my bodhran (goat skin head) has a decal on it but it is wearing out where the "drum-stick" (tripper or beater) hits it. it seems it would last the best if it (the color) sinks into the skin rather than sitting on top of it--I would think the epoxy thing might deaden the sound by thickening the surface. by "gets a lot of stick" do you mean this is adrum you play with drum sticks? good luck and let us know how it turns out..