How should I create decorative metalwork for an antique gun model?

Zach3D

Would I use a sculpting program and actually sculpt it into the highpoly model? Or paint using height in Substance Painter then bake it into my normal map? Or do something else entirely? Something similar to the image.

Eric Chadwick

This thread might give you some ideas
http://polycount.com/discussion/178483/old-rifle