Glass Decorating
Glass Engraving, Crystal Engraving, Glass Printing & Glass Etching are all forms of creating Personalized Glass and Personalised Crystal. Let’s take these in turn:
Glass EngravingTo buy Glassware, with your choice of Glass Engraving design and text, visit The Glass Engraver's Website of your choice for supreme service and a good range to select from. There is a full explanation about Glass Engraving on the associated page, above. A short synopsis is that Deep Engraved Glass is most faithfully reproduced using the ‘sandblasting’ method. An ‘art form’ alternative of Glass Engraving is achieved by using the talents of a Hand Engraver. There are other ways to achieve Engraved Glass. By use of a laser or machine, but the Glass Engraving can look very ‘scratchy’ and several passes are required for thicker lines, leaving signs that are ‘tell-tale’. Also, there is no real depth to the engraving. Sandblast engraving can also achieve Photo-Engraving. This is the engraving of photographs and greyscale artwork, using thousands of dots (a half-tone) to achieve the required image. The closer together the dots, the more white, the further apart, the more black. |
Sandblast Glass Engraving on a Balmoral Glass Tankard |
Crystal EngravingYou can read about the differences between Glassware, Crystal-Glass and Lead Crystal and decide for yourself, which range of products to select. Engraving any of these, from a ‘sandblast’ engraver’s point of view, makes little difference. A Hand-Engraver will definitely prefer not to engrave Glassware, due to its hardness. The same is true for many engravers using Machines; the hard glass blunts cutters. Crystal Engraving is very similar to Glass Engraving in terms of the equipment used, but due to the softness of Crystal, arguably, one can achieve a deeper cut when Crystal Engraving. Laser engravers would prefer to use Crystal-Glass or Lead Crystal because there are less impact marks shown, due to the softness of the material, however, they will still not achieve the creamy white overall effect of sandblasted Crystal Engraving. |
Sandblast Crystal Engraving on WhiteFire Optical Crystal |
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Sub-surface laser engraving is not to be confused with surface laser engraving. Inside the Crystal, the laser creates a ‘fissure’, which is fairly even in shape. Up to half a million fissures can be used to make a 3D sub-surface model. Sub-surface laser engraving is a completely different form of Crystal Engraving to that used on the surface. Personalized GlassAcademic Awards, Corporate Trophies, Corporate Awards, Gifts and Prizes of all genres are far more memorable when presented as Personalized Glass. Everyone likes to see their names engraved in glass and crystal. Maybe it’s a form of recognition, or achievement. A commemoration, in the form of a Birthday Gift is more memorable when Personalized Glass is involved. Most glass and crystal can be engraved, with the exception of fully cut lead crystal. The range of Personalized Glass available on The Glass Engravers Websites is vast and all can be personalized for you to order online. Buy Personalized Glass today and have it delivered to any UK address in time for your next event. All listed Engravers specialise in Personalized Glass and willingly provide proofs prior to engraving, assuring you of your delight on receipt of your order. |
A Personalized Glass Whisky Tumbler |
Personalised CrystalYou can buy Personalised Crystal today, from any of the Glass Engraver's Websites. Personalised Crystal makes great Gifts, Trophies and Corporate Awards because it commemorates occasions and is displayed with pride by the recipient. You can find out about Crystal Engraving here. Briefly, Personalised Crystal is very similar to Personalized Glass. There are several ways of achieving both. Sandblast Glass Engraving and Crystal Engraving looks superior to other forms of commercial engraving, because it has a crisp, deep, white finish, even with broad lines. A good quality piece of Crystal-Glass or Lead Crystal, in the care of a Hand Engraver is an art form, each piece of Crystal taking far longer to engrave than by commercial means. The results can be stunning, due to multiple depths and polished out sections achieved by Hand Engraving. |
Personalised Crystal Tumbler – Long Service Award |
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Machine engraving and surface laser engraving are alternative methods, but both result in more ‘scratchy’ lines and multiple passes are necessary to achieve broad line work. The engraving is ‘bright’ when compared to sandblast engraving, which has a white, matt finish. Personalised Crystal Corporate Awards are very popular and The Glass Engravers Websites offer a large and comprehensive range of Corporate Awards. Corporate Gifts are available to buy online now, bespoke engraved to your specification and delivered on time to any UK address, or worldwide. Personalised Crystal looks good too, with light catching the crystal and being refracted in prismatic colours.
Glass PrintingGlass Printing is available from most of the Glass Engraver's Websites. There are numerous products to select from and you can buy the service of Glass Printing today, in up to 4 colours. The process is known as Pad Printing and is very cost-effective, however, despite many successful tests, it is not guaranteed as being dishwasher-proof. |
Glass Printing on a Champagne flute. |
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Glass Printing by the method of Pad Printing is a very popular option if the Glass Printing is conducted using the Frost colour option. This emulates Glass Engraving in colour and often confuses experts. This single colour, when printed on to Shot Glasses, is very popular for Wedding Gifts. Glass Printing is also a very popular option for inexpensive Bowling Trophies. Bowls clubs often exchange gifts when inter-club tournaments are played and Glass Printing is a budget busting option for cash-strapped clubs. Corporate Gifts benefit from utilising the cost-conscious option of Glass Printing. Paperweights and other small Corporate Gifts become very affordable options and again, the frost colour option looks very much like Glass Engraving, giving a high-perceived value to the Corporate Gift. Etched GlassEtched Glass is a bit of a misnomer and the term Etched Glass is today often incorrectly referred to, instead of Glass Engraving or Crystal Engraving, both of which use anything but acid! Sandblasting, for instance, uses abrasives. |
Etched Glass Today, abrasives are used instead of acid. |
Etched Glass was a common way of making patterned Glassware in the 1920’s. A mould was acid etched with a design, so that glassware made with the mould automatically had the same pattern.
The Victorians made public house windows with patterns, using acid and stencils. This truly was Etched Glass. Waxes were used to make the stencil and acids were used to eat into the glass, making the pattern.
Etched Glass means using acid to make a pattern in Glassware and because Etched Glass requires acids, which require disposing of and the cost for the licence is extortionate, it is rarely accomplished in UK today. Lead Crystal is dipped in acid to polish it and could incorrectly be called Etched Glass. In modern times, Etched Glass is used on vehicle windows, in the form of the VIN number, but this uses an acid paste.
Glass Printing
Glass Printing is available from most of the Glass Engraver Affiliate Websites. There are numerous products to select from and you can buy the service of Glass Printing today, in up to 4 colours. The process is known as Pad Printing and is very cost-effective, however, despite many successful tests, it is not guaranteed as being dishwasher-proof.
Glass Printing by the method of Pad Printing is a very popular option if the Glass Printing is conducted using the Frost colour option. This emulates Glass Engraving in colour and often confuses experts. This single colour, when printed on to Shot Glasses, is very popular for Wedding Gifts. Glass Printing is also a very popular option for inexpensive Bowling Trophies. Bowls clubs often exchange gifts when inter-club tournaments are played and Glass Printing is a budget busting option for cash-strapped clubs.
