Engraving a photo on slate: how it works, and which photo to choose

A photo engraved on slate looks like a black and white print, but on stone. We engrave them to order in our workshop in Talais, in the Médoc: portraits of dogs, family photos, weddings, baby scans. Here is how it works, from choosing the photo to the parcel, and what makes the difference between a striking engraving and a dull one.

How the photo gets onto the stone

Our slates are first painted in three coats: white, grey, then black. The laser then cuts through the black paint wherever the image should be light, revealing the white underneath, dot by dot. A photo becomes thousands of more or less white dots on a black background, with a matt, high-contrast finish.

That is why the result reads from across the room, standing on a sideboard or a mantelpiece. It is also why our slates are decorative objects: the paint is not made for contact with food.

Two sizes

The 30 × 30 cm square slate. This is the one we recommend for a photo: 29 cm of engravable width, enough to keep faces large even in a group photo.

The 28 cm round slate. 27 cm of engravable diameter. It suits a single, centred subject very well: a pet portrait, a baby scan, a couple.

Both cost €49.90, engraving included, with a support to stand them upright.

Which photo to choose

This is the question we are asked most, and it is the one that decides the result.

The subject should be large in the picture. A face that fills a third of the photo comes out very well. Fifteen tiny people in front of a landscape give faces a few millimetres wide, with no recognisable features.

Sharp and well lit. A blurred photo stays blurred once engraved. A backlit photo, with faces in shadow, becomes an engraving where the faces are almost black.

A background that stands apart from the subject. Luna’s portrait works because the dog, light-coloured, stands out clearly. A black dog on a black sofa would get lost.

Think in black and white. The engraving keeps only the light, not the colours. A red jumper and a green wall of the same brightness become the same grey. To get an idea, switch the photo to black and white on your phone: if you still like it, it will engrave well.

A phone photo is plenty. No need for a professional camera or a huge file.

The baby scan is a special case, and one of the most successful: the image is already black and white, very contrasted, and it reads perfectly on slate.

Adding a name or a date

A line of text under the photo changes the whole meaning of the object: “Luna”, “12 weeks”, a wedding date, a family name. We have several fonts, including handwriting styles that go well with a photo. Keep it short: a name or a date reads from a distance, a three-line sentence much less so.

How ordering works

1. You design the engraving online. On the personalisation page, you add the photo, crop it with your finger, and adjust the zoom and contrast. An advanced mode lets you add text, frames and motifs, or several photos. The preview shows the result.
2. We prepare the file. If something is likely to come out badly (a photo that is too dark, text that is too small), we write to you before engraving. If you would rather leave it to us, the workshop layout option (€20) lets us rework the crop, contrast and placement. You then receive the mockup by email, and we only engrave once you approve it.
3. We engrave and finish. Laser engraving in the workshop, cleaning, protective pads under the slate so it doesn’t scratch your furniture.
4. It ships. The slate is ready within 48 to 72 hours, then delivered in 3 to 5 working days, by Colissimo or to a pick-up point. Delivery is free from three slates within France. If you are nearby, you can also collect it free of charge in Talais.

For which occasions

A birth, with the baby scan or the first photo. A wedding, with the first dance or the photo of the proposal. A portrait of a dog or a cat. A family holiday photo for the grandparents. An engraved slate is a gift people keep, and you won’t find it ready-made in a shop.

To get started, choose your size in the shop: the 30 × 30 cm square slate or the 28 cm round slate.

Frequently asked questions

Is a photo taken on a phone good enough for a slate engraving?

Yes. A photo from a recent phone has more than enough pixels for a 30 cm slate. What matters is that it is sharp, well lit, and that the subject fills a good part of the picture.

How long does it take to receive an engraved slate?

The slate is engraved and packed within 48 to 72 hours, then delivered in 3 to 5 working days depending on the carrier. You can also collect it free of charge from the workshop in Talais.

Can you put food on an engraved slate?

Not on ours. They are painted in three coats so that the engraving comes out bright white, and that paint is not meant for contact with food. They are decorative objects, to stand on their support or hang on a wall.