Spot the Cheater

Before (top) and after (bottom).

I'm sure no-one likes cheaters in their games especially if the cheaters in question are cheatahs and they're actually out to eat you!
And with that, here's the last of my big cats, a cheetah and two leopards, with a before and after photograph to start with. Just in case you can't tell which I've painted, they're the ones on the bottom, with the two leopards on the left and the cheetah on the right.
They're not in the same positions as they are in the top picture either, just to add to the confusion.
These cats are so alike in shape and size that I could just as easily painted each model as the other species.

The two Leopards.

From interweb googling cheetahs are taller in height, but shorter in length than leopards ((though it may be the other way around !) and have very different markings. The two leopards, (shown left) were a pain to paint (if truth be told they all were) and getting their unique spotted pattern of a central dark spot surrounded by black spots I found to be almost impossible at the size they're meant to be. Consequently the patterns on my ones are quite large, much more so than they're meant to be.

Man versus Leopard

I'm quite surprised that the black spots haven't shown up as on the photographs as much as they do in reality (they appear very dark in natural light), though given the expertise of the photographer I guess I shouldn't be that surprised.

The Cheater, erm Cheatah

I was much happier with my painting of the Cheater Cheetah, shown on the photograph to the left.
Basically spots everywhere, except its tail where they combine to make rings (four to six it seems is de-rigour) with none on the lighter parts of its body, legs etc.

Man versus Cheater, erm Cheetah

The cheater cheater is also the only one of the big cats that I have that has its mouth closed, making it far easier to slap paint on, but it still looks the part.
It may be that this model was not one of those bought from a Bargainpoundlandworld as I did buy a single animal from a table-top sale (for 50p if I recall), hence the difference.

Poor frontal view...

and another bum shot

Another couple of photographs (above and to the left) of the three together, with the two leopards, trying to look ferocious instead of comical, with their open, growling mouths.

Finally a gratuitous photograph of all three against a hopeful gladiator in my arena - I know who I'll be placing wagering sesterces are on in that combat!







Finishing these marks the last of my big cats for the arena, but next week I'll show some smaller cats (lynx) that I did earlier this year (before succumbing to illness), which will give me more time to finish the bases on all of them !