Preparing a Police Crest for Glass Engraving

This commission involved preparing a police badge-style crest for engraving onto glass, based on a photographic reference.

The piece was commissioned as a Christmas gift. The recipient traditionally raises a glass each year in memory of his late grandfather, and the engraving was intended to create a more personal connection to that annual ritual.

Reference and Preparation

The supplied image contained multiple elements, including a crown, shield and surrounding inscription.

Police and military badges often combine a significant amount of information within a relatively small space. Preparing them for engraving frequently involves redrawing and refinement rather than direct reproduction.

The crest was rebuilt as engraving artwork, with line weights, spacing and internal details adjusted to ensure the design would remain clear once sandblasted. Particular attention was given to smaller elements and lettering, which can quickly lose definition at glass scale.

Where necessary, features were simplified to maintain legibility while preserving the overall character of the original badge.

Engraving

Once approved, the artwork was transferred to stencil and applied to the glass.

The engraving was carried out using sandblasting, producing a consistent etched finish with the design cut into the surface.

Outcome

The finished piece presents a clear interpretation of the original badge, adapted for glass through careful preparation and redrawing.

While the commission centred on the crest itself, the purpose of the engraving lay elsewhere. The glass was intended to become part of an existing family tradition, connecting a personal object with a memory already attached to it.

A familiar emblem, prepared for a very specific reason.