Maciek

I am thrilled to present my latest project for the GWCC 2026 competition: a 1:10 scale bust of the legendary comic book character, Thorgal Aegirsson.

This piece was fully printed from scratch and painted by hand, with a primary technical focus on realistic skin rendering, fine textures, and miniature portrait composition.

The manufacturing phase started on my Phrozen 3D printer, which successfully preserved all the high-fidelity features of the digital sculpt, from the flowing hair strands to the intricate details of the fibula brooch and the heavy wool and fur garments.

For the painting stage, I relied entirely on the Gaahleri airbrush system and their precision paint line. My main goal was to achieve a lifelike, weathered northern complexion. Using the ultra-fine atomization of the Gaahleri airbrush, I built up the skin tones through multiple translucent layers, carefully mapping the highlights and cold/warm undertones of the face. The character's signature facial scar and expressive eyes were later micro-painted to capture Thorgal's grim determination.

The heavy textures of the fur cloak and fabrics were rendered using mixed airbrushing and advanced drybrushing techniques to create maximum depth and contrast under directional lighting.

Thank you for checking out my entry, and I look forward to the judges' feedback!