Were this a 3D render of Mass Effect 2's Thane, it would be impressive. Thing is, it's not. This is a tangible, old-fashioned sculpture. Get a load of the detail!

Seriously, had you not been informed this was crafted by hand you'd simply assume it was a game asset, such is the colour and intricacy on show. From his neck scales to his gills, he's looking sharp.

The piece stands just over 6 inches tall, and you can see more shots by scrolling through the gallery above.

It's the work of Brazilian character artist Rafael Grassetti, who makes a living doing everything from 3D art to texturing to traditional sculpture like you see here for movie studios, game developers and toy companies.

Oh, and he's also currently an artist working on Mass Effect 3.

[Rafael Grassetti]