The leopard

[Fixfire]

Gorgeous. Cats either look good or horrible. This one is superb!

Agree. This example is stunning!!!

 

[CJW]

I'll add another, stunning!!!



Not critiquing your pose at all but I see the same environment with its head lowered a few inches and mouth closed in full stalk position.

Congrats to yourself and @AZDAVE

 

[gizmo]

I'll add another, stunning!!!



Not critiquing your pose at all but I see the same environment with its head lowered a few inches and mouth closed in full stalk position.

Congrats to yourself and @AZDAVE

Thank you for the complements. Yessir I should add some context, which I intend on doing it detail in the post I am working on for everyone in the making of this piece.
There are untold numbers of leopards on a left turn doing a variety of things in a variety of habitats. The thing is that particular pose is not commercially available anywhere. Anytime you see a leopard going up a rock in a very similar pose with a left turn the artist did a lot of work to build a form to make it do that. Additionally, the head in that leopard is not commercially available. We used a head cast and sculpted by Daniel himself and then I had to add an inch in length and width to the back of the head to get it to fit. That is an exceptionally large leopard.
Anyway, I am in the process of putting together an article on that entire piece beginning to end for everyone to show what all went into it.

 

[CJW]

I can't imagine how much time, experience and custom work went into that cat. I'm a perfectionist and this would drive me nuts getting every detail correct.

Can't wait to read the entire story.

 

[gizmo]

I can't imagine how much time, experience and custom work went into that cat. I'm a perfectionist and this would drive me nuts getting every detail correct.

Can't wait to read the entire story.

It will absolutely drive you bat shit crazy. You have to remind yourself that some things just won’t be perfect. That’s ok though because nothing in nature is actually perfect or 1000% symmetrical.

 

[Nyati]

Great work Erik

 

[dchum]

Wow really good job.

What an awesome piece. You are good.. real good

 

[Kdbull]

Beautiful work! Absolutely stunning.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Fine work Buddy! Love it!

 

[PanhandlinPat]

Is this still in your shop? I’ll have to stop by and check it out! Pretty slick.

 

[gizmo]

Is this still in your shop? I’ll have to stop by and check it out! Pretty slick.

Yessir, it's leaving this week but not sure what day yet

 

[AZDAVE]

@HankBuck Yes I actually had this cat's skull measured (The only animal I ever had measured, I give less than a damn about record books etc.) I mainly had it measured for my outfitter/PH for his records.

He is gold medal SCI and a inch over rowland and ward min. He is a very big bodied cat.

 

[Oldwavy]

Beautiful work! Good looking cat there.

 

[PARA45]

Wow, what a beautiful Leopard and work. Having received my mounts from Erik, and seeing the quality of his work, I'm sure pictures don't do justice to the beauty of this mount. Seeing it in person will be something special. Congrats to both hunter and taxidermist.

BTW, every time I walk by the living room, I stop, and look at Erik's work, and admire them for a bit and smile. @AZDAVE, I hope you have the same feeling every time you look at your Leopard.

 

[gizmo]

Wow, what a beautiful Leopard and work. Having received my mounts from Erik, and seeing the quality of his work, I'm sure pictures don't do justice to the beauty of this mount. Seeing it in person will be something special. Congrats to both hunter and taxidermist.

BTW, every time I walk by the living room, I stop, and look at Erik's work, and admire them for a bit and smile. @AZDAVE, I hope you have the same feeling every time you look at your Leopard.

Thank you Oscar, you made my day!

 

[AZDAVE]

@PARA45 I am looking forward to it arriving. My wife has already picked a spot in the trophy room it will live.In talking with Erik I am going to build a display base for it to sit on and have the skull in the base and room for other nick nacks collected on our trips.

 

[AZDAVE]

It has been a long journey to get our 2021 Namibia safari animals done and here to the house. I will save you all a very long boring diatribe on all the setbacks and delays it took.

For @gizmo Eric you are a true artist and gentleman of the highest order. It has been a pleasure to work with you on this leopard and Damara. To say I am happy is an understatement!!!!! Have sat in the trophy room and just looked at the Museum quality of these mounts and all I can say is they are stunning. From the muscle structure to the exact detail in the head,ears, eyes makes the hair on your neck come up every time you walk in the room. The Damara has the same level of preciseness as the leopard. In addition TOTT also did a springbuck that is perfect in my Wife's opinion

Thank you my friend.

 

[gizmo]

Thank you sir. I have very much enjoyed working with y’all on this. It’s been the absolute high point of my career so far. Just an absolutely outstanding leopard.

 

[Huntd95]

Exceptionally impressive.