Adapting Existing Designs

Some commissions begin with a completely blank page. Others begin with a design already developed in the studio.

This commission was one of the latter.

Late on Wednesday evening we were asked to prepare a wedding gift for collection before a Saturday ceremony. The commission comprised a crystal spirit decanter together with two whisky glasses. One engraved with Ben Nevis and the other with Snowdon. Although the timescale was short, we already had a Ben Nevis composition that had previously been created for one of our apothecary bottles.

Rather than simply copying the artwork across, we reviewed it against the proportions of the new crystal decanter.

Designing for the Glass

The original Ben Nevis composition had been developed to resemble a traditional whisky label, perfectly suited to the tall rectangular front panel of the apothecary bottle.

The crystal spirit decanter presented a different canvas. Its broader body and lower visual centre called for a more open composition, with the mountain, contour lines and typography repositioned to create a design that felt natural on the new form.

The recognisable elements remained, but the layout was refined specifically for this commission.

This is a common part of our work. Existing studio designs often provide a starting point, but they are regularly adapted to suit a different piece of glassware, a different engraving area or new personal details. The aim is always the same. To produce a design that appears to have been created for the object from the outset.

Completing the Set

The matching whisky glasses were prepared with a simpler mountain composition, one featuring Ben Nevis and the other Snowdon. Personal inscriptions were engraved on the reverse, creating a coordinated set while allowing each piece its own identity.

Together, the decanter and glasses formed a thoughtful gift for the groom's best man, connected by a shared mountain theme and prepared specifically for the occasion.

From Enquiry to Engraving

The enquiry arrived at 9.30pm on Wednesday evening. By Thursday afternoon the artwork had been prepared, approved and the decanter was already being engraved in the studio, ready for completion ahead of the weekend wedding.

Even when working to a tight schedule, the design process remains the same. Every composition is assessed against the chosen glass, refined where necessary and approved before engraving begins. That attention to proportion and placement is what allows an existing design to become a bespoke commission.