Photo Engraving Tutorial

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💡 How to Successfully Engrave Photographs onto Wood and Metal

Engraving photographs with a laser can produce breathtaking results — but it takes more than just loading a picture and pressing start! In this guide, we’ll walk you through choosing the right images, editing them properly, selecting the best materials, setting up LightBurn, and troubleshooting common issues. 🌐

📸 Choosing the Right Image

Not every photo is a good candidate for laser engraving! Here’s what you should look for:

  • High Resolution: Images should be at least 300 DPI (dots per inch) for clear detail.
  • Good Lighting: Photos with high contrast and even lighting engrave best.
  • Simple Backgrounds: Busy backgrounds can look messy when engraved. Focus on portraits or simple subjects.

✨ Tip: Black-and-white photos often engrave better than colour ones!

📱 Editing Images for Laser Engraving

Even a perfect photo needs editing before it’s ready to engrave. Follow these steps:

  1. Convert to Grayscale: Remove all colour.
  2. Adjust Contrast and Brightness: Boost contrast to make darks darker and lights lighter.
  3. Sharpen Details: Use sharpening tools lightly to define edges.
  4. Resize Properly: Match the photo’s dimensions to your engraving area.
  5. Dither the Image: Apply a dithering pattern (like Jarvis or Stucki) to simulate greyscales.

🌐 Programs like Photoshop, GIMP (free!), or LightBurn itself can handle these edits.

🛠️ Recommended LightBurn Settings

Settings will vary based on your material and machine, but here are general starting points:
For Wood (e.g., coated plywood):

  • Power: 20%-30%
  • Speed: 1200-1800 mm/min (adjust depending on your laser)
  • DPI: 250-300
  • Mode: Image mode > Jarvis dithering

For Metal (e.g., anodized aluminium):

  • Power: 80%-100%
  • Speed: 600-900 mm/min
  • DPI: 300
  • Mode: Image mode > Stucki dithering

⚠️ Always run a small test area first! Different materials absorb energy differently.

🛋️ Best Materials for Photo Engraving

Choosing the right canvas is as important as choosing the right image!
🌳 Wood:

  • Coated plywood (like Baltic Birch)
  • Solid hardwoods (like maple or cherry)
  • Avoid soft woods like pine; they burn unevenly.

💉 Metal:

  • Anodized aluminium (coated for contrast)
  • Brass plates (use Cermark or marking spray if not coated)

🖊️ Smooth, coated surfaces deliver the best photographic detail!

⚡ Common Problems and How to Fix Them

1. Engraving Looks Blurry:

  • Check focus height. Laser should be precisely focused.
  • Lower speed slightly for crisper lines.

2. Image Looks Too Light or Dark:

  • Tweak the contrast more aggressively in editing.
  • Adjust power settings up or down by small amounts.

3. Loss of Detail:

  • Increase DPI slightly (but watch speed and power to avoid burning).
  • Sharpen the original image a bit more.

4. Burning or Charring on Wood:

  • Lower your laser power or increase speed.
  • Try a different wood with a finer grain.

📷 Final Thoughts

Laser-engraving photographs is part art, part science. 🎨🔬 With practice — and by following the steps above — you’ll be producing stunning, crisp photo engravings that capture memories in a whole new way.
Ready to bring your images to life? 📸 Let’s get engraving!

(*Next up: We’ll create a landscape image to accompany this article!*)