This is
a creative business in which you can turn your spare
time
into big money, and all you really need to get started is a
few
materials and your existing work shop. If you don't have a
workshop,
a corner of your basement or garage will give all the
space
you need.
You
could have paid $14,990 for a course and setup in this
business.
That's what one company has advertised in Entrepreneur
magazine.
Why would you want to pay such a high price when this
brief
report will show you virtually everything you will need to
know
WHAT ARE
3-D PHOTO FIGURES?
You may have seen them on display or sold
under different names
such as
photo sculptures, photo statues or self-standing
figurines,
but the principle is the same. Basically, they are
photographs
that have been cut and mounted onto an acrylic
background,
then fastened to a base. And, they sell like hot
cakes to
those who want something unique and different
-especially
when it is a likeness of themselves, a relative,
their
home, or favorite pet.
INVESTMENT
NEEDED
If
you'll be starting from scratch, your total investment
should
not exceed $200... and it should be considerably less if
you
already have a home workshop in your basement.
EQUIPMENT
NEEDED
These
are the basic tools you'll need:
Variable
speed scroll saw
Belt
sander (or sand paper)
Drill
& drill bits
Scissors
Goggles
Spray
adhesive
Hand
Vacuum
Work
table ( or picnic bench)
HOW MUCH
MONEY CAN YOU MAKE?
If you
have just a few spare hours available each week, you
should
be able to make a nice part time income, a few hundred
dollars
or more once you get rolling in this business. Here's a
breakdown
of approximate costs and selling prices for the
various
size photo figures:
Approximate Cost Approximate
Size Cost to Make Selling Price
-----------------------------------------------
3X5 $1.40 $10.00
5x7 $1.90 $14 to $18
8x10 $3.95 $20 to $25
16x20 $5.00 $30 to $35
Now,
figure in your labor and the time necessary to make such
figure
which will be about 15 minutes when you complete a few
practices
jobs and become accustomed to working with this
material.
Using
the largest size as an example, if you had an assignment
for jut
4 figures and you completed each in 15 minutes, this
gives
you a gross of $120 FOR an hour's work. Now subtract your
production
cost of $5 each or $20 for the four figures, and you
still
come up with $100.
Naturally,
all jobs won't be for the larger size, but you could
(if you
really wanted to) specialize, only in the size to make
the
biggest net profits. You might do better, however, if you
will
provide all sizes to attract the most customers.
PRACTICE
MAKES PERFECT - AND PROFITS
Although this is relatively easy work, a
certain amount of
practice
will be needed to become proficient. Just how much
practice
you will need depends on how skillful you are in
working
with your handS. If you already have a workshop in which
you have
done creative work, you will probably master 3-D
Figures
in just a few minutes after getting a "feel" for the
acrylic
materials. Otherwise, it might take an hour or two
before
you begin feeling comfortable at this job.
HOW AND
WHERE TO BUY YOUR ACRYLICS
Check
your local Yellow Pages under Plastics. Acrylic is
generally
sold in 4x8 foot sheets, such as wall paneling, but
ask if
they will cut yours into smaller 2 x 4 foot sizes, which
will
make the material easier to handle when you begin cutting
and
gluing.
Be sure
to check several sources because prices can often vary
greatly
among suppliers. You shouldn't have to pay more than
$100 for
a 4 x 8 foot, quarter inch sheet. In fact, ask if they
have
scrap pieces available that you can buy. If so, this could
save you
a lot of money.
YOU'RE
NOW READY TO MAKE 3-D FIGURE
Make
sure your shop or working area is well lighted and
ventilated.
If you don't already have a scroll saw and have to
buy one,
select one with a fast speed because the faster the
speed,
the smoother the cut. Always use a sharp blade in your
saw - a fine blade for cutting small details, a
wider blade for
larger
area cuts. CAUTION: If the blade isn't sharp, it tends to
melt the
acrylic.
Take one
of your practice photos and begin cutting out the
primary
subject for your figure. The primary subject is what you
want to
highlight, such as a head and shoulders figure of a
person,
an entire group of people, a car, house, pet, etc. All
background
areas will be eliminated.
DO NOT
cut close to the subject, but allow about an inch all
around
making sure your scissors are sharp right to the points.
The size
and shape of your acrylic backing will of course depend
on the
size of the subject. You'll want to pre-cut a section of
acrylic
that will accommodate your photo. A good adhesive for
this is
a photo mount spray glue, available at most photo
stores. Before
you glue the photo to the plastic, blow away any
remaining
dust or plastic chips from the surface or they will
show
through the picture.
To mount
your photo, first spray your acrylic, then lay one edge
of your
photo down and gradually bring it down to the other
edge.
You only have one shot at this step, so sure you're
practicing
on your own photos before attempting to work for
someone
else.
Keep
your glue away from fire and flame, and allow plenty of
ventilation
to protect yourself from fumes. You can use a rubber
roller
to smooth out the photo and eliminate air bubbles. The
glue
will dry completely in about 15 minutes.
Now
you're ready to make final cut around that border you had
originally
left on. Lay the picture down, face up, and begin
cutting...
moving the acrylic into blade. To make cuts in the
middle
of a photo, such as between arms and legs, drill a hole
where
you want to cut... then insert the blade in the drilled
hole and
cut out the portion you want removed.
NEXT,
INSTALL THE BASE
The base is what will make your figure stand
upright and it can
be
either a rectangle shape or cut free form - whichever will
make the
picture look best. Be sure to sand all edges before
gluing
the base. Super glue will probably be your best choice
for
this.
When
your figure is finished, examine it carefully to make sure
you have
made all the right cuts in the right places, that all
edges
have been sanded smooth, and that it stands straight on
the
base. Now, put the finished figure into a plastic bag for
protection,
or have small boxes ready.
At this
point it would be a good idea to have small labels
printed
with your name and address to put on the bottom (or
back) of
each figure. When someone picks it up, they will see
who made
it and this can produce a lot of extra business for you.
Don't be
afraid to experiment (on your own photos, of course) to
create
new and different ideas that will be saleable. For
example,
acrylic comes in a variety of colors, so you can
standardize
on black or white... or experiment with your color
for the
backing and another for the base; or, you might want to
arrange
your figures on layers of different size and color
backings.
Let your imagination guide you.
SETTING
UP YOUR BUSINESS
We've just covered the creative end of 3-D
photo figures, but
now we
must find an outlet for them, first establishing a
business.
You'll need official stationery for this, so decide
what you
will call your business, or just use your own name;
John's
3-D Figures or something like that. Any local quick print
shop can
print your name and address on letterheads and
envelopes,
and it would be a good idea to also include business
cards as
well as Statements and Order Forms.
MARKETING
YOUR CREATIONS
Check
your local photo shops to find out if they offer such a
product
to their customers. If not, you have virgin territory.
If they
do, see if you can beat the prices they pay and sell
for.
Show them a few of your samples and offer to work with them
on a
50/50 arrangement. You do all the work, they make sales to
their
own customers. If you have 5 or more shops working with
you this
way, the business should keep you pretty busy.
Of
course, if you would prefer not to share your profits, you
might
want to sell directly to the public. To do this, run small
ads in
your local newspapers, something like this:
YOUR
FAVORITE PHOTOS COME TO LIFE
Beautiful
Lifelike 3-D Figures. Skillfully crafted and mounted
on
durable, colorful acrylic. Show off your prize possessions or
those
you love on these free-standing 3-D Photo Figures. A
perfect
gift for Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas and other
holidays.
A cherished lifetime gift for as little as $9.95.
Phone
______ (Your name & address)
You can
enhance the above ad by including a small picture of one
of your
3-D photo figures, or several samples, to show what they
look
like for those who don't know.
SELL BY
MAIL
These 3-D Photo Figures make an ideal mail
order item, so your
might
want to establish your own mail order business. To do this
properly,
however, you should keep your ad small (to reduce the
cost)
and ask readers to write for information
To those
who write, send a friendly letter and circular/brochure
illustrating
your sample figures. Include an order form
including
your size and prices for the various figures.
Naturally,
you will have to ask potential customers to send you
the
photo they want mounted, with full assurance that it will be
beautifully
created into a 3-D Photo Figure that they will be
proud to
display or give as a gift.
Using
the pricing example on Page 1 of this report, you can
determine
the price for your customers based on your cost, size
of the
finished product, and the length of time it requires to
complete.
However
you decide to sell your creations, you can quickly build
this
into a very profitable part time (or fill time) business in
which
you can make $100 or more per hour. Even if you work only
10 hours
a week, $1000 weekly isn't to be scoffed at.
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