Virtual Tip Jar Customs and Commissions | Mantodea Market
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These commissions are for wall mount sculptures. I currently do not offer digital art commissions.



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Interested in a commission?

Fill out the form here to get a quote!


Interested in a custom?

Fill out the form here to get a quote!


Not looking to fill out a form?

No problem! Just message Al at [email protected] to get started!

Trout Gif


What's the difference between customs and commissions? 

My creature commissions are completely from scratch, while my creature customs are customized variants of select sculptures I've already made. Commissions need to be conceptulized, sculpted, and molded from scratch whereas the customs, for example, have already been sculpted and molded and only need to be casted and painted. Sculpting and molding is the most expensive and time consuming parts of the creature creation process and is what makes commissions much more expensive.

Commissions are also unique in that their sculpture/mold will only be used for the commissioner's piece and no one else can use it for their own customs. Commissions are created on the basis that it is the only sculpture of its kind to exist, unless the commissioner (and ONLY the commissioner) allows copies to be made at their discretion.

While customs can be customized to their fullest extent, multiple other pieces will share the same base design by default. In no way, however, does that make customs any less meaningful or full of worth!

 

What Are They Made Out Of?

Each custom or commission is casted with latex (mask latex specifically) and stuffed with expanding foam. Silicone castings are available upon request for commissions only but are subject to an increased quote. Plaques are made out of wood and wood stain, but specialized plaques made of other materials are welcome to make your piece more special.


Payment Options:

I prefer to use PayPal for invoices, but I can use Venmo as well. I will only send an invoice after we have confirmed via your preferred method of communication on a direction to take and a quote is agreed upon. A deposit is required for covering supplies. This deposit is non-refundable. You may pay the entire quote in full at any time up until the due date. The quote must be paid within a week of the piece’s completion or the piece will be forfeited. If you need an extension, please let me know before the due date. I will not ask for payment information until we both agree on a quote.


Commission and Custom Refund/Return/Repair Policy:

The shop offers a lifetime guarantee for unlimited repairs for all custom and commissioned pieces. All the customer needs to pay is the shipping to send it to us, then Mantodea Market will pay to send it back to you. We ask this of the customer as repairing is a service.

Mantodea Market’s policy does not allow custom or commissioned pieces to be refunded unless the shop is at fault for damages or address errors. During the creation process, the shop will be in constant communication to make sure the piece is exactly how you want it. For this reason, customs and commissions are not eligible for refunds due to lack of satisfaction. Mantodea Market is not responsible for incorrect addresses inputted by the customer.

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What Can I Commission?


I can do just about any creature, real or fictional, including your own original creature designs! The only full body sculptures I'll do are for fish, or anything else simple or traditionally hung/posed like real-life example wall mounts. Commissions are broken down into three sizes based on the piece size, not wall mount size: large, medium, and small. Each size category has different price values, but is broken down further below.



Overview: Base Prices + Shipping, if applicable

Large (6"+): $350 + shipping
$150 required, non-refundable deposit due upon quote agreement.
Remaining $200 (+add-ons/shipping) due before our agreed upon due date.


Medium (3-6"+): $200 + shipping
$100 required, non-refundable deposit due upon quote agreement.
Remaining $100 (+add-ons/shipping) due before our agreed upon due date.


Small (1-3"+): $100 + shipping
$50 required, non-refundable deposit due upon quote agreement.
Remaining $50 (+add-ons/shipping) due before our agreed upon due date.

These are ballpark prices based on average cost per piece in each category. Each piece is completely different and could be subject to lower or higher costs based on complexity, size, and add-ons.


Timeframe:
~4-6 weeks

Each commission is made entirely from scratch and takes about 1 month to fully complete. This involves waiting for materials to arrive, the sculpting process, the molding process, the casting process, the painting processes (creature, eyes, plaque, etc.), the mounting process, the curing processes, and the shipping period. To maximize efficiency, I can work on multiple facets of the piece at a time, but some parts of the process need to cure for a few days at a time before I can move on to the next step. Sometimes things also go wrong and I need to reorder supplies or start over during certain processes. 


General Price Breakdown


 

LARGE (6”+)

MEDIUM
(3-6”)

SMALL (1-3”)

SUPPLIES:

$150

$100

$50

TIME:

$200

$100

$50

ADD-ONS:

+$?

+$?

+$?

SHIPPING:

+$15-20

+$10-15

+$5-10

TOTAL:

$350 + shipping  

$200 + shipping  

$100 + shipping




Base Supplies - (Large: $150, Medium: $100, Small: $50):

This payment is a required deposit and goes exclusively towards supplies. If I have supplies already on hand needed for the commission, their value will be completely deducted from the quote and deposit. I will never quote over this amount for supplies unless requested add-ons are needed (see below). I do not make this money, they go directly towards the supplies.


Time and Expertise - (Large: $200, Medium: $100, Small: $50):

This is the money I actually make from the commission. Because the commission can take up to a month to make, I have to devote a lot of time towards it. I spend an average of 5 hours a day for about 15 days actively working on it, which is about $2.60 an hour for a large piece.

Add-Ons - +?:

This is dependent on additional accessories or decorations that will be added to the commission that could not be sculpted into it, or otherwise surrounding the piece. This can include fur/hair/flocking, extra horns, florals, jewelry, name plates, resin pieces, a requested plaque stain not currently offered, LEDs, etc. These prices are dependent on each add-on, if any, and will be added to the deposit.


Shipping (Large: +$15-20, Medium: +$10-15, Small: +$5-10):

Shipping is not added onto the quote price. If you will be picking up the piece in person, shipping can be disregarded. If you will need your piece shipped, you can expect an additional shipping charge that is dependent on your location. I do not make this money, it goes directly to the postal service.






Bug Dance Gif
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What are the current creature bases I can customize?

  • Mini Dragon
    • Perfect for Dungeons & Dragons campaigns as trophies
  • Bug
    • Ideal for all bug-lovers, highly customizable 
  • Unicorn
    • Based on Al's own interpretation of what a unicorn is, which is its own species that has horse and goat-like features.
    • This base can also be used for horse customs!
  • Griffin
    • Another mythical creature based on Al's own interpretation, with eagle and lion features.
  • Baphomet
  • This base can also be used for goats and sheep!

Overview - Base of $85 + Shipping, if applicable

$30 required, non-refundable deposit due upon quote agreement.
Remaining $55 (+add-ons/shipping) due before our agreed upon due date.


Timeframe:
~1-2 weeks

Unlike commissions, customs take a lot faster to make. This is because the creatures are already sculpted and molded, which take the most time, energy, and money in the process besides painting. Each custom is made entirely from scratch from a sculpture and mold that was made beforehand. The 1-2 period involves waiting for materials to arrive if needed, the casting process, the painting processes (creature, eyes, plaque, etc.), the mounting process, the curing processes, and the shipping period. To maximize efficiency, I can work on multiple facets of the piece at a time, but some parts of the process need to cure for a few days at a time before I can move on to the next step. Sometimes things also go wrong and I need to reorder supplies or start over during certain processes.

 

General Price Breakdown

Base Supplies - $30:

This payment is a required deposit and goes exclusively towards supplies. If I have supplies already on hand needed for the commission, their value will be completely deducted from the quote and deposit. I will never quote over this amount for supplies unless requested add-ons are needed (see below). I do not make this money, they go directly towards the supplies. This price is a lot less compared to a commission because the creature has already been through the most expensive process, which is being sculpted and molded.


Time and Expertise - $55:

This is the money I actually make from the commission. This price is based on experience and knowledge and for the time spent on the piece. Making add-ons and other features that weren’t pre-sculpted into the piece can be time consuming. This price is a lot less than if it were a commission because the most time consuming part of the process has already been completed.

Add-Ons - +?:

This is dependent on additional accessories or decorations that will be added to the commission that could not be sculpted into it, or otherwise surrounding the piece. This can include fur/hair/flocking, extra horns, teeth, florals, jewelry, name plates, resin pieces, a requested plaque stain not currently offered, LEDs, etc. These prices are dependent on each add-on, if any, and will be added to the deposit.


Shipping +$8-$12:

Shipping is not added onto the quote price. If you will be picking up the piece in person, shipping can be disregarded. If you will need your piece shipped, you can expect an additional shipping charge that is dependent on your location. I do not make this money, it goes directly to the postal service.