Seeing yourself or someone you love in 3D

Recently I have been asked to create several images of people in 3D from photos supplied by the client. This can be harder than a normal commission because the client often expects for the piece to look exactly like them. I must say that this is rarely the case. While like all my work, I try to make the character as lifelike as possible and as close to what the client wishes as I can, there will always be a spark that simply cannot be added through a computer program.

If you have seen the movie Beowulf, you can see how well 3D can capture a likeness of someone. However, knowing that Grendel's mother was played by Angelina Jolie and seeing her figure in the movie, you know that something is amiss. Clearly, this is a replica, and not the real actress. This is something that you must accept when working with 3D.

If you are looking for a commission based on the likeness of yourself or a loved one, please keep this in mind. Expecting an exact replica down to the finest detail is beyond the means of any computer.

Perhaps one day there will be programs that can exactly duplicate us, but I for one am not sure that I want to see that day. I'm quite happy with the differences.

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That being said, I will accept commissions based on photographs of individuals. These must be self-portraits, couples, families, etc. I will NOT accept commissions of celebrities, nor will I accept commissions where I cannot determine the nature of the photos with regard to relationship to the client. Please do not contact me asking whether I can create an image of the girl next door. I will also refuse any commissions that may be questionable in content depending on the age of the subject.

Because of the nature of these commissions and the extra time spent to match photos to the 3D piece, they costs are sometimes higher. Close-ups where the character must be spot on will cost a bit more than those where the figure is further away, turned away from the camera, etc. Normal pricing still applies with regard to size and content, but please expect a difference of $20-$50 more depending upon the commission. Down-payments will be required as always according to the total of the final estimate.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.