FOAM SCULPTURES · PROPS, CHARACTERS, SETS, GIANT LETTERS
Foam sculptures and props,
carved, hard-coated, painted.
PrintAWorld makes custom foam sculptures and props in New York for brands, agencies, shoots and stores: giant product replicas, characters, photo-op pieces, set pieces and giant letters. We CNC-carve EPS or high-density urethane foam, shape it by hand, seal it with a hard coat and paint it. 2–3 ft pieces cost $1,500–$3,000, life-size $4,000–$8,000 and 8–10 ft $10,000–$20,000, in 2–6 weeks. Giant foam letters start at $150 a letter.
01 / WHAT WE MAKE IN FOAM
Big, light pieces
for activations, sets and windows.
Foam is how a 6-foot piece gets made in weeks and carried by two people. Send renderings, a product file or photos and the date.
- Giant product replicas
- Bottles, cans, sneakers, snacks and packaging at 4 to 10 feet, painted to the brand colors. Life-size pieces usually cost $4,000–$8,000. Custom props and giant replicas ↗
- Characters and mascots
- Human-scale characters, mascots and animals for a launch, a commercial shoot or a booth, carved from a 3D model you approve.
- Photo-op and selfie pieces
- Oversized objects, frames and letters that guests pose with, hard-coated so they survive a full event of hands.
- Set, stage and window pieces
- Rocks, columns, food, oversized props and scenic pieces for shoots, stages and holiday windows.
- Giant foam letters and logos
- Freestanding letters, numbers, hashtags and logos for stages, weddings, conferences and storefronts. 4 ft letters usually cost $350–$600 each. Giant foam letters ↗
- CNC foam cutting from your file
- Send a 3D file or vectors and we cut the foam to it, raw or coated: blocks, reliefs, forms and parts for your own build. From $250, usually in 3–5 days.
02 / HOW A FOAM SCULPTURE IS MADE
Carved by machine,
finished by hand.
- The right foam
- EPS for big, light pieces; high-density urethane (HDU) for sharp detail, signs and pieces that get handled. We pick it from the size, detail and use.
- CNC carving and hand shaping
- The approved 3D model is carved on the CNC in blocks, joined and shaped by hand. Modeling from $300.
- Hard coat
- Bare foam dents. We seal the carving in a hard coat so it takes paint, survives handling and doesn’t shed.
- Paint and graphics
- Primed and painted to your colors or Pantone references, with printed graphics or vinyl where the brand needs exact artwork.
- Structure and bases
- Tall pieces get an internal frame and a weighted or bolt-down base, and break into sections that fit doors, elevators and vans.
- Delivery
- Delivered to New York venues and sets, or crated and shipped across the U.S. Install is quoted when you need it.
03 / FOAM, FIBERGLASS OR 3D PRINTED
Which material
fits your piece?
We build in all three, so the recommendation follows the piece.
- Hard-coated foam: big, light, fast
- Indoor activations, shoots, windows and booth tops. 3–4 weeks at life-size.
- Fiberglass: outdoors and for years
- Permanent storefront and roadside statues, tours and anything people climb on. Life-size $8,000–$15,000, 12–16 weeks. Fiberglass statues ↗
- 3D printed: detail and plating
- Exact product shapes, fine detail and metal plating, 6 feet and more in sections. 12–24 inch pieces usually cost $1,500–$3,500. Large-scale 3D printing ↗
04 / FOR AGENCIES AND PRODUCTION
Built to the deck,
on the date.
- Start from what you have
- Renderings, a deck, a product file, a dieline or photos. We reply with the build, a schedule and a written quote.
- Approvals you can show
- A 3D model to sign off before carving, and a paint check before delivery.
- Certificate of insurance
- We carry general liability insurance and can provide a COI naming your agency or venue.
- Venue rules up front
- Tell us the venue’s fire, weight and load-in rules at the start; we build and price to them.
05 / LARGE PIECES FROM OUR STUDIO
Big pieces
we have already built.
Described without the client.
- Three 5-foot product replicas
- Three 5-foot replicas of a global personal-care brand’s products for an activation, about $10,000 each.
- Full-color character props
- Painted character props for an experiential agency’s event.
- Pantone-matched display shelves
- Display shelves painted to the brand’s Pantone colors for an ad agency’s event.
- A 24-inch bust in 2 days
- A painted 24-inch bust for a private event, modeled and finished in 2 days.
06 / FROM OUR STUDIO
Real pieces
from our studio.
07 / AT A GLANCE
Foam sculpture price,
size and timing.
- Foam sculpture, 2–3 ft
- $1,500–$3,000, hard-coated and painted. Lead time: 2–3 weeks from your approval of the 3D model.
- Foam sculpture, 4–6 ft, up to life-size
- $4,000–$8,000, hard-coated and painted. Lead time: 3–4 weeks from your approval of the 3D model.
- Foam sculpture, 8–10 ft
- $10,000–$20,000, hard-coated and painted. Lead time: 4–6 weeks from your approval of the 3D model.
- Giant foam letters
- 2 ft tall $150–$250 per letter; 4 ft tall $350–$600 per letter; 6 ft tall $700–$1,200 per letter. Orders from $1,000; 2–3 weeks.
- CNC foam cutting
- From your file, raw or coated: $250 minimum, usually 3–5 days.
- Design and delivery
- 3D modeling from $300. Delivery in New York or crated shipping to all 50 states; install quoted separately.
08 / HOW IT’S MADE
From the brief
to the piece on set.
2–6 weeksfrom model approval
- 01
Send renderings, a product file or photos, the size, quantity, venue and date.
- 02
We reply with the build, a schedule and a written quote, and a COI if you need one.
- 03
We model the piece and you approve it before carving.
- 04
We carve, hard-coat and paint it.
- 05
We deliver it in New York or crate and ship it, with install when the quote lists it.
Fiberglass statues · Custom statue cost guide · Custom props and giant replicas · Custom fabrication for brands · CNC routing
What clients wrote to us.
Our clients rarely leave online reviews, so these are from the emails they sent us after their projects, quoted as written.
“Working against very tight deadlines you absolutely excelled & the bottles you produced were amazing. … Our Client was so impressed with the results that they’re shipping one of the bottles back to the UK to have pride of place in the Reception of their main office!!”
“Beautiful Work! Thank you Vince and Team! You have a client for life!”
“Your work and quotes continue to blow away the competition and I want to work with you.”
How much does a custom foam sculpture cost?
At PrintAWorld, a hard-coated, painted foam sculpture 2–3 ft tall costs $1,500–$3,000, a 4–6 ft or life-size piece $4,000–$8,000, and an 8–10 ft piece $10,000–$20,000. 3D modeling starts at $300. Detail, graphics, quantity, structure and the date change the price; install is quoted separately.
How fast can you make a foam prop?
2–3 weeks for 2–3 ft pieces, 3–4 weeks at life-size and 4–6 weeks for 8–10 ft, from your approval of the 3D model. Tell us the date first; small pieces can often go faster.
Who makes foam sculptures and props in NYC?
PrintAWorld, a fabrication studio in Brooklyn and Queens, makes carved, hard-coated foam sculptures, props, characters and giant letters for brands, agencies, production companies and stores, and delivers them to New York venues and sets.
How much do giant foam letters cost?
At PrintAWorld, painted freestanding foam letters cost $150–$250 at 2 ft, $350–$600 at 4 ft, $700–$1,200 at 6 ft, per letter. Logos are quoted from the artwork, orders start at $1,000, and most take 2–3 weeks.
Can you CNC cut foam from my file?
Yes. Send a 3D file (STL, OBJ, STEP) or vectors and the foam type, and we cut it raw or hard-coated. CNC foam cutting starts at $250 and usually takes 3–5 days.
What foam do you use?
EPS for large, light sculptures and props; high-density urethane (HDU) for sharp detail, signs and pieces that get handled. Both are sealed with a hard coat before paint.
Can foam sculptures go outside?
For a day or a season with the right coating, yes. For a permanent outdoor statue we recommend fiberglass, which we also make.
Do you install?
Installation isn’t included unless the quote lists it. Tell us the venue, access and how the piece stands, and we quote delivery and install with it.
Do you ship outside New York?
Yes. Pieces are crated and shipped to all 50 states. New York venues and sets get a delivery.
10 / START WITH THE BRIEF
What are we
carving?
Send renderings or photos, the size, the quantity, the venue and the date. We’ll reply with a build and a price.
What to send
- Renderings, a product file or photos
- Size, quantity and finish
- Venue, date and whether you need a COI
- Budget range and delivery ZIP