Figure sculpture
Figure sculpture, from portrait bust to full-scale group.
- Shanghai Xionglan Culture Communication Co., Ltd. (brand: Xionglan Art)
- Shanghai-based workshop · delivery in 67 Chinese cities
- 10 capability groups / 102 individual techniques · design, fabrication and installation in-house
- Phone +86 156 0163 6249 · Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00 (CST)
Figure work is the most demanding branch of sculpture: anatomy, gesture and likeness have to survive every change of scale and material. We model in clay or digitally, agree the form, then translate it into the final material.
Commissioned work in figure sculpture normally runs from 6 to 30 m², with 11–24 working days in production from approved drawings. The reference range for this technique is CNY 0+ per m², quoted itemised. It sits within our Sculpture Fabrication capability, alongside 13 related techniques, and the 4-point deliverable below is what a commission includes as standard.
When figure sculpture is the right answer - and when it is not
Figure sculpture is chosen where a space needs a human presence - a specific person, a character, or an anonymous figure that gives a place its scale and its story. It suits memorials, civic spaces, cultural projects and themed environments. It demands accurate proportions and a convincing likeness where a likeness is required, which is where the cost concentrates, and it is the wrong medium for purely abstract spatial gestures.
How the work is actually carried out
Where the figure is a specific person, the reference material is gathered first - photographs from multiple angles, measurements and, where possible, a life cast or a sitting. The figure is modelled at scale, typically in clay, and reviewed as a physical maquette rather than only as images, because proportion reads differently in three dimensions. It is then scanned or moulded for casting or production in the chosen material. The pose, stance and the way the figure meets its base are resolved as part of the design rather than treated as an afterthought.
Typical applications
Typical specifications
| Process | Clay or digital modelling, then enlargement and casting |
|---|---|
| Scale | From life-size busts to 2-3x life-size figures |
| Materials | Bronze, resin, GRC, stainless, stone |
| Lead time | 6-16 weeks depending on scale and material |
| Capability | Sculpture Fabrication |
| Reference range | CNY 0+ per m² |
| Techniques in this capability | 14 |
| Coverage | Shanghai base, nationwide delivery, overseas projects on request |
Reference price bands for Figure sculpture
Indicative only, based on the scope normally quoted for figure sculpture. A firm price follows a site survey and an itemised quotation split into material, labour, finishing, packing and freight.
| Pricing basis | Priced per piece or per project rather than per square metre |
|---|---|
| Reference range | CNY 0+ per m² |
| How we quote | Itemised: material, labour, finishing, packing and freight shown as separate lines |
Build tiers for figure sculpture
Figure sculpture is not one product at one size: the table below is the same scope ladder we quote on, so you can see where your project sits before asking for a price.
| Build tier | Typical area | Production days | What changes at this tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 6–30 m² | 40–80 | Up to 30 m², one substrate and one access setup, 40–80 days in the workshop. |
| Tier 2 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 3 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 4 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 5 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 6 | 6–30 m² | 25–45 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 25–45 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 7 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6 m² and above, multiple substrate types and phased access, 3–8 days with a join and numbering plan. |
What we deliver
- Concept sketches and a scaled maquette for sign-off
- Structural calculation and internal armature where required
- Fabrication, welding, surface finishing and protective coating
- Delivery, on-site assembly and foundation coordination
Faults we see most often in figure sculpture
Each of these is a field failure rather than a workshop one, and each is cheaper to prevent at enquiry stage than to correct after installation.
- Working from a small number of photographs, which produces a figure that is recognisable from one angle and wrong from all others.
- Approving a likeness from photographs of the model rather than from the physical maquette under the intended viewing conditions.
- Treating the base as separate, so the figure floats or sits ill on its plinth instead of standing on it.
What to settle before an overseas project starts
| Reference material | Send as many angles and dates as exist, and tell us whether a sitting or life cast is possible. Likeness quality starts here. |
|---|---|
| Scale and siting | Tell us the finished height and where it will be seen from. A figure scaled correctly for a plaza is wrong in a room. |
| Material and permanence | Bronze, resin, stone and cement each suit different settings and lifetimes. Tell us the intent and we will advise candidly. |
Working with us from overseas
Enquiry to installation, one point of contact. Export packing, shipping, commercial terms and quality control →
Design intent and what drives the cost
| Technique | Figure sculpture |
|---|---|
| Positioning | Figure sculpture, from portrait bust to full-scale group. |
| Floor area normally quoted | 6–30 m² per commission |
| Typical production window | 11–24 working days from approved drawings |
| Main cost drivers | Area and repetition; substrate preparation; detail and modelling time; surface finish; access and working hours |
| What we quote separately | Material, labour, finishing, packing, freight and site measures - each as its own line |
Representative work
Sculpture Fabrication projects photographed on completion.
Sculpture Fabrication — Cast bronze sculpture
Sculpture Fabrication — Mirror-polished stainless sculpture
Sculpture Fabrication — Animal & mascot sculpture
Sculpture Fabrication — Stone sculptureCommon questions
Can you work from photographs only?
How is the enlarged figure kept accurate?
How long does a large sculpture take end to end?
Discuss figure sculpture
Send photographs, drawings or a 3D file with approximate dimensions. You will get a technique recommendation, a reference price band and a production schedule.
Other techniques in this capability
- Mirror-polished stainless sculpture
- Brushed stainless sculpture
- Coloured stainless sculpture
- Perforated stainless sculpture
- Cast bronze sculpture
- Forged copper sculpture
- Stone sculpture
- FRP & resin sculpture
- Cement / GRC sculpture
- Animal & mascot sculpture
- Abstract sculpture
- Landmark sculpture
- Garden & landscape sculpture