From Photographs to Legacy: Crafting the FINO Founders Busts
To mark 90 years of FINO, the company chose to honour its founders in a way that would last generations — through two commemorative busts celebrating Lawrence Fino and Anthony Fino. Our role was to translate history, character, and legacy into physical form, using a blend of digital craftsmanship and hands-on finishing.
Starting with Photographs
The project began not with clay, but with photographs. Working from a curated selection of reference images, we studied facial structure, expressions, and subtle details that define a person’s presence. This stage is critical — the goal isn’t just likeness, but recognition. A bust should feel familiar the moment you see it.
Digital Sculpting: Precision Meets Art
Using advanced digital sculpting tools, we recreated each founder’s features in 3D, carefully refining proportions, surface detail, and expression. Digital sculpting allows for incredible control and accuracy, as well as the ability to review, adjust, and perfect the model before anything physical is produced.
This stage also enables longevity: the digital files become a permanent archive, allowing the busts to be resized, reproduced, or restored in the future if needed.
3D Printing the Form
Once approved, the sculptures were brought into the physical world through large-format 3D printing. This process allowed us to produce lightweight yet strong forms with fine detail, without the limitations and weight of traditional stone or wood.
The result is a structure that is easier to transport, install, and maintain — while still delivering the gravitas expected of a commemorative piece.
Hand-Finishing: The Human Touch
After printing, each bust underwent extensive hand-finishing. This included surface refinement, texture work, and finishing techniques that give the pieces their final presence and realism. It’s at this stage that digital precision meets traditional craftsmanship.
Every pass of sanding and finishing was done with one goal in mind: respect for the individuals being honoured.
A Modern Way to Preserve Legacy
The finished busts of Lawrence Fino and Anthony Fino stand as a fusion of past and present — traditional commemoration realised through modern design and manufacturing. They reflect FINO’s story of resilience, continuity, and evolution, told through materials and methods built to last.
For us, this project represents what modern fabrication does best: preserving legacy, not by looking backward, but by using the best tools of today to honour yesterday.
