Handwritten Engraving: A Personalised Pint Glass
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This commission centred on a handwritten message.
The brief was to engrave a short piece of text onto a pint glass, retaining the original character of the writing rather than converting it to a standard typeface.
Reference and Preparation
This commission began with a handwritten message:
"To Unkie Jules, Love From Roisin."
The handwriting itself was the reason for the commission.
Roisin has Down's syndrome and had been supported by his uncle while learning to write. Rather than replacing the note with a standard typeface, the intention was to preserve the writing exactly as it appeared on the original page.
The inscription was paired with an engraved Lambretta design selected from our collection, reflecting another personal connection within the gift.
Preparation
The handwriting was prepared for engraving while retaining the characteristics that made it recognisable.
Line weights were refined where necessary to ensure clarity on glass, but the natural irregularities of the original writing were preserved. These details form part of the character of the inscription and would have been lost through retyping or redrawing.
The scooter motif was then incorporated into the overall layout, creating a balanced composition between image and inscription.
Engraving
Once approved, the design was transferred to stencil and applied to the glass.
The engraving was carried out using sandblasting, cutting the writing into the surface to create a clean etched finish with visible depth. This allows the detail of the handwriting to remain legible while becoming part of the glass itself.
Outcome
The finished glass combines a familiar scooter design with a piece of handwriting that could belong to no one else.
The engraving preserves not only the words themselves, but the form in which they were written.
Not every reference arrives as artwork. Sometimes it arrives as a note, a signature, a sketch, or a few handwritten words that matter to the people who recognise them.
