To request a custom sculpture quotation, send us the design or reference, overall dimensions, quantity, preferred material and finish, installation location and required date. Tell us whether you need installation guidance or an on-site team. These details connect the appearance of the work with how we will fabricate, pack and assemble it.
You can start with a 3D model, a 2D drawing or reference images. We develop 2D drawings into a 3D model and can split a 3D model into fabrication parts. The first inquiry should make the intended result clear and identify the decisions that still need discussion. Here is how to put that brief together.
Start with the design you have
Send the model, drawing or reference that best explains the sculpture. With reference images, tell us which features matter: the overall shape, a particular curve, the surface or the way several elements sit together. If different references show different ideas, label what you want from each one. That gives us a clear starting point for the design discussion.
For a 2D drawing, include the views you have and the dimensions that are already decided. We can develop the drawing into a 3D model. For an existing 3D model, tell us whether you also need it divided into fabrication parts. Large works are shipped in sections, so that division needs to be considered alongside the intended assembly.
Our sculpture model approval guide explains how to review the form, finish and fabrication parts before production.
State dimensions and quantity together
Give the overall height, width and depth, with the units clearly stated. If the size is still being discussed, identify the preferred size and any alternatives separately. A reference image tells us the visual direction, but dimensions tell us the scale you intend to commission.
Include the quantity and say whether all pieces share the same design, size and surface. For a group of different forms, list each one separately. This keeps a single large sculpture distinct from a group of smaller pieces and helps us discuss the production and packing requirements for the actual commission.
Describe the material and the finish
For mirror-polished stainless steel work, our standard is 316L, indoors and outdoors. We can use 304 when the customer requests it for a budget-sensitive project. If a grade is already specified, include it in the brief. If you are deciding between the two, our 304 and 316L material guide explains the choice.
Describe the surface separately from the grade. We offer mirror, brushed and sandblasted finishes, as well as gold, rose gold and colours. Our mirror work is polished to 8K or higher. Gold, rose gold and colours can be produced with titanium (PVD) coating; colours can also be spray coated. Tell us which appearance you want and where it belongs on the form.
If the sculpture combines finishes, mark those areas on the drawing or reference. A description such as “mirror body with a sandblasted base” is more useful than a general request for a metal finish. We make finish samples on request and agree them with the customer before production.
Explain where the sculpture will stand
State whether the installation is indoors or outdoors and give the destination city and country. Include the intended setting, such as an interior space, courtyard or park. If a mounting position or foundation arrangement has already been decided, include that information with the design.
We supply bolt-down base plates or embedded anchor parts to suit the foundation requirements. Tell us which connection the site needs so that the parts we fabricate can be discussed with the local foundation work. If this is still undecided, identify it as a point to resolve rather than leaving it out of the inquiry.
Choose how you want installation handled
We can provide installation guidance or send a team to the site, depending on the project and country. Let us know which approach you need. For larger works with our team on site, we usually weld the sections together and re-polish the joins. Where no on-site team is involved, sections are generally designed to bolt together for local assembly.
This choice affects how we divide the model into parts. Tell us who will assemble the sculpture and whether the local team expects bolted sections. We can then discuss the joining method before fabrication, while there is still time to plan the divisions around the finished form.
Include packing and unloading in the brief
We normally use wooden crates that fit standard containers. Very heavy works may need welded steel frames, and oversized pieces can travel on flat-rack containers. If the sculpture must travel whole, say so at the inquiry stage. We can discuss a welded steel transport frame alongside the design.
Installation normally needs a crane, and unloading may need a forklift. For oversized works, the customer arranges forklift or crane unloading at the site; a tail-lift truck is not suitable. Include any known unloading arrangements and read our packing, shipping and installation guide when preparing the delivery part of your brief.
Tell us about samples and the required date
If you need a scale sample, or maquette, include that request. We make these on request and normally charge for them. A scale sample concerns the form; a finish sample concerns the surface. Tell us whether you need one or both. Finish samples are made to the customer’s requirements and need approval from both sides before production.
Typical production time is about 30 days for pieces up to 3 m, and 45–60 days for larger works, confirmed per project. Give your required installation date and make clear whether it is fixed or still being planned. We can then discuss production, samples, shipping and installation together. Do not treat the production reference as an arrival date.
A checklist for your first inquiry
You can use the following headings in a short email. Fill in what is decided and identify what you want to discuss:
- Design: 3D model, 2D drawing or reference images, with the important visual features identified.
- Dimensions and quantity: overall height, width and depth, units, number of pieces and any size alternatives.
- Material and surface: specified grade, mirror, brushed, sandblasted or coloured finish, and any combined areas.
- Lokasi: indoor or outdoor use, destination city and country, and known foundation requirements.
- Assembly: installation guidance or an on-site team, plus the local assembly and unloading arrangements.
- Samples and timing: scale or finish samples required, and the intended installation date.
FAQ
Can I ask for a quotation without a finished 3D model?
Yes. Send a 2D drawing or reference images with dimensions and a description of the intended result. We can develop 2D drawings into a 3D model and discuss the form before fabrication.
Are scale samples free?
We make scale samples on request and normally charge for them. Include the sample requirement in your inquiry so we can discuss it alongside the sculpture. Finish samples are also available on request and are approved before production.
What if I have not decided how the sculpture will be installed?
Tell us the location and what is known about the foundation and local team. We can discuss guidance or on-site installation, then plan the sections and their connections around the agreed approach.
Send us your sculpture brief
Explore our custom sculpture fabrication process and mirror stainless steel work, then send your project inquiry. Include the design, dimensi, destination and the decisions you want to work through with us.
Related guides
Modern Art Sculpture is a brand of Xiamen Meibile Import And Export Co., Ltd. We fabricate in our own workshops for stainless steel, fiberglass and resin.