An innovative ‘sculpture man’ has constructed a one-of-its-kind model of a relief map of Ghana, using topographic maps from Stanfords.
Dave Taylor was commissioned by the Lighthouse Chapel International, based in Ghana, to produce a relief map of the country, so they could use it to place markers representing their various building projects throughout Ghana.
The sculptor and modelmaker, whose studio is near Southend, Essex, bought some topographic maps of Ghana from Stanfords. Dave says, “We needed some detailed maps and everyone I asked suggested Stanfords. I found the website and staff on the phone very useful. I also got a good book on Ghana, which went some way to convince my client that I was serious about the project.”
Within just five weeks Dave and his assistant Phil Harlow had produced a 1:250,000 scale relief map of the African country, complete with magnetic surface so that markers could 
be fixed and changed as necessary. He aimed to show as many natural features as he could fit in, but features had had to be exaggerated, as Ghana is quite flat, and at that scale, their tallest point would have been just 3mm high.
He says, “It was very hard work, despite the small scale, the objects themselves were large, awkward things, and the moulds more so. We were under pressure for time, space was limited (we made it as big as my studio could allow) and everything was under such scrutiny, there were so many towns, the names of which were unfamiliar, and politically the map of Ghana has undergone quite some changes over the years (the maps we had date from the 60s, but were still the most up-to-date we could get). But it is a fascinating country; I would like to visit it some day.”
There has been some discussion on an extension to the project, and Dave says he has found that there are very few people producing the same kind of work. He adds, “The modelling of a whole country is very satisfying. My assistant and I are both Lord of the Rings fans, so we have discussed a self-initiated project based on that as a way of promoting our services and aim to start work on that this autumn.”
Dave Taylor can be contacted at:
Unit 8 Park Place, R/o 14 Park Street, Westcliff-on-Sea,
Essex SS0 7PA, tel: 07968 500 602 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 07968 500 602 end_of_the_skype_highlighting; website: www.taylorandharlow.com; email: [email protected].
Author: Rachel Ricks