SANJIESAN COSPLAY / Prop project methods
Count the part types and the physical copies separately
A drawing showing five different components may represent far more than five physical pieces. Separate unique part types from the quantity required for each before asking a maker to review the project. The resulting count describes the intended decorative set; it does not establish production cost, assembly suitability or the number of items already available.
Give each distinct part a plain identifier
Identify the shapes that are genuinely different, including meaningful mirrored or position-specific versions. Do not merge them solely because they share a colour. Equally, avoid inventing a new part type for each identical copy. Keep an orientation view beside any asymmetric component so the maker can see why it is separate. The labels should let someone point to a real design difference without needing a complicated numbering system or knowledge of an invented manufacturing history.
Multiply types by their required quantities
For a fictional set, two panels, six identical decorative discs and one central emblem total nine pieces across three types. The arithmetic is 2 plus 6 plus 1, not three. If the two panels are different left and right shapes, the set instead has four types while still containing nine pieces. Keep any spare copies separate from the core quantity so they do not silently appear as part of the intended visible arrangement.
Confirm the scope before comparing proposals
Send the part views and quantity breakdown together. Ask the maker to confirm whether their proposal covers the same set and what remains outside it, such as finishing, appropriate assembly work or a separate display arrangement. Do not compare totals from different scopes as though one number alone establishes value. When a repeated count changes, update both the part quantity and the whole-set total so later packing or delivery checks still describe the current project.