I Am Exploring Something New

From Painting to 3D Figurine / Keychain / Bag charm. And Why I’m Testing This First!

The past few weeks I have been experimenting. Not in my studio with paint, but with AI. Out of curiosity I transformed one of my painted muses into a small 3D keychain figurine. Glossy resin. Gold hardware. Miniature scale. Same eyes. Same attitude. Just palm-sized. I posted it. And something interesting happened. The response was immediate.

Messages. Comments. Questions.
“Can I buy this?”
“When will this be available?”
“I need one.”

That reaction made me pause. Because this wasn’t a planned product launch. It started as exploration. But when you build a brand, you don’t ignore signals. You investigate them.

Figurines a.i.

I Am Not Launching; I Am Testing

Let me be clear: This is not in production yet. At this stage, I am validating interest. Manufacturing a collectible figurine is not like printing a poster. It requires mold development, sampling, paint testing, hardware sourcing, packaging design and quality inspection. It only makes sense if there is real demand. So instead of guessing, I’m measuring. I’m currently building a waitlist. When I reach 2000 interested subscribers, production will start via a pre-order model.

Why 2000?

Because at that level:

• Production becomes economically viable

• Unit cost drops significantly

• Quality control can be handled properly

• Packaging can be elevated

• Margins remain healthy without overpricing

This is how you build something properly. Not impulsively. Not emotionally. Strategically.

Why a Pre-Order Model

Pre-orders create alignment between desire and production. It prevents overproduction. It prevents dead stock. It prevents rushed decisions. And it confirms that the people who expressed interest are willing to convert. If the 2000 subscribers to the waitlist mark is reached, I will move forward. If not, I won’t. Simple as that. That is entrepreneurship.

Why This Matters To Me

What fascinates me about this concept is not the object itself. It’s what it represents. My paintings are often large. Dominant. Present in interiors. A figurine shifts that dynamic. It becomes portable. It becomes personal. It becomes part of someone’s daily life. But I refuse to produce it unless it can meet my quality standards. Glossy resin. Gold hardware. Refined paint details. Luxury packaging. If I do this, it has to align with my brand. Otherwise I don’t do it at all.

So Here Is Where We Are

At Februari 20, 2026 I am in research mode. I am collecting data. I am building a waitlist. I am watching interest grow. If you are curious and want to be first in line should this move forward, you can join the list here: wendybuiter.com/figurines Once we hit 2000 interested subscribers, production starts through pre-order. Until then, we observe. This is how ideas evolve into products. Not by assumption. But by proof.

Let’s see what happens.

So if interested, sign up here!