Ready-Made or Customized 3D Engraving - Which Works For You?

3D engraving allows for unique designs with a variety of materials, from the beautiful shine of glass to the sturdy and natural feel of hardwood. This makes for wonderful trophies, plaques, commemorations, statuettes and all-around gifts for those near and dear to you.The exact design of the piece, however, will be up to you. Will you choose a design from a catalogue of premade designs or will you commission a studio to create a unique piece from scratch? If you are not sure about which method will best suit your needs, then you may want to consider the following factors:

Significance

If you plan to present a gift or award that holds a lot of significance for you and/or the recipient, then a custom 3D engraving will give you the artistic freedom you need. This is, of course, not saying that premade designs have little to no significance. On the contrary, many artists pour their creative souls into their works. You simply need to find a work or two that resonates strongly with the symbolism you have in mind. If, however, you cannot find such works that touch on the significant symbolisms that you seek, you will need to work closely with an artist to create a design that will satisfy your needs.

Time

Time is one of the biggest factors that will determine your choice. You can spend as little as a few minutes selecting a design from a catalogue, wherein the printers can start doing their work ASAP. This is the ideal solution for when you need a quick gift or trophy for a sudden event. Customized designs, however, will demand a lot of time on your end. You will not only need to explain the design you have in mind to the artist you plan to work with, but you will also need to check up on the design as it evolves. Your input will be vital in order to translate your vision into a fully realized three-dimensional piece of art.

Aesthetic Sensibility

Picking a premade design for a 3D engraving takes significantly less effort than formulating a design, relaying that design idea to an artists, refining the design to conform to your vision and constantly staying in touch with the artist to make sure that everything is coming along nicely. The whole process for creating a custom design can be quite taxing on the commissioning client, and not all people have the energy or vision to see things through to the end. In cases like this, it may be simply easier to pick a premade design and buy the rights to it so that no other duplicate will be found floating elsewhere.

Budget

There is no skirting around the issue: you will need to spend more money if you want to commission an artist to work on a custom design. Just remember that these artists have spent the better portion of their professional (and sometimes personal) lives honing the combined forces of three-dimensional programming and the realm of art. This is especially true if you seek a higher-quality piece with a lot of little details embedded.Keep these gems in mind and you will have an easier time deciding whether to pick a premade 3D engraving design or commission a customized one instead.

George Berdichevsky is the Founder of 3Design Center, which designs image files to be used in 3D engraving machines. His team of talented artists can create bespoke images for 3D engraving from any idea or image. Visit the website for more information.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.