimum wage. For an art school grad with a PhD, you can expect to pay higher. I think the AC is okay with RFQ posts, but check with a mod who knows that forum.

agentk13

First, find a good picture of the skyline. Second, print it out using a good printer and the nicest paper you can find that's still reasonably thin. Next, you have three choices. You can either decoupage the picture right onto whatever you want; paint the item blue, cut out the skyline, cut out a piece of veneer in the shape of the skyline, paste the veneer onto the object, and decoupage the picture of the skyline onto the veneer; or cut the picture into distinct layers (this could be as simple as separation between foreground and background images or as complex as cutting out each individual building out and organizing them by proximity), cut out a veneer for each layer, paste them one on top of the other to create a relief of the skyline, and decoupage each layer in the picture onto its corespondent veneer layer.

Edit: this would probably be considered a modified form of marquetry, and a skilled user of this art would know how to choose and dye the veneers to make the decoupage unnecessary.