Laser Etching...A New Way to Tell the Story

You can learn a lot about someone based on the engravings on his or her headstone and, with modern day technology, history is being told in a whole new way. While the traditional method of memorializing has traditionally revolved around sandblasted stones such as this:

It has now shifted to laser etchings. With laser etching we are able to take this photo:

And turn it into this:

Laser etching, although fairly new, is a great way to capture detail in stone and really tell a story in a way that is simply not possible via sandblasting. Some fun facts about laser etching are:

• We only laser etch on black. Many monument companies will etch on ebony mist or other colors but we do not recommend it as you need a granite grain that does not vary in color so that it does not distort your image once etched.
• By laser etching you can actually fit more text onto one stone. This is because the laser is capable of achieving smaller, more delicate fonts than the sand blaster is.
• Laser etching is a method of engraving the stone and your etching should endure the test of time nicely if it is not painted. Painted laser etchings (i.e. etched and then hand painted on top of the etching) utilize paints that are inevitably suseptible to weathering and are rumored to last approximately 25 years. That fact bothers some folks and does not bother others.
• The laser etching process is pretty simple. When you come in to begin your laser etching we recommend that you bring your artwork with you. If the artwork is digital we recommend it be at 600 dpi. If you don't know what that means then don't worry, I will help you! We will then work up a proof for you to view and welcome any changes you have to the proof. We will continue to work this way until the proof meets your satisfaction and you give us the "okay" to begin work.
  

I hope you found this post to be informative and encourage you to drop me an e-mail, post a comment, or give me a call if you have any questions.