I had a local gal reach out to me recently to see if I could engrave a photo on wood. I knew it was possible, but I’ve never tried it. She really wanted to support someone local (I LOVE this outlook!) was gracious enough to let me learn on her project. So, I jumped on YouTube, pulled out my Photoshop, and got my learn on!
This was a challenge because the subject, being a black dog, has very little contrast to begin with. The first run is the more brown-colored image. It has a lot of detail and relief on its surface – the darker sections are deeper engraves. I wanted to see if I could get a better image using a different technique. The other image is the same photo, but engraved on a piece of wood coated in a Borax solution. The laser reacts with the Borax and creates a darker color – allowing the image details to pop a bit more. This one is run at much lower laser power and, therefore does not have as much relief on the surface, but it definitely allows more contrast on the black dog subject.
These are both 8″x10″ on 1/8″ Baltic Birch ply. Thank you so much for trusting me with this unique and thoughtful gift!
