About the Course
Hand Engraving I
Learn line cutting, shading, and background treatments — no prior experience required.
This beginner workshop builds core hand engraving skills from the ground up: bench and equipment setup, graver sharpening, design transfer, line-cutting technique, and shading and background treatments. By the end of five days you'll have engraved your own mild steel and bronze practice plates covering every technique taught.
Class Details
Duration: 5 days (Monday–Friday)
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (one-hour lunch)
Class size: 4 students max
Prerequisite: None — open to beginners with no prior engraving experience
What's included: Tools provided for in-class use; materials and finished practice plates are yours to keep
Skills You'll Gain
Set up and calibrate a microscope, pneumatic machine, and ball vise for precise engraving work
Sharpen gravers to a clean, precise cutting edge using correct geometry and angle
Transfer a design onto mild steel or bronze and lay out a composition for engraving
Cut straight lines, curves, and intricate patterns, selecting the right graver and controlling depth and pressure
Engrave running borders — continuous decorative edge patterns
Apply shading and background treatments to add depth and contrast to a design
Day-by-Day
Day 1 — Workbench and equipment setup: bench layout and ergonomics; setting up and calibrating a microscope, pneumatic machine, and ball vise; using work-holding fixtures to secure your piece.
Day 2 — Graver sharpening and cutting geometry: sharpening technique and the correct angle and geometry for clean, precise cuts.
Day 3 — Design transfer and line cutting: transferring a design onto mild steel or bronze, laying out a composition, and cutting straight lines, curves, patterns, and running borders with depth and pressure control.
Day 4 — Shading and background treatments: techniques for adding depth, dimension, and contrast to an engraved design.
Day 5 — Class project: apply line cutting, shading, and background treatments together on a final practice piece, with instructor feedback.
What This Class Doesn't Cover In-depth shading technique (this course teaches shading fundamentals, not mastery-level work); drawing or originating your own designs (this course covers transferring an existing design onto the piece, not creating one from scratch); and block, script, and decorative letter engraving, covered in Decorative Alphabets & Monograms.
What You'll Leave With Engraved mild steel and bronze practice plates demonstrating line work, running borders, shading, and background treatments.