how long does a 3d commission take?
a single prop can be done in a day. a rigged, animated character with a texture set and a showcase render is weeks. the gap between those is not talent, it is the number of separate crafts the piece touches and how many times it has to go back and forth with you.
what actually sets the schedule
- crafts touched. modelling alone is fast. modelling, uv, texturing, rigging, animation and vfx are six passes, some by different people, in order.
- style lane. a stud-style prop is hours. the same prop realistic is a high-poly sculpt, a retopology, a bake and a pbr pass.
- feedback rounds. every round of notes is a day at least. clear references and a decision-maker who answers the same day are worth more than any tool.
- how well the brief is written. a piece briefed with budgets and references goes straight to blockout. a piece briefed as "cool sword" goes to a concept round first.
where the days go
| stage | what happens |
|---|---|
| brief and plan | the scope, the budgets and the date are agreed. at bevel this comes back within a day of the brief. |
| blockout | the rough shape in engine scale. the cheapest point to change anything; this is where you say "bigger". |
| model and uv | the real geometry to budget, and its unwrap. the longest single stretch on most pieces. |
| texture | flat colours are hours. a baked pbr set from a sculpt is days. |
| rig and animate | only for characters and anything that moves. a set of idle, walk and attack clips is its own week. |
| in-engine check | imported, collided, lit, tested on a phone. the piece is not done until it has been here. |
typical ranges
these are the bands bevel plans against, brief to delivered, with a client who answers within a day. they widen with every extra round and every extra craft.
| piece | a working range |
|---|---|
| single prop or tool | 1 to 3 days |
| prop pack of five | 3 to 7 days |
| detailed weapon, realistic | 3 to 6 days |
| r15 character, rigged | 1 to 3 weeks |
| character with animation set | 2 to 5 weeks |
| modular environment kit | 2 to 4 weeks, then dressing |
a date versus a hope
a delivery date with nothing between now and it is a hope. a date with milestones, each one a thing you can look at, is a schedule: blockout on tuesday, textured by friday, in engine the week after. every bevel brief runs on milestones with a live tracker, so slipping shows up on the day it happens, not at the deadline.