If you want to turn a commissioned illustration into a 3D model, the safest move is to ask the artist first whether that's okay. Paying for a commission and receiving the file does not, as a rule, hand you the copyright: it stays with the person who drew it, and what you as the client may do with the picture is set by the commission platform's terms and whatever you agreed when you placed the order. Skeb's terms of service, for example, limit the client's use to "personal viewing" and "use as a profile picture on social media," and say nothing directly about making a 3D version.
Below, we look at the actual clauses in the terms of three Japanese commission platforms (Skeb, Coconala, and SKIMA) to see what clients are allowed to do, explain how a private 3D model differs from publishing it or turning it into merch, give sample messages for asking your artist, and list which images you can upload to Figmee. If you commissioned through another platform or directly by DM, the same checks apply: that platform's terms and the artist's own Terms of Service (ToS). Fan art of licensed characters is covered in Fan Art, 3D Models, and Copyright, and selling merch in Can You Sell Original Character or Fan Art Figurines?.
This article is a general overview based on Japanese copyright law and each platform's terms; it is not legal advice, and it does not declare that any particular piece is "fine." Other countries have their own laws, and terms change over time, so check both the version you agreed to and the current version on each platform's official site.
Note: Figmee currently offers figurine-style images made from your drawings, 3D model data (GLB / 3MF), and turntable videos of your 3D models. Ordering physical 3D prints is Coming Soon. Photos of real people, animals, objects, or scenery, and images that look like photos, cannot be turned into 3D.
Who owns the copyright in art you commissioned?
As a rule, the artist who drew it. Copyright arises with the person who creates the work, and paying for a commission and receiving the image does not transfer it to you. How far you can use the picture is decided by the platform's terms and by your agreement: the listing's conditions, your request text, and your messages with the artist.
It helps to separate "the person who came up with the character" from "the person who drew the illustration." Even if your original character is entirely your idea, down to the name, personality, and look, the illustration the artist drew carries the artist's copyright. A 3D model is built from that illustration, so the artist's view matters. This article does not try to draw the finer line on how character concepts themselves are treated.
There is one more right to know about: the author's moral rights, which stay with the creator separately from copyright. Article 20(1) of Japan's Copyright Act states that "the author has the right to preserve the integrity of the work and its title, and is not to be subjected to any alteration, cutting, or other modification thereof that is contrary to the author's intention" (our translation; see the Copyright Act on e-Gov Law Search, checked November 7, 2026). This right remains with the artist even if the copyright itself is transferred, so when you reshape a drawing into a 3D form, it is reassuring to know the artist is on board.
Can I make a 3D model of art I commissioned on Skeb?
Skeb's terms limit the client to uses such as "personal viewing" and "a profile picture on social media," and contain nothing specific about 3D. Publishing a 3D version, posting it on social media, or making merch from it reads, under the terms, as use that needs the artist's (the "creator's") permission. Whether a 3D model you only look at yourself counts as "personal viewing" can't be read from the terms, so asking before you start is the reliable path.
These are the clauses in Skeb's terms of service (the PDF revised December 1, 2023) that concern the client. Quotes are our translation from the Japanese.
- Article 5(2)(5): even after delivery, "the copyright […] in the work [is] not transferred to the client and belong[s] to the creator." What the client may do is limited to what the creator licenses "only for personal viewing, […] as that client's profile picture on social media," plus anything else the terms and policies allow.
- Article 7(1): "The copyright and all other rights in a work belong to the creator, except as otherwise provided in the terms and policies."
- Article 8(10): listed as a prohibited act: "using a work beyond an individual's private use without the creator's permission."
Source: Skeb Terms of Service (revised December 1, 2023, PDF, in Japanese), checked November 7, 2026. Skeb also publishes client guidelines, which are worth reading before you place a request.
Article 8(21) of the same terms lists, as a prohibited act on the creator's side, "delivering, in genres designated by the operator, 3D models other than illustrations or manga, screenshots, or data partly or wholly generated by generative AI." In other words, in those genres Skeb is built around artists delivering hand-made illustrations and manga. If you want to run a commissioned picture through an AI service to make it 3D, saying openly that AI is involved when you ask is also a matter of courtesy toward the artist.
What about art commissioned on Coconala or SKIMA?
On Coconala, conditions the seller states in the listing or during the transaction come first; where none are stated, the terms let you use the work "only for your own use," including modifying it. On SKIMA, buying a design outright with its copyright ("opt" sales) transfers the copyright to you, but the creator keeps the moral rights. For made-to-order commissions, we could not find any clause on rights in SKIMA's terms, so the listing's conditions and your agreement decide.
Coconala
Article 14(3) of Coconala's terms says that, unless the seller has explicitly specified otherwise in the service description or while providing the service, the member "may use the seller's works, etc. only for their own use (including reproduction, copying, modification, sublicensing to third parties […])." Article 19(2) likewise says the seller grants members the right to use them freely for their own use. (Quotes are our translation from the Japanese.)
However, the terms define "the seller's works, etc." (Article 2(1)(12)) as things like "photos, images, videos, audio, music, essays, articles, and other works that the seller has published on our website," and from that wording alone it is hard to tell whether a commissioned illustration delivered to you falls under it. Check the actual scope of use against the conditions in the listing (commercial use, secondary use, copyright transfer options, and so on) and anything the seller told you during the transaction. Whether publishing or merch counts as "your own use" also depends on the seller's conditions.
Source: Coconala Terms of Use (in Japanese), revised December 19, 2025, checked November 7, 2026.
SKIMA
SKIMA's terms (the Japanese-service version) define "opt sales" in Article 2(12) as "buying and selling an illustration together with its copyright," and state that "the copyright is transferred to the buyer, but the moral rights of the author remain with the creator." Article 4(11) says that because of those moral rights, buyers "may not modify the work against the author's intention," with an exception where there is an agreement not to exercise the moral rights. (Quotes are our translation.) So even with a design you bought through opt sales, whether a 3D version counts as a modification against the creator's wishes is up to the creator, and asking first gives you peace of mind.
We could not find any clause in the terms as of November 7, 2026 that sets out the rights in made-to-order commissions or what the client may do with them. Check the scope of use written in the listing and what you agreed during the transaction.
Source: SKIMA Terms of Use (in Japanese), checked November 7, 2026.
The three platforms and direct commissions compared
| Where you commissioned | Copyright | What the client may do | On 3D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skeb | Belongs to the creator (Art. 5(2)(5), Art. 7(1)) | Personal viewing, profile picture on social media, etc. | Nothing specific. Use beyond private use needs permission (Art. 8(10)) |
| Coconala | Generally the seller (transfer depends on the listing and agreement) | If the seller states nothing, "only for your own use," including modification (Art. 14(3)) | Nothing specific. Check the seller's conditions |
| SKIMA (opt sales) | Transferred to the buyer (Art. 2(12)) | Use it as the copyright holder, but no modification against the creator's wishes (Art. 4(11)) | Ask the creator |
| SKIMA (made-to-order) | No clause found in the terms | The listing's conditions | Ask the seller |
| Direct commission (DM, etc.) | Generally the artist | Your messages and the artist's published ToS | Ask the artist |
How is a private 3D model different from posting it or making merch?
The further you move from "only I look at it" toward "I publish it" and "I give it away or sell it," the more clearly you need the artist's permission. Japan's Copyright Act allows reproduction for private use, and adaptation within that scope. Whether sending an image to an outside service to make a 3D model fits those rules is a question this article does not decide. And the platform's terms are an agreement you accepted, so you need to keep to them regardless of how the law treats the copy.
Article 30(1) of the Act allows a work to be reproduced "by the person who uses it" when the purpose is "use within a limited circle, such as personal use or use within the family" (private use), and Article 47-6(1)(i) allows it to be used in that case through "translation, musical arrangement, transformation, or adaptation" (our translations; Copyright Act on e-Gov Law Search, checked November 7, 2026). Details such as the condition that the user makes the copy themselves mean the answer depends on the individual situation.
Here is what to check for each use.
| What you want to do | What to check |
|---|---|
| Spin the 3D model on your own device only | Whether the terms allow it (on Skeb, personal viewing). If unsure, send the artist a quick note |
| Publish the piece on Figmee and send the share link to friends | Publishing also shows the original illustration on the share page. Needs the artist's permission |
| Post a turntable video of the 3D model on social media | The artist's permission, how to name them, and how to say it was made with AI |
| Print the 3MF on your own 3D printer | Ask the artist whether a physical object is okay |
| Give away or sell merch | A copyright transfer, or a license covering 3D adaptation and commercial use |
The point people most often miss: when you publish a piece on Figmee, the original illustration you uploaded is shown alongside the 3D model. A published piece appears in the public gallery, and its share page shows the title, the 3D model, the original illustration, and the creation date. Even after you unpublish, link previews on social media and images other people saved may remain. Publishing the 3D version of a commissioned picture means publishing the commissioned picture itself.
For how contracts work when you want to sell merch (copyright transfer versus a license), see Can You Sell Original Character or Fan Art Figurines?.
How should I ask the artist?
Before commissioning, add it to your request; after delivery, send a separate message. Either way, spell out three things: what you want to do, that you will use an AI service, and whether you plan to publish the result. Getting permission while keeping the AI part quiet is a recipe for a damaged relationship when it comes out later. If the artist says no, the working assumption is that you don't make a 3D version of that picture.
Six things worth putting in your message:
- What you'll do: make a 3D model, a turntable video, print the 3MF, and so on
- Which service: that it is an AI service that turns illustrations into 3D models (and its name)
- Who will see it: only you / a few friends via a share link / public on social media or a gallery
- Attribution: how you would name the artist if you publish
- How the image is handled: what the service says it does with uploaded images
- That no is fine: make it easy to decline
Sample: added to the request before commissioning
Once the illustration is finished, I'd love to turn it into a 3D model just for myself. I plan to use an AI service that makes 3D models from illustrations (Figmee). I won't publish the 3D model; it's only for me to look at. If you'd rather I didn't use the art this way, please don't hesitate to tell me.
Sample: asking after delivery
Thank you again for the illustration. I have a follow-up question. Would it be okay if I uploaded the illustration to an AI service that turns illustrations into 3D models (Figmee) and made a 3D model just for myself? The service says uploaded images aren't used for AI training and aren't shown to anyone unless I publish them myself. If I ever want to share it publicly, I'll check with you again first. It's completely fine to say no.
Contact the artist through whatever channel the platform's rules and the artist's own instructions allow. If you also want to publish, say where (your social media, Figmee's gallery, etc.) and how you would name the artist and note the AI use; that makes it easier for them to say yes.
What are the steps from getting permission to having a 3D model?
Reread the conditions you commissioned under, save the artist's reply, then upload the illustration and make a 3D image followed by a 3D model. Not counting the wait for a reply, plan on about an hour from writing to the artist to spinning your 3D model.
- Reread the conditions you commissioned under (10 minutes): the terms, the listing, your request, and your messages, to confirm what you may do
- Decide in one line what the 3D is for (5 minutes): "only for me to spin around," "a turntable video for social media," and so on
- Send the artist your message (15 minutes): adapt the samples above to your actual use
- Save the reply (5 minutes): keep a record of exactly which uses the artist agreed to
- Upload the illustration and create a 3D image (a few minutes): PNG, JPEG, or WebP, up to 20 MB per image. Choose Standard, Pro, or Max quality to get a figurine-style image
- Generate the 3D model and spin it (a few minutes): rotate it 360° in your browser to check the sides and back
- If you publish, confirm the scope of permission first, then turn the switch on (5 minutes): use the sharing switch on the piece's page, and remember the original illustration will be shown too
Pricing: a figurine-style image costs 1–3 tokens depending on quality, and a 3D model costs 5 tokens. Your first 3D model is free (one per account), and new accounts receive 5 free tokens (valid for 3 months from sign-up; first sign-up with an email address only). Additional tokens cost $5.99 for 5. If a generation fails, the tokens are refunded automatically.
The full process of turning an illustration into a 3D model is explained in How to Turn an Illustration into 3D (2026 Guide).
Which images can I upload to Figmee?
You can upload pictures you drew yourself, or images you have permission to use from the person who holds the rights. For a commissioned illustration, that means you need the artist's permission. Using someone else's illustration without permission may infringe their copyright.
Here is what Figmee's help pages and terms say:
- Uploaded images are used only to create 3D images and 3D models, and are not used for AI training
- They are not shown to third parties unless you publish the piece yourself
- Copyright in generated images is governed by applicable law
- Photos of real people, animals, objects, or scenery, and images that look like photos, can't be used (if an image is judged to be a photo, the tokens used are refunded automatically)
Who Figmee suits, and who it doesn't:
- Good fit: people who have the artist's permission and want to spin their commissioned original character around 360°; people who want to decide together with the artist how much of the 3D to show
- Not a good fit: people who want to try it without asking the artist (you may not upload someone else's art without permission); people who want a 3D model they can animate (downloads are GLB and 3MF, without rigging or VRM support); people who want a physical piece (physical 3D print orders are Coming Soon)
The full conditions are in Figmee's help article on which images you can upload and image rights. For an overview of copyright and 3D models, see 3D Model Copyright Basics.
Frequently asked questions
Q. If only I will see it, do I still need to ask the artist? A. There is no blanket answer. Skeb's terms allow the client uses such as "personal viewing," and whether a 3D version counts can't be read from them. On other platforms, a seller's conditions may restrict modification. It also involves uploading the image to an outside service, so a quick question to the artist is the reliable path.
Q. What if the artist says no? A. Don't make a 3D version of that picture. You can try 3D with a rough sketch you drew yourself (a phone photo of a paper drawing works), or write "I'd like to make a 3D model" into your request the next time you commission.
Q. Who owns the copyright in the finished 3D model? A. Figmee's help pages say copyright in generated images is governed by applicable law. The rights in the original illustration stay with the artist, so when you publish or share the 3D model or a turntable video, keep within what the artist permitted for the original picture.
Summary
The copyright in a commissioned illustration generally stays with the artist. Skeb limits the client to uses such as "personal viewing" and "a profile picture on social media," Coconala gives priority to the seller's conditions, and even with SKIMA's opt sales the creator keeps the moral rights. None of the three says anything specific about 3D.
That is exactly why the most reliable step is to ask the artist first, spelling out what you want to do, that an AI service is involved, and whether you'll publish. Keep the reply, and before you publish, remember that the original illustration will be shown too.
