How to Design Granite Tombstone By Hand Etching?

Impact etching art of granite tombstone

Hand etching is a beautiful process. Artists carve exquisite patterns on granite. It takes many years and a lot of practice to improve this process. The people who make this art form are very respected and pay strong attention to details. Their works are permanent and cannot be repaired if they make mistakes. These fine craftsmen are the backbone of customized graphics in the monument industry.

1. The process of etching

When an artist receives an order to create a custom hand etch, he must first draw the scene with a pencil. Many hours of thinking and sketching are used to create the details described by the customer. Once the original drawing is completed, the artist transfers it to a stone that can be printed out in full size by tracing paper. The customer will then enter the business and check to ensure that the drawings meet expectations and ensure that the size rendering is exactly the same as they depict. Once the painting was approved, the artist began to complete the task of reconstructing the painting on the stone.

2. Tools for manual etching design

Hand etching design requires special tools to make the carving visible on the hard granite surface. Transfer paper (a thin, sticky white paper) is placed between the picture and the stone. The artist outlined his painting on the black granite surface, leaving the basic outline. Then use a limestone pencil to shade the untouchable parts of the painting. Etching on stone is different from painting because you start with a black background and have to pull out the highlights. The most important tool is called a pen etcher. This is a small tool like a pen, similar to a tattoo needle. At a certain point of the electric pen, there is a diamond pointed hammer, which swings up and down at different speeds and forces. Artists fine tune these settings to create heavier or lighter markers, depending on the area of the picture. After etching, the rough surface shall be coated with photoresist paint and scraped off with a razor blade after drying. This leaves paint in the engraving area and draws a greater contrast in the final picture.

3. Another fact about hand etching tombstones

The average etching time of the whole scenic spot is usually between 4-5 hours. If, for some reason, the artist makes a mistake that cannot be repaired or reprocessed, the stone must be polished or remade.