Laser engraving design instructions
Your photo, text or logo becomes part of the material. A good design therefore takes sharpness, size and the surface into account. Read these instructions before ordering your personalised gift.
1. Start with the best file
The editor accepts JPG, PNG and WebP files up to 10 MB per image. Use the original file from your camera, phone or design software. A larger file is not automatically sharper: enlarging a small image cannot restore lost detail.
Works well
A sharp original photo or a large, properly exported image. Edges remain clear when you zoom in.
Works less well
A screenshot, thumbnail, heavily compressed chat photo or an image with blocky pixels, blurred edges or a watermark.
PDF, SVG, AI and EPS files cannot be uploaded directly through the current photo uploader. Export the design as a sharp PNG or contact us for advice first. PNG files can have a transparent background.
2. Choose a photo that stays clear
The editor converts photos to grayscale. Two different colours can become the same shade of grey, so also check the preview after uploading your photo.
Works well
A clear subject, sharp eyes, soft even light and enough contrast between the subject and the background. A close-up portrait leaves more room for facial detail.
Works less well
Motion blur, faces in deep shadow, strong backlighting, blown-out white areas or a busy background that blends into the subject.
Use ‘Remove background’ when useful. Then carefully check hair, ears, hands and fine edges: automatic cut-outs can remove details or leave unwanted parts behind. Marks, dust, borders and dates in your image may also become visible in the engraving.
Small product? Choose fewer subjects. One face on a bottle-opener coaster or candy-jar lid will usually remain more recognisable than a group of people on the same surface.
We choose the engraving method for your design
You do not need to choose a laser image mode yourself. After reviewing the design and material, we decide which processing method is most suitable. Clear black-and-white line art, logos and text are usually best reproduced as solid black/white shapes. Photos and smooth tonal transitions are often processed with a dot pattern / dithering, for example Jarvis, where shades of grey are represented by the density and distribution of black dots.
In both cases the laser may physically scan the design line by line. The important difference is how the image is converted before engraving: solid areas and lines versus a dithered pattern of dots. We choose the method that gives the clearest result for your design.
3. Give text and logos enough space
Works well
Short text, a clear font, solid lines and enough space between letters and separate elements. Preferably add text using the editor's text fields.
Works less well
Very small letters, hairline-thin lines, lots of text on a small surface or a logo with details placed almost against each other.
Fine lines can disappear during engraving and details placed close together can merge. As a practical design guideline, we use an effective minimum detail size of about 0.4 mm for lines, gaps and separate details that need to remain clearly recognisable. This is not the optical resolution of the laser: material, focus, heat and the final engraving size also affect the result. Details smaller than about 0.4 mm may disappear, close up or merge. Unsure about a fine logo or small text? Ask us for advice before ordering.
Carefully check names, spelling, capital letters and dates yourself. An error that is already present in the supplied design can also appear on the finished product.
4. Design for the engraving area
The indicated engraving area in the editor is the guiding boundary. Keep important elements comfortably inside this area. Do not place important details right against the edge, and check for unintended overlap between text and images.
An image may extend partly outside the area in the editor to create a crop. Do not assume that the part outside the engraving area will also be engraved.
5. The material determines the appearance
Wood and bamboo
The engraving becomes darker than the surface. Wood grain, bamboo strips, texture and natural colour differences remain visible and can make the result lighter or darker in some areas. Large dark areas therefore do not always engrave completely evenly.
Slate
The engraving appears light on the dark surface. The editor therefore shows slate products with a light engraving preview. Upload your photo normally and do not make it a negative yourself. The natural texture of the stone remains visible.
Photos on product pages are examples. A different photo, crop or piece of natural material can produce a different appearance. An engraving cannot reproduce the same colours and fine colour gradients as a colour photo on paper.
6. Check this before ordering
- I am using the sharpest file I have available.
- My subject remains recognisable in the grayscale preview.
- Names, spelling, dates and selected fonts are correct.
- The crop, position, size and any overlap are intentional.
- Important details are inside the engraving area and not on a hole, edge or seam.
- Important lines, gaps and separate details are preferably about 0.4 mm or larger at the final engraving size.
- I understand how my design will appear on wood, bamboo or slate.
- If in doubt, I ask for advice before ordering.
This checklist helps you review your design. It is not an automatic check or approval of your design by Carved Crafts.
7. What do we agree with each other?
Your design: you choose and check the supplied file, text, crop and placement. We use the design submitted with your order. Do not assume that retouching, repair of a blurry photo or text correction is included unless we have expressly agreed this with you beforehand.
Our work: we remain responsible for carrying out the order carefully and for supplying a product that meets what was agreed and what you may reasonably expect.
Difference from the on-screen preview: natural material variation and the limitations explained above can influence the appearance. A difference from your expectation is therefore not automatically a production fault. Conversely, this explanation is not a reason to reject every deviation or complaint.
Not satisfied? Contact us with your order number, clear photos of the product you received and a description of the difference. We compare the order, submitted design and result and discuss an appropriate solution. Your statutory rights in the event of a defective product remain fully applicable.
These design instructions are intended to help you and make expectations clear. They are not a general exclusion of liability or warranty.
8. Tips & tricks
A few simple choices can make a big difference to the engraving. Use these tips to get to a clear design faster.
Choose a font quickly
For small text, start with a thicker, simple font. Decorative fonts work best when there is enough space. The overview below shows the fonts currently available in our editor, using the same names as in the dropdown menu.
Keep small designs simple
The smaller the engraving area, the fewer tiny details it can hold. One strong subject, short text and enough white space usually look better than many small elements.
Turn a photo into line art with AI
A clear black-and-white line drawing can engrave beautifully because the design contains strong edges and very little ambiguous shading. Portraits, pets, houses, vehicles and simple objects are often good candidates.
You can create line art yourself with an AI image tool that can edit a photo. Upload the original photo and ask it to keep the subject recognisable, remove the background, use strong black lines on white, avoid grey fills and simplify very small details. Always compare the result carefully with the original: AI can unintentionally change faces, hands, text or small features.
Export or download the result at the highest available resolution. Do not make a screenshot of the AI result if you can save the original generated image.
Crop before adding detail
Bring the important subject closer instead of filling empty background with more decoration. A tighter crop gives faces, names and logos more usable engraving area.
Add text in our editor
If possible, add names and messages with the editor's text fields instead of baking them into a photo. This keeps letters sharper and makes size and placement easier to adjust.
Use contrast, not filters
A naturally clear photo is better than a heavily filtered one. Brighten shadows or increase contrast only when needed; extreme filters can remove detail that cannot be recovered during engraving.
Leave breathing room
Do not push faces, letters or logos right against the edge of the engraving area. A little empty space around the design usually makes the finished engraving look cleaner.
Design for the material
On wood and bamboo, dark filled areas can compete with the grain. On slate, a clean light engraving stands out strongly. The same image can therefore benefit from a different treatment on another material.
Unsure? Make two versions
For a difficult photo, compare a simplified line-art version with a photo/dither version. If you are unsure which is better, send both to us before ordering and we can advise you.
Not sure? Ask us first.
Send us your photo or design and tell us which product you want engraved. We can then advise you on suitability and layout.
Ask for advice about my designDesign instructions — version 24 September 2026.