Questions, answered
If yours is not here, ask. It will probably end up on this page.
How long until I get it?
In stock, two business days. Made to order, five to ten business days before it ships, longer for large or hand-painted pieces. A 44-hour print takes 44 hours whoever is waiting.
Why do they not all look the same?
Because a person paints them. How far the pearl carries across a scale, exactly where the gold catches the light, it differs every time. Yours will look like the photographs without matching them precisely. That is rather the point.
The unpainted pieces are consistent, since nobody’s hand is involved past the printer.
Can I see the layer lines?
On some surfaces, yes. These are 3D printed and we do not pretend otherwise or photograph around it. On the painted pieces the finish and the sealer hide most of it; on the raw ones you can read the build if you go looking.
What is it made of?
PLA, a bioplastic fermented from plant starch rather than refined from petroleum. Corn, cassava or sugarcane depending on the batch.
Plant-based does not mean it composts. PLA needs an industrial composter at about 60 °C for weeks. In a green bin it will sit there looking smug and unchanged. It is a plastic made from plants, not a plastic that disappears, and that is the whole claim.
How do I look after it?
Indoors, out of direct sun, and never in a parked car in summer, PLA gives up around 60 °C. Dust with a soft dry brush rather than a cloth, which snags on detail. Painted pieces are sealed, so the finish will not lift under a fingertip.
Is it safe for kids?
They are display pieces, not toys. Nothing here has been tested to toy safety standards and nothing is intended for children under three. Some pieces have thin or pointed parts.
What is a blank?
The bare print, unpainted, unsealed, in whatever colour the filament happened to be. For people who would rather do the painting themselves, and for people who prefer the sculpt without a scheme on top of it. It arrives ready to prime.
Blanks cost less because nobody painted them. That is the entire difference.
What do the numbers mean?
Every design gets one. The number belongs to the creature rather than the paint, so the same piece in two finishes is still the same number.
A number names one design and is never given to another. We print that design for as long as we are making it. When we retire it we say so, and it does not come back.
Can you make me something custom?
Sometimes. Ask. If it is interesting we will probably say yes, and if we cannot do it properly we will say that instead of taking your money and hoping.
Can I pick it up instead of paying postage?
Yes, and for the large pieces we would prefer it. Choose pickup at checkout. Where we will be with a table is on the Find us page.
Do you ship overseas?
Not yet. Freight on something large and light costs more than people expect and we would rather not surprise you with it. Tell us where you are, enough requests from one place and we will work it out.
Do you sell the files?
Not yet, but it is coming. Ask if you want to know when.