Tips on Engraving a Stone
By Ethan G Scott
From the ancient etchings on the cave walls to crude
deities and also talismans to the modern-day granite
tombstones, people have found the fascinating in
engraving stone. They choose stone as it is a readily
available material and also the material that will last
for more centuries, allowing them in leaving their mark
on the world long after they have departed it. There are
some methods that can be used in engraving stone, but
the most modern methods will allow the carvers to be
more precise in their etchings.
For the first step, you should choose the best stone to
engrave. For the beginners, a stone with the flat
surface just like the river rock will be easier for you
to etch. After that, you need to cover a sturdy table
with the old newspaper. You can draw a simple design on
a flat surface with the china marker or even wax-based
pencil. In doing this, you need to remember that the
etched lines can be lighter than the original color of a
stone.
For the second step, you have to put on the safety
goggles. You need to select the ball tip and then insert
it into your electric engraver. Slowly and also with the
light pressure, trace the outline of the design. It is
important for you to take your time and then get the
feel of the stone that is whittled away with every small
pass of a ball tip.
For the next step, you should use the cone tip in order
to engrave the detail lines. You can add shading and
also dimension to the design by using the cylinder tip.
Remember when you are shading to engrave the lines in
the natural direction. For the example, if you are
engraving a long daffodil leaf, you can engrave the
shading from the tip to the base of a leaf.
For the last step, you can use the damp rag in order to
clear the dust from the surface of the tone therefore
you will see what you have accomplished so far and also
what you have yet to do. When your image has completed,
you can wash and dry the rock. In order to bring out the
detail, you can fill in depressions on the light-colored
rock with the black latex paint. After that, wipe off
every excess with the damp rag. For the dark-colored
stones, you need to try paint in making the image "pop."
Laser engraving supplies will give you various choices
of engraving tools. There are many types of this machine
that you can choose such as metal engravers. This is
really great as your needs. |