Hiya! I’m Samantha, Garage Kit Builder & Illustrator in the USA.
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Read First
If you are interested in having a garage kit painted by me,
here is some useful info for signing up for a future slot.
Please read my terms below before filling out the kit info form and email sign up form.
Step 1) Please read my terms on this page before moving on.
Step 2) Fill out my GK Form, this gives me all the info needed to give you
as most accurate info as possible before signing up for notifications.
Step 3) I will email you back and give you my analysis.
Step 4 ) If my analysis sounds good to you and want to sign up for notifications,
I will send you a Test Email in which you reply back to. This email will have all
the information how slots work for highly interested customers.
Ready to Sign up?
If my terms and conditions work with you and would like to still sign up for slot notifications, please click the link below to fill out a form detailing about the kit(s) you want painted. If you are inquiring about multiple kits, be sure to give the same detailed descriptions per model.
Pricing & Refund Policies
What is your prefered scales to work on? I work on some SD scales as well as up to 1/8 scales but please inquire first. I do work on Warhammer miniatures, but this is still an experimental hobby.
What Ballpark Pricing Includes: Consulting, deposit, cleaning, prep work, pinning / magnetising the kit, filling holes and dents, priming for errors, sanding and refining more, final prime, painting, sealing, estimated gas funds, electrical use, purchasing supplies, additional modifications / subtractions and so on.
What Ballpark Pricing does not Include: Purchasing a kit, you are required to buy the kit and is not included in the ball park total. Customizations and custom base designs are a seperate charge. Shipping is also a separate charge.
This rule is effective until further notice, I do not do refunds anymore for new clients unless under certain circumstances.
How does pricing work? Price varies on many factors: scale (size) of the kit, piece count, complications with the resin cast, wanting modifications / additions to the design, complexity of the kit, any customizations you want done to it, adding a custom base, etc. Keep in mind labor, electrical use, travel for supplies and ordering stuff is also taking into account as well.
When would I get a final estimate? Once the kit in question arrives at my location, I will inspect the kit and give you my final quote and total along with a payment tracker to keep track of when you sent payments and how much you owe left. Keep in mind any time during the project phase you want additional modifications and or having to repaint a project in a large extent, I will have to charge extra.
Can you prep a kit for me and I paint it myself? Unfortunately I do not offer this option, sorry.
What is your bare minimum in painting a figure? For a straight to the point question, any commission will be between $280+ - $850+. SD Kits and up usually minimum price is $100 and up. Given it is a hand crafted service and takes several months to complete between other client works I have to do. It’s not just getting the kit and painting it, there is a lot of careful work needed to be done before painting even happens, and in the end, the figure is customized / painted to "your" specific wants and needs, not mass produced.
Payment Processes
Payment Preference:
Always require transactions and in USD only! Be sure to check you are sending USD. I accept Zelle for installment payments and Paypal for everything else. I take other payment methods such as Western Union but please discuss this with me first so we can figure things out together.
Deposit:
I require a deposit to cover a spot on my commissions list, consulting with you about the project as well as inspect and wash your kit of impurities. This helps the adhesion of primers and paints on the resins surface. The deposit is $100 and it's included in your ballpark as well. For example:
If your project total was $475USD (not including shipping)
the first 50% would be $237.50USD and the other 50% upon completion is $237.50
Your deposit for reserving your commission slot via email would be $100, once the deposit clears, you will owe $137.50USD (which is the remainder of the first 50% that is due before starting). You can send this along with your deposit if funds are feasible for you, if not you can wait to send it the next time you have funds available.
Then the remainder 50% is $237.50USD
Shipping TBD
If you would like to send a payment with the shipping included, we will discuss from there.
Sending Payments:
Please do not send advanced payment without my notice. If you would like to send an advanced payment even if your kit is not being worked on, notify me first and we will make arrangements.
Minimum Payments:
Minimum payments are $50 depending on the senario and project total. It is sometimes best to send larger amounts to avoid extra charges down the road. Ex: $100 usd. I will discuss with you what your minimum payment amount is based on your project or payment arrangements we discussed.
I don't have the remainder 50% payment available what do I do:
Don’t fret! If you can’t make a payment for me to work on the next step, I simply put the kit aside until you are ready to send your payment. There are no due dates for payments.
If your having issues please of course contact me and we can work something out =) Just bare in mind you will be pushed further down the commission list if I have to hold your kit, cause I do have other projects to complete.
Your process of payments:
I bill by the inital deposit of $100 (included in your ballpark) then the remainder 50% of the project total. Deposit amount depends on the project total, could be lower or higher. I wil inform you of this prior. After that when the kit is close to being complete, I require the remainder 50%. Then the shipment quote. Best to have your last 50% installment together with your shipping quote once received. I can also work with you on installment payments if your willing to try Zelle payment transfers or by other means. Please consult with me first on your senario and I can give you the best option.
Can I pay in full?
Yes you can. You are more than welcome to pay in full instead of paying the deposit and the remainder 50% of the total project cost before starting. Keep in mind if I have two slots filled including yours, and you opt to pay in full, this does not give you high priority, every kit is different and has it's own challenges, so I will take my pace so I can give you the best quality I can give.
Example Payment Tracker
What is a Payment Tracker? Why do I need it?
Pretty self explanatory but I'll break it down for ya. This form helps keep track of what payments I receive, how much left you owe on the project, what kit your paying for, shipping / contact info as well as any additional brief notes as explained in the (Notes) section of the tracker. Having this file is a lot easier to have compared to searching through paypals filters for what all payments have been sent or received. Plus I had many customers have family or spouces make payments / deposits through their own paypal accounts as well, so having this form helps me keep track of those addresses as well!
Obtaining a Kit
Send me photos of your kit and mention where you purchased the kit within the contact form. This insures to me that the kit is a clean cast / recast. I refuse to work on kits that are purchased from ebay unless it has proper documentation it could very well be an original or a recast from two well known stores. Those casts are horrible to work with. Their is only one Thai based store that has been approved in the gk community so far whom also have an ebay account as well as their official online store. I work with originals or recasts from supported sellers and HQ recasters. Some select few sculptors whom make original style characters, sometimes open mail orders. This means you can buy an original kit directly through them and avoid scalpers on the marketplace! Though, their are times a recast does pop up, I will not take a recast over a mail order original. Please order through the sculptors mail order service to support them directly in sales. When in doubt, contact me first!
Buying a kit or a kit is on pre-order:
Best places to buy / pre order kits is via the sculptors blog page which release mail orders to get original kits directly from the sculptor. If mail orders aren't available, licensed Gks can be found on asian market sites such as Yahoo Japan Auctions, Mandarake, Zen Market (Proxy) and so on. I also know of two online stores to purchase high quality casts if all hope is lost for an original. I will purchase them on my account which offers discounts. Or you are more then welcome to order yourself. If a kit is on pre-order, I will ask the store how many quotas are left to have it reproduced again, if the quota is low, most likely it won’t be casted for a very long time, if the quota is high, I suggest you pay for the kit in full so we can have a spot on that quota list. Once the kit is released, I will be notified and I will then let you know as well how the process is going in regards to the shipment of the kit to me and when I receive it. Once the kit arrives I can begin inspecting it and give you an updated ballpark qupte. If the kit is in stock, you send me a payment for the kit, I will order it and send you confirmation then wait for the kit to arrive at my location.
I want a piece made by you but not sure what to have commissioned:
Mention a few character names and what series they are from and I can search what kits are available. Pictures / myfigurecollection links are most helpful. If you want to spend the extra money in obtaining an original kit if available, I highly recommend a proxy named Zen Market or find another proxy. My bff Leonas Workshop made a review / tutorial on using Zen Market on her YouTube page. Go check it out! Sadly I am not very experienced ordering on foreign sites such as YJA so I cannot hunt for originals for you.
Have a character in mind but not sure if a kit is available:
Once I have the names, I will begin my search and send you a few links of some kits that are (in stock). If they are on pre-order it is unknown when they will be out of pre-order stage based on the current quota for it being casted. If you really want that kit and it is in pre-order, I can contact the store to see if they can give me more information in regards to how many quotas are needed to produce. You will need to pay in advance if I am ordering the kit for you and I be happy to purchase it on my account at a discount. Depending on which store I order from, keep in mind every store has a refund policy, some might give you cash back, a percentage back, or give only store credit.
Want to buy a kit but modify it to look like your original character:
Sadly I no longer offer this option given it is too costly of a modification to offer as well as not very committed clientel backing out of the project half way through. I do mod kits but it depends on the senario.
Sending a Kit
If you have the kit on hand:
I will provide my address in which or you to send the kit too. I do accept international clients as well, though keep in mind, shipping from your country to the USA can be very costly. The kit does not need to be in a very big box either, just be sure to wrap the parts in decent bubble wrap and to where it won't move around in the shipment container to avoid breakage. If it's an original kit, you don't need to send the documentation over or the original box, just take photos is all I need, just ship the kit as the method described above. I sometimes like to contribute this information to myfigurecollection entries to help others on my account, if you prefer to upload the photos / documentation yourself, please do!
If we need to order the kit:
I will be more than happy to order it on my accounts and have it shipped to me. Discounts are offered on my accounts and will be applied to your order as well. Once I receive the kit, I will message you for further instruction.
You can find original kits by searching on mandarake, yahoo japan auctions and so on, or whomever your proxy is =)
Having more than one kit painted or sent:
I do a large volume of returning customers wanting to get multiple kits painted, but given I need to have open spots for other new potential clients, I do 'hold / store' kits to be worked on in the future. But keep in mind my slot acceptances have changed. If you have a kit here or want to have a kit in storage here, this does not give you higher priority of getting a slot. Slots are still first come first serve email response bases.
Starting a Project
How long does it take to complete a kit?
Depends on many factors as explained at the beginning of this page. Also depends on my schedule. Typical completion ranges are 3-6 months depending on many factors with the kit, but please be aware to not take this time range by heart. Every kit is different and their can come a time where delays might happen between multiple projects or life events I cannot control. I also do not accept very time sensitive orders anymore, I understand everyone wants things now or 'soon', but this is a very delicate handcrafted service that is not mass produced. I am human and every kit I work on is very personalized and not slapped together.
The order in which I work on kits: Washing - Cutting excess resin off - dry fitting parts - pinning parts together - sanding - gap filling - sanding - test priming for more issues or holes in the resin - sanding - final priming - - dicussing colors and making color samples - painting - sealing - custom base building (optional) - completion & assembly - photography - editing photos - upload - packing & shipping.
Inspection is made, and a final ball park quote is given. Once we have that number in place, we can schedule when the 50% payment will be made, unless we make arrangements on installments. The $100 deposit covers me consulting with you on the project, inspecting the kit, washing the kit from impurities and excess resin. This deposit is included in the ball park total. Once the kit is complete, I will photograph the kit, edit the lighting in the photos and send you copies to overlook to make sure the figure is to your needs, keeping in mind I do have to or backdrop edit, etc. After the photo session, I will then make your shipment box. Once the box is made, I will custom cut shipping foam to fit each piece in place to insure nothing will break during shipment, or at least try to prevent this from happening. This is a premium feature I now offer and I have invested a lot into including with every project. Lastly, I will send you photos of the box, send you digital / video instructions on assembly and care. After that I will provide the shipment info before going to USPS to get a quote. Ship away!
Customizing
I do offer customizing options such as: alternate color themes aside from the official promo photos, custom bases to fit with the characters atmosphere or to your liking, adding / modifying poses of a kit or adding things to the kit it did not come with originally, subtracting things, adding lights (LEDs), or sound / music, etc. This option always results in an extra charge. The only thing that is not included in the ballpark is if it is a custom base design, that is a separate side charge and prices range on complexity and time. Having this as a side charge makes the numbers less confusing on the payment tracker and also helps to know what all supplies I need to purchase to make the mods / custom base.
Shipping
So the kit is done, whats next?
I will then send it to the post office to have it weighed and quoted and I will send this information back to you as the shipping quote. Though if you live within the USA, I have a pretty good idea in regards to shipping costs. So if you are ok with me requesting a specific amount to cover shipping costs, I will reimbuse whatever remains back to you. This saves time in waiting at the post office for a response from you as well as waste in gas, given where I live I am very far from specific stores. The buyer is responsible for all shipping costs, including kit returns.
How do you pack everything?
Once the kit is finished I will then pack the figure in my new premium packaging. This consists of custom cutting a foamboard shipping box. I have found that foamboard is a good semi impact resistant material and have had great luck with it compared to standard cardboard boxes. Since I am custom cutting it, it limits extra space that is unnecesarry in typical shipment boxes. Once the shipment box is made, I will custom cut shipping foam to fit each piece in place to insure nothing will break during shipment, or at least try to prevent this from happening. This is a premium feature I now offer and I have invested a lot into including with every project. So this premium shipment feature is also included in the ballpark.
Do you add insurance?
Yes I do upon request. with USPS, depending where the figure is going, it has included insurance sometimes up to $100. If you want more insurance converage, it is an additional charge based on USPS' price tier.
Do I get tracking?
Depending on the location of where the kit is going, it usually comes with tracking always. It also depends on how fast the package will go if it is going outside of the USA. For international clients specifically, you might have to pay for registered mail option to get that tracking number feature, unless you pay for more premium faster delivery, it should be included.
Again, it all depends where it is going.
So I have the kit, how do I care or assemble it?
Any figure I paint I always send a digital file for care instructions so that your figure stays in tip top shape!
When you receive your kit, if the kit is required to be in a few pieces for shipping safety or is required to be glued. You will be provided with video instructions on how to put it together as well if it is necesarry. It is just easier to follow video format than reading on paper. If you happen to have any issues assembling the figure for any reason, I be happy to use my special skype account to consult with you or speak with you again preferred your contact method to help assist you.
Satisfaction
It's more than just business:
My #1 goal is to make all my customers happy and having great service with personality. I like to meet new people and engage with them if my time and schedule allows, so don’t be afraid to strike a convo with me!
Their may be times where I can get severely busy and cannot talk, please do not be offended if I do not respond to your messages / emails, I do not mean to do it intensionally, I can just be very busy from time to time but I will always do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.
Not happy with how a piece looks during a progress stage:
Please do not be shy or think I will get mad if I have to redo something! It is okay! I only want to make you happy =) If you see something that doesn’t seem right to you, please let me know and I be happy to fix. Though if it’s completely repainting something all together, I have to strip the paint and everything which may result in a charge.
Depending on the issue, it may result in an additional charge to fix but again it depends what is wrong.
Received the kit and don’t like it:
Simply put, I cannot refund you if you received the kit and you are not happy. If there is a case you are not happy, you are more than welcome to have the kit sent back for fixing what you seem wrong with it. I simply cannot refund something I put many months of work into, all I can do is simply correct the mistake and send it back to you, obviously you have to cover the cost in shipping. Since I do provide premium packaging services, you can simply send the kit back in the original shipment container (if you remove or hide the original shipment labels) and send it that way, or send the piece in question back in a seperate smaller box. Just insure that it is wrapped well to prevent breakage during reshipment back to me. Though I never really had an unhappy customer, I just wanted to note this here so people are aware =).
Life Senarios
When it comes to life, we cannot control everything to make it perfect. No one lives a perfect life. With this being said, their are times where the unexpected happens and it can't be reversed. Since 2017 was this case in resulting in moving very suddenly to another state, loss of a job, looking for work, workshop being flooded in the basement MANY times...and lost a lot of supplies to work on GKs as well as collectibles, finally getting a job but commissions piled up and had to give it up, having to pull out most if not all my teeth for new ones, many family mambers passing away including my father...the list goes on and on. All of these things we can't help it and wish also they may not have happened.
My point is, I am not perfect, I try my best to keep every one of my clients / friends aware of what is going on with my life as well as regarding to any delays in commissions. I have my personal life as well as my art life. Please understand their might come a time where their are delays, whether it is related to physical health, mental health, family, life, other clientel order issues I need to carefully take time to problem solve and so on. If anything were to come up, I can relate people can get upset if I had to delay in working on your figure. But keep in mind you will get your figure in time, I only want to take the time to perfect it exactly how you want it to be. Sorry if this has gotten bit wordy, but I know this is a very scarce explanation of a hobby but what your getting is a work of art, please understand it will take time to do to your standards and delays could very well possibly happen depending on the senario. I will do my best to keep you informed if this ever does happen. Reminding me either every other day or every month about the delay will demotivate me and depress me more to not work on your kit or any other kits. If you are ever concerned about my life or anything in regards to my work, you can always keep tabs of me on my facebook fanpage, or if I have time to code, I will post a blog entry on my website.
Common Issues I Have Faced
Common senarios I faced:
'But the kit seem so easy, why is it so much money?' To simply put, you don't have to have a commission by me if its outside of your budget. I do not haggle prices. Unless the kit seems to be less challenging than expected from your original quote, I will inform you and give you that discount. Keep in mind even if a kit seems simple in your eyes, I am the one whom will be working on the kit. Everyone has different methods in building as well as what they feel comfortable in pricing projects. Some people pay by the hour, some people give flat rates, and others require a percentage upfront. Not to be rude, but please spare the explanation in telling me what to do in regards to working on a kit saying "it's simple and shouldn't be this much", or "it's this many pieces all you have to do is this or that", etc...again, I am the one doing the project for you ^_^;;; It is a big investment yes, but I also have to be honest about my pricing and how much every dollar counts. My pricings could increase overtime given demand too. Everyone prices things what they feel comfortable with. Again, I am literally predicting the future in regards to cost in supplies, premium shipping supplies, labor, bills for the house in using equipment (yes I do factor this), cost in gas to go to hobby shops, etc. If anything, pricing is the most hardest thing for me given some projects take several months to complete. Their are also times I can give discounts such as ordering a figure for you through a store if available.
Your taking too long, I want my money back!
Ok...first off, that's just downright rude...I have multiple commissions I work on a daily basis...I have to micro manage every client I have to stay up to date and they are patiently waiting for updates as well. Delays happen, period. They can be life senarios or delays in commissions due to a difficult client, or I need to redo something on a commission or two which can take weeks or months to do. Just because it's taking too long doesn't mean I'm taking peoples money or for whatever reason people might think. I am a very busy person, as much as I want to 'rush things' I don't want to rush for that will affect the overall product outcome looking like crap, which I don't want and I'm sure you don't want either. Building and painting such intricate figurines takes time and care, it's not just slapping paint and calling it done. So please, if you can't wait 3 months to a year depending on my schedule or delays, please do not bother signing up for a commission with me...I do my best to keep a majority of you updated with things so I can only ask to be patient, and again, I don't give refunds aside from the above statements further up this page...just remember in the end, you will always get your product in time.
Struggling with bills, need vacation money, etc etc etc:
To put this bluntly...if your struggling with finances, it's best not to commission someone for such an expensive item, or merchandise, period. Every artist has heard every excuse in the book so you have to understand in our perspective, when we accept your commission, we are dedicating our time to you. We understand this is an expensive hobby, but you should be more responsible on your finances, not us. We are not banks with loads of cash to just give back instantly...if you even bother to mention this, I am just going to point to this GK commission page and wonder if you read my terms and the form you signed why I don't do refunds. I can understand financial difficulties can happen at anytime, believe me, I have struggled it ever since I moved out at age 18 and it can't be controlled, but please be respectful. Also keep in mind I might decide not to accept commissions from you any longer due to fear of future financial difficulty excuses which I have l heard too many times before from the same clients I gave a second chance for. Trust me I have heard every excuss in the book.
Cannot pay remainder of commission due to financial struggles:
I simply put the kit aside for as long as you want until you can pay your 50% upon completion and or shipping fee. Their are no due dates of payments. So if you are victim to financial struggles, please understand I cannot refund money due to this, again like I said no refunds no matter the reason you provide, I can only offer to hold your project until you feel comfortable in restarting back up again.
A company released a pre-painted version of the kit were working on, can I get a refund?
Keep in mind how these words above sound like xD Once you commit to something like this, you can't back out of it just because a company is offering mass produced pre-painted versions that are cheaper after the fact we agreed to work on this project together. I cannot refund my time and effort I put into something. Hearing this common question is like a slap in the face for any artist giving you their time of day to consult with you and work on your project, yet you want it for cheaper and shows that you do not care of my time and effort I am giving to you to make a figure how you want it. Please understand where I am coming from. I have had too many potential clients do this to me and decided to no longer work with them in the future, so keep this heavily in mind.
Wanted a kit painted and the kit was purchased but no longer interested in having it painted:
The kit sent to me and you paid your deposit, unfortunately I can't reimbuse your deposit, given my new way of accepting commissions is 2 at a time, I am loosing work, given I gave you that commission spot before others. I can send your kit back and quote you the shipping fee when available, or the other option if you like the help is I can help sell the kit for you and give you that sale commission when received. This issue shouldn't come up given I will accept new commissions when time opens up. Just putting this here for reference.
If you are still on my waiting list, and your pre-order kit still has not been released yet: Keep in mind some stores have a strict refund policy where you only obtain store credit. If you wanted a refund in regards to something like this, the only other method would be to use the credit to purchase a different kit of equal value or less. In this instance if a kit has been paid in full (which I require when ordering kits on pre-order), we can order a different one on my discounted account.
If it was a kit you purchased yourself and had it sent to me, you will always get it back (obviously), but be wary that if the kit was worked on, you will get the kit back with those edits, but you are also responsible for the shipment back to you. The shipment cost will be determined once it's packaged and weighed via USPS, I compact ship it as much as possible if its upon request.