Full Version: First black marble with photo

From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#1]
 31 Mar 2007
To: ALL

Thought you guys might want to critique my first attempt at lasering a photo onto black marble. This is a memorial plaque to be sent to my cousin's widow. Cancer got him two weeks ago.

The photo was scanned from a good color studio photo. Cropped and adjusted in Corel Photopaint. (scanned at 600dpi originally then adjusted to 300dpi to send to Photograv). Dropped into Photograv, autoprocessed using the blackmarble.prm. Then imported into the Corel Draw layout, no resize, just placed where it was supposed to be.

When I lasered it, I lasered the photo first at 300dpi setting to match the photograph. When that finished, I dropped the photo out of the layout, and ran the text at 600dpi. I applied ArmorAll prior to lasering to make the white pop out more. (it worked, I ran this prior on a piece of marble that had a pattern that I didn't want to send but keep for myself and their was a noticible difference).

Anyway, there it is. Comments appreciated. (The photo of the post is not too hot, it's hard to photograph that stuff) I was also kind of miffed because the marble had grain or whatever you call it right on my subjects nose in the picture, but, such is life.

From: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#2]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#1] 31 Mar 2007

Larry,
This looks great! Where did you get the black marble.prm? I've got generic black granit but can't find a PRM for black marble...

Mike

From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#3]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#2] 31 Mar 2007

It was on the Photograv CD. They put them out as new parameters. You have to load them as you need them. I dropped all that they sent over in the main parameters folder. They won't show up in the drop down where you set your material, you'll have to load manually. If you need it, I can send you the file. PM me and I'll e-mail it to you.

From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#4]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#1] 31 Mar 2007

Larry,

Looks like your engraving settings were perfect.

As an opinion on the typesetting:

1) I wouldn't run the lines so close to the edges of the plaque.

2) Letter heights are a bit out of balance. I would make a more subtle transition between pt. sizes. It doesn't take much of a difference in type hts. to create a noticeable visual difference, in lines you want to accentuate.

Without so much emphasis on the size of type, you may have been able to make the photo larger and more of a focal point of the piece.

EDITED: 31 Mar 2007 by DGL

From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#5]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#4] 31 Mar 2007

Yes Dave, their was a good bit to get in that small space, so I was probably off some on my proportions. My design work tends to be a little weak sometimes. Thanks for the tip.

From: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#6]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#3] 31 Mar 2007

Larry,
Thanks! I found it on my photograv disk...I thought all of them were loaded when I installed...man! a year of wishing I had this and it was there all along!

Mike

From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#7]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#6] 31 Mar 2007

Hahaha! I'm glad you found it! I didn't know but what it was on a newer release of the CD since I just got it a few days ago. I was kind of at a loss as to what was going on when I used the Load Parameters feature, I expected it to appear in the drop down list. When it didn't, I called them and they said it didn't do that. Just select it from the file for the material you are working with and your good to go. So, I did, and it apparently worked. Good luck! B-)

From: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#8]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#7] 31 Mar 2007

Larry,
Couple of more questions and I'll leave you alone.

1. You mentioned getting an upgraded disk...what version of photograv do you have? mine is 2.11 (I think)

2. What power and speed settings did you use for your photo? Do you use the setting on the "info" page in photograv?

Thanks,

Mike

From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#9]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#5] 31 Mar 2007

Larry,

Thank you for taking my critique in stride. I hate to criticize a person's work, but typography is an area where sometimes less is more.

I'm sure you'll refine your layout skills. Practice makes perfect.

The engraving results, especially for a first time out, are excellent!!

Very nice.

From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#10]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#8] 31 Mar 2007

I have 2.11 also. They did send me another disc, but we had trouble with the original install. My laptop didn't like the disc, although all of the other computers here liked it OK. I finally ended up having to run the setup file from my hard drive where I had copied it using a removable jump drive from one of the other machines. But it works OK.

You know, I think I just used the settings that were in the Epilog manual for power and speed. I did use the autoprocess feature in Photograv though. But I did kinda run it in two parts as I explained. Ran the photo at 300dpi then the text at 600. I put that Armorall on there and that worked to make it whiter too.

From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#11]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#9] 31 Mar 2007

Oh, I agree. I constantly have to guard against laying out too much information on signs especially. I think they say that a person has about 6 seconds to read a sign from a moving vehicle. The preportions are important too. I asked for a critique, did I not? :/

From: MIKEY (JADEPUTTERS) [#12]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#1] 1 Apr 2007

Larry,

As for the grain on his nose, I find a good ol #2 lead pencil is good for shading some of those spots. Just a light touch. It works on granite anyway

From: Goodvol (JIMGOOD) [#13]
 31 Mar 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#11] 1 Apr 2007

Larry,

Was his daughter's name really Gennifer? Should it have been "Jennifer" or is it a case of a unique spelling of a common name?

Jim

From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#14]
 1 Apr 2007
To: Goodvol (JIMGOOD) [#13] 1 Apr 2007

Yep Gennifer with a G. Thanks for looking

From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#15]
 1 Apr 2007
To: MIKEY (JADEPUTTERS) [#12] Unread

OK, I've still got it here until tomorrow. I look at the pencil trick. My first thought is that it would be too dark. Thanks for the tip.

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#16]
 1 Apr 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#15] 1 Apr 2007

Larry:

My compliments on the quality of your engraving.

I agree with David's remarks. One of the things newer people seem to do is to fill up the entire substrate when in fact the work would look better if there were an imaginary border or margin around the engraving.

I would have probably used a font like Times New Roman for the copy at the bottom as well.

But you're off to a great start.

From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#17]
 1 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#16] 1 Apr 2007

Mike, thanks for the critique.

New? 8-O I may be other things but one thing I ain't is new(at least not in years). Sixty two years old in July. Been doing graphics and computer work for nigh on to 25 years now. Yes, laser is totally new to me, but not CNC sign work or rotary engraving. I had a lot of information to get in a small space, didn't have a huge choice. Font change might have helped though, Commercial Script is a dignified looking font to me, I use it a good bit.

EDITED: 1 Apr 2007 by PALMETTO

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#18]
 1 Apr 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#17] 2 Apr 2007

Larry:

You're just a kid.

I like Commercial Script too, merely suggesting using more than one font.

From: William Desrochers (DRAKESIS) [#19]
 2 Apr 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#1] 2 Apr 2007

quote:
first attempt at lasering a photo onto black marble


I think you nailed it, nice job!

From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#20]
 2 Apr 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#1] 2 Apr 2007

VERY impressive!!

Now pat yourself on the back, and take a big bow!!

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