I was commissioned by a customer to decoupage this magnificent red stag with a vintage map of the West coast of Scotland.

I chose to use an antique Harmsworth map from 1907 as the colours on these are just superb.  The paper is also really soft which is pretty crucial when you’re trying to cover a bumpy skull and get around the sides of eye sockets!  After finding the right map, the next job is to prep the skull. As in decorating Preparation is Key! 

Onto placement of the map.  In this case the most important part of the map was the coastline as it was a favourite holiday destination for my customer and her husband.  In order to get the best possible effect I need to consider the shapes of the lochs and coast and place them so that they compliment the shape of the skull.  

After many hours of decoupage ensuring that the map is geographically correct, I move onto careful sanding, patching in bits, varnishing and then adding all the gold highlights. 

I was thrilled with how this piece turned out.  

If you are interested in commissioning a bespoke map piece, large or small then please do not hesitate to contact me below.