Making licensed characters: what brands and malls should prepare
Mickey, Toothless, Minions and Jurassic World all have one thing in common: someone else owns them. Here is how to get a licensed character built without delays.
Character sculptures pull crowds because people already love the character. That is also what makes them demanding: fans notice when an ear is the wrong shape or an eye is the wrong colour, and so does the licence holder.
Start with permission
Before we sculpt a licensed character, the client needs the right to use it for the campaign: usually through the studio, the distributor or an official licensing agent. For film promotions such as How to Train Your Dragon or Jurassic World Rebirth, this normally comes with the release campaign.
[Add the documents Mono X Sculp asks for, e.g. licence letter or approval email from the rights holder.]
Send the character guide
Most licensed characters come with a style guide: turnarounds, colour references and rules about poses. The more of it we have, the closer the first model will be.
- Official turnarounds (front, side, back)
- Colour references or Pantone codes
- Approved poses and expressions
- Any logos or campaign artwork that sits on the base
Build in approval time
Licence holders often want to see the model, and sometimes the painted piece, before it goes on show. We share 3D screenshots early so approvals can run alongside production rather than holding it up.
Think about the whole set
A character on its own is a statue. Put it on a moss-and-rock base, add campaign signage and leave room for a photo spot, and it becomes the reason people stop. We plan the base and surroundings together with the character.
Planning a character activation? Send us the character, the venue and the campaign date and we’ll tell you what’s possible.
Reach out today
Ready to Design Together?
Send a sketch, a photo or a brief. We’ll come back with a size, a timeline and a quote.