By learning to carve stones you can find ways to create artistic and decorative pieces that last a lifetime using materials available everywhere. Although the rock is very hard, the engraving work is not extremely strenuous; with the right tools, a few skills and a little practice you can carve beautiful designs into stones for your home, garden or gift.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Gather the Material
Step 1. Find a rock
Your skills and the design you want to make determine the type of stone you need.
- Pieces with a flat surface, such as river stones, are best for beginners.
- Softer sedimentary rocks (such as sandstone, soapstone and limestone) can be drilled more easily.
- Keep your eyes peeled when spending time on the beach, in the garden and outdoors for good rocks, or buy rocks to carve at your local craft store.
Step 2. Purchase an electric engraver or Dremel type rotary tool
Alternatively, you can use a pointed chisel and hammer (or sledgehammer), but the power tool makes the job much easier.
- Choose a model with interchangeable tips.
- The carbide tip is perfect for engraving soft stones such as soapstone, limestone and sandstone; the diamond one lends itself to work on the hardest stones or wood.
- Engraving tips come in various shapes and sizes; for an elementary decoration, the standard carbide one supplied with the tool should be sufficient. Over time you can make more complex designs using a conical tip for precise lines and a cylindrical tip to create shading and give a certain three-dimensionality to the decoration.
- You can purchase the electric engravers and the Dremel at a DIY store, hardware store, and online.
Step 3. Get some crayons, a marker or stencil materials
By drafting the design on the stone before using the engraver, you save yourself a lot of "missteps" in the long run.
- You can use wax crayons, greasy pencils, or permanent markers for this.
- You can easily make a stencil with cardstock or acetate sheet and a utility knife.
- Beeswax and latex paint are optional products that you can use to add sheen or color to the decoration.
Step 4. Purchase safety glasses
You should wear the wraparound ones during any engraving project, because as you work, dust and small stone chips are released into the air that can damage your eyes.
Step 5. Get a bowl of water
Make sure it is large enough to immerse the stone in; you need to cool and clean the material during engraving.
Part 2 of 4: Creating the Design
Step 1. Choose a stone decoration
The level of your skills, the size and shape of the stone, as well as its intended use all play an important role in creating the design. Beginners can start with some inspirational words, a name, some flowers, some leaves, the sun, or other elementary shapes.
- Make a custom decoration or write the word you want to engrave.
- Look for printable stencil designs on web pages.
- Create a graphical representation with your computer. Trace a picture or write a word using any typeface of your choice. Modify the size to fit the stone and print in black and white.
Step 2. Create a draft or stencil of the decoration
Whether you want to engrave an image, such as a flower or a feather, or write a word, the presence of a sketch or a stencil to follow greatly facilitates the procedure and allows you to obtain a more graceful finished product.
- Practice portraying the decoration on paper before returning it to stone.
- Prepare a stencil. If you have printed an image to use, place it on a sheet of tracing paper and trace the edges with a pencil; then fix this sketch on a piece of cardboard or acetate using masking tape and cut out the design with a utility knife.
Step 3. Practice carving on a "spare" stone
Familiarize yourself with the process by using a stone similar to the one in the final design.
- Use the electric engraver by moving it in different directions to create straight lines that run through the material.
- Apply variable pressure. Trace the guidelines with a light touch and then engrave others with more pressure; observe the differences between the different traits.
- Draw circles or other shapes on the stone.
- If you want to write a word, practice tracing the letters.
Part 3 of 4: Prepare the Stone
Step 1. Clean it
Scrub the dirt and debris off the surface using a wet rag; then dry it with a clean cloth or in the air.
Step 2. Transfer the design to the stone
Draw a sketch of the decoration using a crayon, a marker or attach the stencil to the stone.
- Use the wax crayon if the stone is rough or porous; the greasy pencil and permanent marker are suitable for smooth and almost glassy surfaces.
- Place the stencil in the place you prefer on the stone; secure it with masking tape so it doesn't move as you engrave the decoration.
Step 3. Block the stone
Once you have engraved a mark on the material, you cannot erase it, so you must make sure that the stone does not move while you work.
- If you are using a flat surface that does not roll or slip, you can simply place it on the work table.
- By placing a piece of non-slip coating under the stone, you ensure that the stone does not move.
- If the stone is not flat on the bottom, you can hold it in place using a vise or bench jaw available from the hardware store.
Part 4 of 4: Engrave the Stone
Step 1. Trace the lines of the design with the electric engraver
Set the tool to minimum speed and slowly trace the contours of the decoration with light, continuous touches.
- Start from the main lines, create a first draft with shallow strokes to outline the image.
- Continue reviewing the drawing with the power tool. Instead of pressing hard on the surface to increase the depth of the incision, return several times to the same line with a light hand.
- Periodically dip the stone into the bowl of water to cool it; in this way, you also eliminate the residues left in the incisions and see better what you are doing.
- Continue carving the lines until they are at the depth you want.
- Add the shadows and other details; engrave lighter lines following the direction of the main ones to create a shadow effect.
Step 2. Clean the stone
When finished, wash it in the bowl of water or rub it with a wet cloth; wait for it to air dry or use a clean towel.
- If you want the decoration to be shiny, use a cloth to apply and polish the beeswax on the surface; in this way, the design stands out and has more sparkle.
- If you are going to apply color, use latex paint to fill in the incisions; to make your work stand out, apply the black one on light stones and the white one on dark stones.
Step 3. Display your creation
Place the stone at home, on the porch, in the garden or give it to someone as a personalized gift.
- You can take the larger stones and use them as lose for garden paths.
- Heavy ones are perfect doorstops or supports to hold books on shelves.
- Pebbles engraved with motivating words or special dates are perfect as gifts.
Warnings
- Crushing the stone produces a fine dust that is dangerous for humans and animals; this substance can cause silicosis, a fatal lung disease. When working stones you should always wear an approved respirator with a P100 particle filter. For this reason, the United States and Canada have banned silica-based products.
- Always wear safety glasses when engraving stone.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions when using the Dremel or electric engraver.
- Keep the engraver or rotary tool away from the bowl of water to avoid the risk of electrocution.
