You have a character you have played for months. You know their face, their armour, the ridiculous hat. What you do not have is a 3D modelling program, an STL file, or the patience to learn either one. Good news: you do not need any of that. A single photo – of character art you commissioned, an old sketch, a reference image you assembled, or even a clear written description – is enough to get a real, printed miniature of that character in your hands. Here is how it works and how to give the artist the best possible start.
The short version
You send a reference: a picture or a description of your character. A 3D likeness is built from it – the starting sculpt is AI-assisted to capture the pose and proportions quickly, and then a real artist reviews and finishes it by hand so it reads like your character rather than a melted approximation. You approve a 3D preview before anything is printed. Then it is printed in full colour in Quebec and shipped to you. No file, no software, no sculpting skill required.
What you can send as a reference
The process is flexible about what it starts from. Any of these works:
- Commissioned character art. The single best reference – it already shows the face, outfit, and colours the way you picture them.
- A sketch or doodle. Even a rough drawing communicates the silhouette, the weapon, and the vibe.
- A screenshot from a character builder. If you posed the character in an online builder, a clean screenshot from the front works well.
- A written description. No picture at all? A clear paragraph – race, class, build, hair, armour, weapon, pose – gives the artist plenty to work with.
- A mood board. A few images pulled together for the armour style, the colour palette, and the pose can be combined into one direction.
The key rule for a custom mini: it has to be your original character. The from-photo process is built for the hero you invented, not for copying someone else’s protected design.
What makes a strong reference
The clearer your reference, the closer the first preview will land. A few things help a lot:
| Reference detail | What to make clear |
|---|---|
| The face | A front view where features are visible; this drives the likeness |
| The pose | Standing ready, mid-cast, weapon drawn – pick the pose you want frozen |
| The outfit | Armour style, cloak, hood up or down, any signature piece of gear |
| The colours | Coat, hair, armour, cloak – name them if the picture is ambiguous |
| The details that matter | The eyepatch, the lute, the holy symbol – call out anything essential |
You can send up to four images, and pictures of at least 1000 by 1000 pixels give the most detail. If some of it lives only in your head, write it down in a note with the order – the artist would much rather have your words than guess.
Step by step
- Gather your reference. Pick your best single image or write a clear description. Add a couple of supporting images if you have them – a side angle, a colour note.
- Choose a size. Tabletop play means 28-32 mm scale (about 4 cm); a shelf display piece can go larger. Our figurine size guide maps the sizes to how you will use them.
- Submit and describe. Send the reference through the custom mini from a photo flow, adding notes for anything the picture does not show.
- Review your 3D preview. You see a preview of the sculpt and can ask for adjustments while it is still on screen – a taller stance, a different weapon, a fixed detail.
- Approve, print, ship. Once it looks right, it is printed in full colour and shipped from Quebec. Need it for a session this week? A rush option adds 50% for a 24-48 hour turnaround.
Photo path vs building an STL yourself
There are two honest ways to get a custom mini, and which is better depends on you. If you enjoy posing a model yourself in an online character builder, exporting an STL and sending that file is a great path. If you would rather not spend an evening in 3D software – or your character only exists as art and a backstory – the from-photo path skips the file entirely. Many players find the photo route simpler precisely because they never wanted to touch modelling software; they just want the character that already lives in their campaign notes.
What you can change on the preview
The 3D preview is the moment to be picky, because changes are easy while the model is still on screen and much harder once it is printed. The adjustments people most often ask for: making the stance taller or more dynamic, swapping a weapon for the right one, fixing a hairstyle or beard, adjusting the armour, correcting a colour, or turning the head to a better angle. If a detail defines the character – the scar, the holy symbol, the raven on the shoulder – flag it now and check it is right. A good habit is to put the preview and your reference side by side and look at the face first, then the silhouette, then the signature details. Approving the preview is your sign-off that it looks like your character, so it is worth taking a moment with it rather than rushing the click.
Is the mini really “made by AI”?
Not in the way that phrase usually implies. AI speeds up the starting sculpt so the turnaround stays reasonable and the price stays fair, but a human artist finishes every model – checking the likeness, cleaning the details, and making sure it looks like the character you described. It is AI-assisted and artist-finished, which is a different thing from a model that pops out of a machine untouched. And your reference photos are used only to create your figurine; they are deleted after the order is fulfilled and never used to train AI models.
Ready to see your character on the table?
You do not need a file, a scanner, or any modelling skill – just the clearest reference you have and a few notes about what matters. Browse how the wider process fits together on our tabletop gaming hub, then start your own on the custom D&D miniature service when you are ready.
FAQ
Can you make a D&D miniature from just a photo?
Yes. A photo, a piece of character art, a sketch, or even a written description is enough. A 3D likeness is built from it – AI-assisted for the starting sculpt, then finished by a real artist – and you approve a preview before it is printed.
What if I do not have any picture at all?
A clear written description works. Tell the artist the race, class, build, hair, armour, weapon, and pose, and they build from that. Words the picture cannot show are always worth adding as a note.
Does it have to be my own character?
Yes. The custom process is for your original character. It is not for copying someone else’s protected or trademarked design.
Will it actually look like my character?
The clearer your reference, the closer it lands – and you approve a 3D preview before printing, so you can request changes to the face, pose, weapon, or colours while it is still on screen.
How big will it be, and how long does it take?
Choose 28-32 mm (about 4 cm) for tabletop play or a larger size for display. Standard production is a few days plus Canadian shipping; a rush option adds 50% for a 24-48 hour turnaround if you are on a deadline.
What happens to my reference photos?
They are used only to create your figurine, deleted after your order is fulfilled, and never used to train AI models.
