Q: I am a company, can I commission something ?
A: Yes, just send an email to contact@arborealkey.com, and I’ll get back to you with a quote.
Q: I am a private person, can I commission something ?
A: Maybe. Please send an email to contact@arborealkey.com with a description of what you’d like and an estimated budget, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Q: Can I commission you to build a costume and wear it at events to promote my game or product ?
A: Yes, but as you can imagine I will charge for both the costume and the animation.
Q: Can I order a prop or a costume for my short movie project ?
A: Of course !
Q: Can I request an original design or a custom version of a character ?
A: Yes. However, I won’t design something if I am not building it as well, I am a costume maker, not a concept artist.
Q: Do you ship to … ?
A: I live in France, and mostly work for foreigners, so I ship worldwide. When sending a commission request, please specify your country of residence so I can give you an estimate of the shipping cost (and send you the price range in the right currency…)
Q: Do you have a pricing sheet ?
A: No, I get very different requests, so I cannot have one. If you send me a request, I will give you a price range and if you are still interested I will send you a detailed quote.
Q: Do you do rush orders ?
A: Please try to avoid ordering something mere weeks before your deadline, it would be better to contact me a few months in advance if you want your project to be created in the best conditions.
However, in certain situations, I might accept projects with a close deadline, but:
- It automatically multiplies my hour rate by 2
- Some deadlines will be impossible for me to meet, for one or several of the following reasons:
- I have to order specific materials from the other side of the world and they won’t arrive in time
- The shipping time
- I work alone and cannot be fast enough
In any case, please try to avoid close deadlines.
Q: What kind of props/costumes can I ask for ?
A: I do not accept commissions for:
- Historically accurate costumes (it requires knowledge I do not have)
- Metal armor and/or props, with the exception of armatures (wing frame, sword core…) and relatively small cast pieces (buttons, ornaments…)
- Fursuits (it is very specific, some artists specialize in this kind of costume)
When in doubt, ask, I will tell you whether I can build something or not.
Q: Why can a request be rejected ?
Given how many messages I receive, I have to refuse some orders. The main reasons (from the most likely to the least) are:
- Insufficient budget
- It is something I have already made and it would not bring anything new
- It is beyond my competence
In some particular cases, I will have to refuse something when it requires me to work directly on the model or a body cast and I do not have access to them.
Q: Are your 3D models and patterns for sale ?
A: Some of them are ! You can find them in my shop.
Q: Can you teach me how to make costumes and props ?
A: Unfortunately no, but you can check my YouTube channel for some behind-the-scenes videos and tutorials.