Help needed for engraving this photo onto LaserSketch Black Marble

[Freida Kirkland]

I know, I'm guilty of lurking - but I'll never be able to digest even half of what I read here! Thanks to all for all of the info over the past months - priceless!

Now, in my hour of need - I have a friend whose wife passed recently. He would like to have this picture engraved on a 5x7 oval for the headstone insert.
I ordered the samples from LaserSketch and then ordered the appropriate sized plaques, but when I 'engraved' this photo (processed thru Photograv) I into the granite sample I ended up with a mess! You can only see it when you tilt it sideways and I would never even show his this sample as he would be angry how it's made Mary look like a monster!lol
I'm very afraid since to try the marble sample - I've obviously gotten it very, very wrong! I was so pleased that I was able to photoshop them into the same photo and know there's a way to make this gorgeous - any help would be greatly appreciated!
The photo I've enclosed is the grey bitmap, but can send color if that would make for a better product to work from?
Thank you!
F

[Darren Null]

How about this? Ran it through portrait studio to airbrush a subliminal 'attractiveness' to them both; then in photoshop with the very wonderful shadow/highlight tool to bring out detail. Real image is the zip, the thumbnail is just so you can see it without having to download anything.

EDIT: You don't have the PSD kicking around do you? It would be much better to adjust the 2 people individually on different layers. Also, the woman's hair should be in front of the man. Or at least a few strands. Just looks wrong. Better yet, move them apart a bit so the hair and face don't touch.

[Freida Kirkland]

Thank you Darren for the help :) While looking for where I put the PSD I thought I'd send what I started with - lol...
She does have one of those hairdos - these were from back in the 80's. Also, he didn't want the carnation on his lapel. Seemed like it all was working against me on this one!?
Anyway, I will get the other PSD up, and maybe you can fix it? =D
Thank you so much for the input and the great return photos. Do you know if I have to use/should use PhotoGrav to process them for the laser, or if they should go as is? I know, it's a stupid question probably, but even after all of these months I stll have so much to learn!
f

[Freida Kirkland]

You know, I know it's on this computer somewhere, but I surely cannot find it - maybe just too tired?
I will try to find it in the morning again...
Thanks again!
f

[Tim Bateson]

Freida, What engraver are you using & are you engraving a negative or positive image?

[Frank Corker]

What I can't figure out is why you have flipped the picture horizontally. Everyone's face will look wrong unless they are like Sade who has a perfectly symetrical face. Mike that thing you have run through to soften has also created a visible non white background.

[Frank Corker]

...on the picture of the lady, another thing that might help it blend easier is to remove the obstructions of her hands to help balance the image.

[Jack Harper]

Separate to the issues of the image, if the piece you want to insert into the headstone is true marble, it will not last. Marble is not suitable for exterior use, due to its sedimentary composite makeup. You need to use a granite insert. Just remember it will need to be lasered at a lower resolution than marble.

[Tim Bateson]

Nicely done Frank.

[Darren Null]

I had a go with the original Jim and Frank's 'hands free' Mary Lou.
The PSD won't fit on the board, so it's here:
http://lasering.x10hosting.com/jimmarylou.zip

It's one of those images where you can never stop playing, so it's at a 'that'll do' stage. Otherwise I'll still be here tomorrow doing it with my list of things I'm avoiding as full as ever.

[Freida Kirkland]

Holy Moley!! I'm so sorry everyone! All this time I've been checking my email to see if anyone's responded! lol Wow, was I surprised when I came on to check personally!
Sorry for the exclamation marks, but my gosh, you all are ever so wonderful!

I REALLY love it without the hands. I don't know why I turned everyone around - just started that way, but I guess I also thought it would look better if they were facing the headstone. Didn't realize they would be anyway!lol

That looks awesome! Since I'm very new at this engraving on marble/granite I sure appreciate the advice. I've been reading the forum about it and have a MUCH better idea of what to do now. Still wished I had those LaserSketch settings that the one lady was referring to, but I guess I can contact them directly about it...

Now, it DOES have to be inverse, correct? Also, I figure the settings in granite would be about 200 for a 25watt epilog? or should it be lower? and lastly, good thing about the marble - I didn't realize it wouldn't hold up!?!

Thank you so soooo much everyone! This forum is, as I said before, priceless!

25w epilog
photograv 2.XX

[Tim Bateson]

I would also do it without PhotoGrav. Live by the KISS principle.

[Bill Cunningham]

Laser sketch marble is NOT real marble, and it will stand up outside.. Remember to engrave it like granite.. Use the generic granite setting in photograv to process the picture, ignore any speed or power settings it recommends.. You can use 300 dpi @ 100%power, and 80-90% speed.. Granite etches easy, but is not as forgiving as 'real' marble.. I would recommend sealing the stone first, to close up any microscopic holes, then etch, and rub in some titanium white oil paint. (Lasersketch like regular granite will etch gray) Let it sit overnight, then rub off the excess paint. Let it sit for a few more days, then seal it again with stone sealer.. After another day or so, you can use a polymer car polish to bring up the luster of the stone.

High power and high speed is the secret to this stuff... I use exactly the same technique for their super black granite..

[Freida Kirkland]

I'm very glad for the samples they sent! I will try it both ways - so the ABMarble isn't real marble? hummm
Well, 'boss' says he wants to use the 'marble' so I will try this method Bill on the 'marble' sample and see what happens. That ABGranite sure was a disaster!!lol
Too high on the dpi though I'm sure.
I read about using the Armour All on the stuff before engraving to get it high white. Is that still something that ya'll use, or is the above method the one of choice these days? Seems like I'm always reading posts from 2004 and 2006, but am thinking, "tried and true" or "tried and discarded?"

Thanks again for the tips and advice - absorbing it all! But, Bill your avatar still scares me!lol

Thank you,
F

[Brian Knuckles]

Hello F.

Why don't you use white rub-n-buff to get it to stick out more? Also, I wouldn't run it through photograv you loose some of the quality.

[Bill Cunningham]

The laser sketch stuff needs photograv, if it was real marble it would turn white, and could be done using the halftone driver in the laser. As a matter of fact, if it was real marble, you could probably go over it twice to whiten it up more without doing it any harm at all.. Doing that, would kill a piece of granite (or laser sketch marble) This stuff has to be treated like granite.. Armourall does nothing for this stuff..
The laser sketch 'marble' etches quite nice when you get your speed up, but it etches gray like granite. and needs to be whitened. I would be real curious to know what it actually is (is there a rock hound in the house?) It's a very hard, very dense, polished black stone, and unlike granite, seems to have no quartz content (the sparkly bits).. I Like real marble, but this stuff is much more durable..

[Freida Kirkland]

Hi all :) Well, I did it. He had decided to go with the Absolute Black marble from LaserSketch and it did come out well. But I think it could've been better! I always do, but in this case it feels like the darn thing is going to wash away in a heavy rainstorm!?! I know, it's not, but it seems like it - could've been brighter, deeper, etc...
Any opinions? I'm very sorry that I didn't get a picture, but he showed up with hands out just as soon as I got it done(I think there was a spy watching!!lol)
He's so happy with it that he wants another for his home - to place on an easel... before I do that tho, I wanted to check with ya'll on settings. It would be nice if this next one turned out better! if possible...
I have a Epilog 25w and didn't use photograv this last time. Should I this next? I also coated and buffed with Armor All Protectant - I wished I had the pic to show ya. Hard to see if there 'could' be an improvement..
Everyone loved it - but me. It's so hard to be the only pilot in a plane that's about to crash; You know things aren't right, but you are the only one!
Thank you gang for all the help,
Freida

[Freida Kirkland]

Well, I went back and read everything over. I guess I missed a few things! I did run this at 250dpi and it came out very detailed - I will try rubbing in some white on this next one. The process always scares me as it can be hard to remove without removing what you do want... I guess practice makes perfect on that? lol
Anyway, going to use Bill's advice on this and run it at the settings he suggested. I think they will be better than what I used, which was slightly lower on power. After my granite experience I would be terrified to run it thru again!
I'll leave off the Armor All and buff in white. Etch at this higher power setting and can I get a final on whether to use Photograv or not? lol As this is not 'true' marble - someone mentioned "Chinese Marble"?, then I should use the generic granite setting or what about the Black marble setting?
Is there ever a dead-set answer to any of the engraving techniques?

[Bill Cunningham]

Is there ever a dead-set answer to any of the engraving techniques?Probably not..ha.. On the lasersketch 'marble', @25 watts, 80-100% power, and 80-100% speed @ 300 dpi will work fine.. it may not look 'real good' until you pull it out of the laser and rub in the titanium white, I use a small amount, spread over the image with a squeegee..and leave it on over night then buff it off. (this will bring out even the smallest detail) Once dry, (several days) a good stone sealer, followed by some turtle wax color cure car polish (or anoher quality polymer polish) to finish it off..