Custom Bearbrick: Ferrari Edition

This isn't Charles Leclerc's ride — but it belongs to someone who loves the prancing horse just as much. Our client, a true F1 fanatic, came to us wanting a custom Bearbrick that truly captured the spirit of Ferrari racing. Here's the full process, step by step, exactly as we built it. No shortcuts, no compromises.

We only ever work with authentic Medicom Toy Bearbricks — no knock-offs, no bootlegs. The quality and structure of a genuine Medicom piece is what makes everything else possible. A real Bearbrick holds paint differently, sands so much cleaner, and is honestly worth the investment if you want a true collector-grade finish.

Before a single drop of paint goes on, we mock up the whole design digitally — mapping out every colour zone, stencil placement, and detail onto the Bearbrick's body panels. For this Ferrari commission, we planned the Rosso Corsa red base, the signature yellow racing stripe, the Scuderia shield on the chest, and the tyre-tread feet, all ahead of time. This step saves us (and you) from costly mistakes further down the line.

Every Medicom Bearbrick arrives with a factory paint or gloss finish, and we sand this down completely to create a raw, receptive surface for our custom paint. Simpler factory designs sand down much faster, while heavily printed or pre-painted variants take considerably more prep time — which is why that's reflected in the commission timeline and complexity.

Once sanded, the whole Bearbrick gets primed. We apply a minimal, even coat — never thick or heavy — just enough to seal the sanded surface so it's ready to accept paint, without adding bulk that could crack or peel down the road. Think of it as the invisible foundation that makes everything on top last.

The painting sequence really is everything. We always spray the lightest or largest colour first, then work our way toward darker, more detailed layers. For this Ferrari piece, the Rosso Corsa red went on first as the base coat, followed by masking and stenciling the yellow racing stripes, then the black detailing, and finally the Scuderia shield graphic. Get the order wrong, and it means repainting — and a lot more sanding!

This is really where the magic happens. We use an ultra-fine airbrush rather than rattle cans or hand brushes, which lays down a micro-fine mist of paint that settles evenly onto the surface with zero brush strokes and almost no splatter. The result is a finish that looks factory-smooth, or even better. Up close, you'll spot all the little details. From a distance, it just reads as clean and intentional.

We never rush this part. Between every layer of paint, we wait patiently for each coat to fully cure before touching it again. Once it's set, we can safely tape over it, lay a stencil on top, and spray the next colour right beside the previous one without any bleed or lifting. Patience here is really what separates a crisp finish from a muddy one.

It's not quite a masterpiece yet — not until we varnish it. A final topcoat of clear varnish goes over the entire completed Bearbrick, sealing every layer of paint beneath it, creating a durable surface, and giving the piece its final finish, whether that's gloss, satin, or matte depending on the commission. Think of it the same way a vinyl toy's factory coat protects its print: the varnish is what keeps your custom piece looking fresh for years to come.

Once the varnish has fully cured, your custom Bearbrick is complete and ready to bring home! The joints — arms, legs, and head — can still be moved, but we'd recommend against repositioning it too often. Every twist and rotation creates friction at the joint edges where paint meets paint, and over time that will wear down the finish at those contact points. The less you move it, the longer it'll stay looking perfect.

Not every design translates perfectly onto a Bearbrick, and we'll always be upfront with you about what works and what doesn't. Here's our honest guide: