Hi Michael,
I wrote few articles on some models we did (a friend of mine and myself work as a team). I tried to explain step by step how we come to ideas, collect info, print and paint models. You always have to think about the material you have spent and your working hours, too (regarding price). This is one of my articles, so hope it will help you. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message.
Dape
https://b2b.partcommunity.com/community/blogs/239661/2147/sponge-bob-3d-project