Deadpan West: The Skeleton Cowboy Who Never Took Off His Hat
He is long past his prime and still has plenty of swagger. Here is what is in the print, why it works in the fall and all year, and how to hang it with Deadpan Rose.
By the Frontier Prints team · Published · Updated
What is in the print
Deadpan West is a skeleton in a cowboy hat, and that is most of the joke. The hat is tan with a brown band. He turns a little to the side, jaw set, collarbones squared, and wears a wide grin with a straight face. There is no horse, no desert, no sunset behind him. Just the cowboy, or what is left of him, on a flat field of burnt orange.
The tagline we wrote for him says it plainly: long gone, still wearing the hat. That is the whole character. He has been out here a very long time and he has not lost an ounce of attitude.
Flat, bold and a little funny
The style is flat vector illustration. Thick black outlines hold every shape, and a short list of colors does the work: cream for the bone, tan for the hat, brown for the band and burnt orange behind him. There is no shading to speak of and no texture to fuss over. That is why he reads from across a room and why he sits well in a modern space as easily as a den full of leather.
It is minimal, but it is not serious. The humor comes from the pose. A skeleton that stands like he is waiting to be asked to dance is funnier than one that is trying to scare you.
Why he shows up this time of year
Burnt orange and a grinning skull make Deadpan West an easy pick for October. He works on a mantel or a bar wall next to pumpkins and a string of lights. The difference between him and most seasonal decor is that he is a cowboy first. When November comes, you do not have to take him down. The orange still suits leather, warm wood and white walls, and the grin still lands.
He is a good gift for exactly one kind of person: a cowboy with a dark sense of humor. If you know one, you already know.
Deadpan Rose, the other half
Deadpan West was made to pair with Deadpan Rose, his skeleton cowgirl counterpart. She wears a tan hat too, with windswept blonde hair, a gold star earring and a mustard and rust bandana, all on dusty pink. Same flat style, same thick black lines. Hung side by side in matching sizes and frames, the orange and the pink play off each other.
The two are sold separately, so order the same size and frame for both. Leave about 2 to 3 in between the frames and hang the pair so its center sits near eye level, around 57 in from the floor.
Deadpan West and Deadpan Rose, a matched pair
Where to hang him
- A den, over a leather chair.
- A bar or game room, where a grin fits the mood.
- A home office that could use less gravity.
- A gallery wall, as the loud one among quieter prints.
Size depends on the job. A 24x36 anchors a wall on its own. A 12x18 fits a shelf or a gallery grid. For a pair over a sofa, two 18x24 prints side by side cover the width without crowding.
Which frame to choose
Walnut with a white mat, the way he is shown, gives him a warm, rustic look. Black makes the graphic outlines pop and suits a modern room. White and natural wood are there too, and frame color costs nothing extra. Prints ship flat in a rigid mailer or rolled in a tube at 8x10 and 11x14 and rolled in a tube at larger sizes; framed pieces ship flat and ready to hang.
More company for the wall
If you want to go beyond the pair, two other prints share his palette or his sense of fun. Admit One is a burnt orange rodeo ticket with a navy bronc rider, so the oranges match. Space Cowboy sends a rider to the edge of a crater under a striped planet, a different kind of strange West.
Prints that hang well with Deadpan West
Questions and answers
Is Deadpan West only Halloween decor?
No. It is a skeleton cowboy print in burnt orange, cream and tan, and it looks right in a den, bar or office all year. It just happens to fit October very well.
Can I buy Deadpan West and Deadpan Rose as a set?
They are sold separately but made as a pair. Order both in the same size and frame color to hang them side by side.
What size Deadpan West should I get?
A 24x36 anchors a wall on its own, and a 12x18 fits a shelf or a gallery grid. For a pair over a sofa, go 18x24 each.