STATUES.COM KNOWLEDGE CENTER • PROJECT PLANNING
10 Questions to Ask Before Commissioning a Custom Statue
A practical checklist for planning a sculpture with clarity—from its purpose and location to materials, approvals, timing and budget.
START WITH THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
A successful statue begins before sculpting starts.
Whether you are commissioning a memorial, public monument, portrait bust, religious sculpture or institutional installation, early decisions shape the final result. This guide helps you prepare for an informed conversation with a sculpture team.
For a complete overview of every stage, see our 26-step guide to commissioning a custom statue.
THE PRE-COMMISSIONING CHECKLIST
Ten decisions worth getting right
Use these questions to build a clearer brief, compare proposals and prepare for the design process.
What Is the Purpose of the Statue?
Define what the sculpture should communicate before choosing its material or size.
Real project reference
The six-foot Rod Serling bronze monument in Binghamton shows how a statue’s purpose can shape its design. The figure stands within a doorway inspired by The Twilight Zone, connecting Serling’s recognizable portrait to his creative legacy and the public setting of Recreation Park.
Explore the Rod Serling statue project ↗Questions to ask
- Who or what is being honored?
- Who will experience the work?
- What should viewers remember?
Where Will the Statue Be Installed?
The site shapes materials, visibility, engineering, access and long-term care.
Site decision
Confirm whether the location is indoor or outdoor, who controls the property, and whether permits, accessibility, utilities or site preparation could affect placement. Share site photos and measurements with your sculpture team before finalizing the design.
Questions to ask
- Will it be indoors or outdoors?
- Is the site publicly accessible?
- Are there access, permit or foundation requirements?
What Size Best Serves the Project?
Choose scale in relation to the setting, audience and intended viewing distance.
Scale decision
Start with the viewing distance and the space around the sculpture, not an arbitrary height. A portrait bust may work well in an intimate interior; a public monument may require a larger figure and a carefully proportioned base to read clearly from farther away.
Questions to ask
- What are the site dimensions?
- How close will visitors stand?
- Would a bust, life-size or monumental work suit the purpose?
Which Material Is Best for the Project?
Bronze, stone, bonded marble and composites have different strengths, costs and maintenance requirements.
Material choice in practice
For a permanent outdoor monument, cast bronze may be worth evaluating for its durability, detail and established maintenance practices. For a project where low weight is important, fiberglass or another engineered composite may be a better candidate. Neither is automatically the best choice: compare site exposure, structural needs, desired finish, maintenance and total installed cost.
Questions to ask
- What environmental exposure is expected?
- What finish and level of detail are important?
- Who will maintain the sculpture over time?
What Reference Material Is Available?
Photographs, drawings, measurements and historical documentation help define accuracy and artistic direction.
Reference decision
Collect the clearest available images from multiple angles and identify who can approve the likeness. If photographs are limited, tell the sculptor early: gaps in reference material may require additional interpretation and more design review.
Questions to ask
- Do you have front, side and three-quarter photos?
- Are historical or architectural references available?
- Who can review the likeness or factual details?
How Will the Statue Be Installed?
Consider the complete journey from fabrication to placement, not just the sculpture itself.
Installation decision
Confirm who is responsible for the foundation, anchoring, lifting equipment, delivery access and final placement. Installation requirements should be considered during design—not left until the sculpture is ready to ship.
Questions to ask
- Will a foundation or engineered anchoring be needed?
- How will the statue be transported and unloaded?
- Who will coordinate site access and installation?
Who Will Guide the Project from Concept to Completion?
Clarify responsibilities across design, approvals, fabrication, shipping and installation.
Team decision
Ask who will lead communication, approve designs, coordinate fabrication and manage handoffs to the site team. A written scope with responsibilities and approval checkpoints makes it easier to compare proposals and avoid assumptions.
Questions to ask
- Who is the primary project contact?
- Who coordinates specialists and contractors?
- What is included in the written scope?
What Is the Artist’s Style?
Review relevant work and make sure the artistic approach fits the subject and setting.
Real project reference
For the Angel of Peace of Fatima commission, Statues.com developed an original clay sculpture from devotional references. Photographic reviews with the client helped refine the figure’s expression, gesture and religious symbolism before molding and casting in white bonded marble.
Explore the Angel of Peace project ↗Questions to ask
- Do portfolio examples match your intended aesthetic?
- Can the team create the required likeness and detail?
- How will the design be reviewed and approved?
What Can I Expect From the Project Timeline?
A credible schedule should account for design, revisions, production, transport and site readiness.
Timeline example
If a statue must be unveiled on a specific date, work backward from that event. Committee reviews, design approvals, fabrication, freight and site preparation all need time. A late likeness approval or an unfinished foundation can delay installation even when sculpting is on schedule. Ask for a milestone-based schedule with named decision-makers and contingency time.
Questions to ask
- What milestones require approval?
- Is there a fixed unveiling or dedication date?
- What dependencies could affect delivery?
What Are the Fees and Costs?
Request a project-specific scope rather than relying on a simple price-per-foot estimate.
What a complete quote should clarify
Ask for a written breakdown of concept and design work, the number of included revisions, modeling, molds or casting, fabrication, finishing, crating, freight, installation and any applicable taxes. Confirm whether engineering, foundation work, permits, lifting equipment and site restoration are included or excluded. Compare proposals by scope and responsibilities—not price alone.
Questions to ask
- Are design and revisions included?
- Are molds, finishing and shipping included?
- Who pays for foundations, permits and installation?
THE BIG PICTURE
Purpose first.
Details follow.
Define what the sculpture should mean, where it will live, who will approve it and what resources are available. Those decisions inform its scale, material, design, budget and installation requirements.
Avoid common commissioning mistakesBE READY FOR THE FIRST CONVERSATION
What to bring to your consultation
Project purpose
Subject, story, audience and intended impact.
Reference material
Photos, sketches, historical documents or examples.
Site & scale
Location, approximate dimensions and access details.
Budget & date
Working investment range and any important deadline.
You do not need every answer finalized before reaching out. A good initial conversation helps identify what still needs to be decided.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Let’s turn your idea into a clear project plan.
Tell us what you envision, where the sculpture will be installed and what you already know. We can help you evaluate the next steps.