Even if you can't draw, there are three ways to visualize your novel's character: commission an artist, build the look in a character maker such as Picrew, or sketch it yourself. Whichever you choose, rewriting your prose description as "art directions" first gets you much closer to the character you imagine. Once you have the art, you can also turn that single picture into a 3D model you can rotate to see the side and back.
Below we cover what to decide before you commission, what to check with the artist or platform (including telling them if you plan to make it 3D), how to make the art yourself, the steps from art to 3D, and what a 3D model might change when you write.
Note: Figmee currently offers figurine-style images made from drawn illustrations, 3D model data (GLB / 3MF), and turntable videos of your 3D models. Ordering physical 3D prints is Coming Soon. Figmee can't make 3D from text; you need a drawn picture. Photos of real people, animals, objects, or scenery, and images that look like photos, can't be turned into 3D either.
Can you give your character a face if you can't draw?
Yes. Choose between commissioning an artist, using a character maker, and sketching it yourself based on how closely you want the result to match your vision and whether you want to show it in 3D. Whichever route you take, one full-body picture makes the 3D step much easier.
| Method | How close to your vision | Effort and cost | Conditions for making it 3D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission an artist | High (you can describe details in writing) | Costs a commission fee; back-and-forth takes days | You need the artist's permission; safest to state the use when you order |
| Character maker (Picrew, etc.) | Medium (combinations of ready-made parts) | Quick, since you just pick parts | Depends on the maker's usage terms; skip it without clear permission |
| Sketch it yourself | Depends on your drawing skills | Takes time but costs nothing | It's your own drawing, so you can use it as is |
Writers have shared what it was like to get their characters drawn. In an essay on the Japanese web-fiction site Shosetsuka ni Naro, "I Commissioned an Illustration of My Novel's Character Because I'd Lost My Motivation" (title translated by us; by the author Gentō (幻燈), March 9, 2023), the author describes commissioning art on SKIMA because they wanted their beloved character drawn before they gave up writing, and says of the finished piece, "My character is alive" (our translation; source: Shosetsuka ni Naro (in Japanese), checked November 7, 2026). What a visual means to a writer varies from person to person, but it's one example worth reading.
What should you decide before commissioning?
Rewrite your prose description as appearance directions an artist can draw from. Prose often conveys personality and atmosphere without settling the hair length or the cut of the clothes. If you plan to make a 3D version, this is also the moment to ask for a full-body, front-facing composition.
Items worth writing down:
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Age, height, build | 17, about 160 cm, slim. Add height differences with other characters if relevant |
| Hair | Length, color, how it's tied, bangs |
| Eyes and expression | Eye color, usual expression (downcast, quick to smile, etc.) |
| Clothes | What they wear most in the story; colors and shapes, plus anything prominent from behind (a bow, a hood) |
| Belongings | Things they never put down (a book, a sword, an umbrella) |
| Personality and role | One line (e.g., "a quiet librarian who looks out for everyone") |
| Passages from the story | A few lines from your text that describe their appearance |
| Composition | Full body, front-facing or slightly angled, simple background (if you'll make it 3D) |
| Intended use | For yourself, a social media avatar, a book cover or interior illustration, a 3D model, etc. |
Pulling passages from your own text often reveals things you hadn't decided yet, like shoes or the back of the hair. For anything undecided, you can write "up to you" and let the artist fill it in.
Where do you commission, and what should you check?
You can use a commission platform (in Japan, for example, Skeb, Coconala, or SKIMA) or contact an artist directly on social media. Wherever you commission, the copyright in the art generally stays with the artist, and what you may do with it is set by the platform's terms and your agreement. If you plan to make it 3D, use it as a book cover, or post it on social media, the safest move is to say so when you place the order.
Skeb's terms, for instance, limit the client's use to things like "personal viewing" and "a profile picture on social media." If you want to use the art as a cover or interior illustration on a web-fiction site, or make a 3D version, you would likely need to state that use in your request and get the artist's agreement. The clauses from each platform and a sample message asking for 3D permission are in Can I Make a 3D Model of Commissioned Art?.
When choosing an artist, check:
- Style: whether their past work is close to your character's feel (age, era of the clothing, rendering)
- Permitted uses: whether your uses (cover, illustrations, social media, 3D) are allowed in the listing or the artist's own Terms of Service
- AI policy: whether the artist refuses AI-based modification; if you plan to make it 3D, tell them an AI service is involved
- Attribution: how to name the artist when the art appears on a cover or on social media
How can you make the art yourself?
Sketch it yourself, or build it in a character maker like Picrew. If you drew it, you can turn it into 3D as is, regardless of skill. Images from a character maker can only be used within that maker's usage terms, so check first whether making them 3D is allowed.
Sketching it yourself
If you plan to make it 3D, being able to read the shape matters more than drawing skill.
- Draw the full body, facing front or slightly angled: the closer the face and body are to frontal, the easier it is for the AI to infer the overall shape
- Make the lines clear: if you only have faint pencil lines, trace over them more darkly before taking a photo
- Add color: colored pencils are fine. Drawings where you can tell where one color ends and the next begins tend to come through better in 3D
- Skip the background: draw just the one character on white paper
You can upload a paper drawing as a phone photo or a scan.
Using a character maker (Picrew)
Picrew images can only be used within the usage scope each image maker's creator sets. "Modification" is described as things like "changing colors and drawing additions," and it doesn't say whether making a 3D version counts. Without clear permission in the maker's description, the safe choice is not to make it 3D. The order in which to check is covered in TTRPG Character Art to 3D Model (source: Picrew, "Things we'd like you to follow" (in Japanese), checked November 7, 2026).
Once you have the art, how do you turn it into 3D?
Upload the picture to create a 3D image, then generate the 3D model and rotate it. Plan on roughly 10–20 minutes in total. If you register the character, you can also make 3D images in poses that match scenes from your story.
- Check the picture (5 minutes): make sure it shows the full body and that you may use it (your own drawing, commissioned art with permission, or a character-maker image whose terms you've checked). PNG, JPEG, or WebP, up to 20 MB per image
- Upload and create a 3D image (2–3 minutes): choose Standard, Pro, or Max quality to make a figurine-style image. Check that the face, hair, and clothes match your character
- Generate the 3D model (a few minutes): rotate it 360° in your browser to see the profile and back
- Export a turntable video (2 minutes): from "Create 360° video" on the work page, export a square video in which the model spins twice in about six seconds (the Figmee logo appears in the bottom right)
- Make a pose from a scene (optional, a few minutes): register the work as a character and describe a pose or scene in up to 200 characters, such as "looking back over her shoulder holding an umbrella in the rain," to get a 3D image in a new pose that aims to keep the character's look
Pricing: new accounts receive 5 free tokens (valid for 3 months from sign-up; first sign-up with an email address only). A 3D image costs 1–3 tokens depending on quality, a 3D model 5 tokens, and a new character pose 1–3 tokens. Your first 3D model is free (one per account), and 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).
What might a 3D model change when you write?
You can rotate the model to check the profile and back that a single front view doesn't show. That may help when you write a scene where the character turns around, or describe them from behind. Keep in mind that the AI infers the back, which isn't in the drawing, so where it contradicts your character's design, go with the design.
Where 3D might help, and what to watch for:
| Situation | How to use 3D | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Describing the back or profile | Rotate the model to check how the hair is tied or the back of the clothes | The back is the AI's guess; your design takes priority |
| Picturing a scene | Use new character poses to make 3D images close to scenes in the story | It aims to keep the look, but details may change |
| Showing readers or friends | Post the turntable video on social media, or publish the work and send the share link | Publishing also shows the original art on the share page; commissioned art needs the artist's permission |
Whether a 3D model actually makes writing easier probably varies from writer to writer. Treating it as one more piece of reference material, and using only what helps, may be about right.
Figmee suits people who have a picture of their character and want to see it in 3D. It doesn't suit people who want to create a look from text alone (Figmee needs a drawing), people who want a 3D model they can animate (downloads are GLB and 3MF, without rigging or VRM support), or people who want a physical piece (physical 3D print orders are Coming Soon).
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I make a 3D model from my written description alone? A. Not with Figmee. It needs a drawn illustration. First get a picture by commissioning, using a character maker, or sketching it yourself, then turn that into 3D. Photos of actors or models you based the character on can't be used either, since they're photos.
Q. Can I use commissioned art as my novel's cover or interior illustration? A. It depends on the platform's terms and your agreement with the artist. Skeb's terms limit clients to uses like personal viewing and a social media profile picture, so if you want to use the art as a cover or illustration, the safest route is to state that use when you order and get the artist's agreement.
Q. Will my rough, not-very-good sketch turn into 3D? A. Yes. Figmee keeps the feel of your hand-drawn lines as it builds the 3D shape, so what matters is that the full body is drawn and the lines and colors are clear, not how polished it is. If the result doesn't match what you imagined, try again with a version where you've traced over the lines or added color.
Summary
Even if you can't draw, you can give your novel's character a face in three ways: commissioning an artist, using a character maker, or sketching it yourself. Whichever you choose, rewrite your prose as appearance directions, and if you want 3D, decide on a full-body, front-facing composition and state the intended use up front.
Once you have the picture, you can make a 3D image, a 3D model, and a turntable video from it and check the profile and back. When you use commissioned art or character-maker images, confirm first that making them 3D is allowed.
