KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11— What if a picture just isn’t enough, and simply looking at a two-dimensional image just cannot capture the depth of the feeling in your heart?

For those instances, there are now services that will let you print out three dimensional (3D) figures of your loved ones, your pets, or even yourselves (hey, no judgement here) to admire for posterity.

It also won’t only be a plain statue, as these companies will also painstakingly paint it to resemble a miniature representation of whatever it is that moved you to spend between RM300 and RM400 that it will typically cost for one of these miniatures.

If this totally not creepy and up your alley, then read on as Malay Mail explains the key steps to getting one of these statues.

What is a 3D statue?

Essentially, it is a figurine "printed” using 3D printing. As the term suggests, 3D printing is fundamentally the same as a normal printer, but rather than printing with ink on paper, a 3D printer uses materials like plastic, metal, or resin to build up layers and form a solid, three-dimensional object.

The printer uses a 3D model as a basis, which is typically digitally sculpted from photos you provide using software such as Zbrush.

Once the initial model is made, you are sent a preview to appraise for accuracy and quality.

If you are happy with it and approve the model, then it is fed to the 3D printer to begin the process.

The bare miniature is then sanded to ensure a smooth finish, before being hand-painted with acrylic paint and sealed for durability.

Typically, it will take about two weeks to complete each statue that can range from 14cm to 25cm.

Where can I get one?

JunSeoyeon Group Sdn Bhd is one such company that specialises in crafting 3D mini statues.

Their core products include mini statues of people in golf attire, business suits, and pets.

Their company was originally based in Korea, but it expanded to Malaysia in 2022.

Another is Bobby Arts, which touts that their statues use high-grade ABS plastic imported from Japan and finished with Spanish Vallejo paint.

They emphasise that these materials are highly durable and non-toxic.

What can kind of statues can I get?

According to Jun Yong Ho, 33, manager of JunSeoyeon Group, most orders are for people or pets, but you can get just about anything that can be modelled in 3D.

"The rarest things we’ve made? Parrots, hedgehogs, corporate mascots, and even bed models,” Jun said.

Jun said orders have typically come from younger clients, who are primarily sports enthusiasts and pet lovers.

However, he said clients also included those who just want unique and personalised gifts.

Wait, is this really a thing?

Jun said 3D figure-making has been a trend in Korea for several years, and is starting to pick up here in Malaysia.

His company was originally from Korea, and expanded here in 2022.

As most of the buyers were from Korea, JunSeoyeon didn’t start marketing locally until earlier this year.