Prism Prints - Jaguar

I've been inspired from learning more about Mesoamerican Mythologies, and it seems as though the jaguar plays an important role across many of the cultures including the Aztec and the Maya. Since the jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas, and is such a fearsome predator, the animal was seen as a symbol of power and strength. In some cultures, the jaguar represented fertility and protection. Sometimes, it was even viewed as the ruler of the Underworld. One fairly common theme, however, was the link between the jaguar, the night, and the cycle of the sun. The Mythologies of Mesoamerica surrounding the jaguar run deep, and really paint the picture of how impactful this creature was for the people of those cultures. For this sculpt, I wanted the jaguar to be in a crouched pose, as if about to pounce. This was definitely a study on feline anatomy, and painting on spots was tedious, but I'm really happy with how it turned out.