5 Reasons to Learn Glass Engraving This Fall

As it gets colder, it may be tempting to hunker down underneath layers of blankets with a comfy sweater and an endless scroll. It's even more tempting to brew a cup of tea and turn on Twilight for the 10th time (just me?!)

But what if this year, instead of filling the cold, dark hours with consumption, you learned a new hobby that could fill your days and even the late nights with inspiration, creativity, and handmade gifts for the ones you love?

If you've been looking for a new craft that is meditative and visually stunning, keep on reading because today we're talking about the reasons why you should learn how to engrave on glass this Autumn.

Reason 1: It's Meditative

Too often, we find ourselves using the quiet moments of the in between to scroll on our phones. We wait in line for coffee and check our Instagram. Hell, we even bring our phones to the bathroom to spend the 20 seconds of silence on the toilet with our thumb moving from video to video.

If sitting in silence seems too large a task for your busy mind, ease into meditation with a hobby like engraving.

This craft requires focus, patience, and repetitive motions. I often find myself losing track of time during an engraving process, allowing myself to fall into flow. The ups and downs of the lines allow the voices in your head to quiet, leaving just you, the drill, and the artwork forming in front of you.

Reason 2: You Can Create Personalized Gifts

Believe it or not, the holiday season is right around the corner!

When it comes to what to customize, the ideas are endless. Here are a few to get you started:

• glassware: rocks glasses, wine or martini glasses

• ornaments: you can get one with glass or even engrave acrylic

• fragrance bottles: one of my most popular requests this time of year!

• candles: perfect for a housewarming or a holiday present

Adding a handwritten touch will always bring in that extra element of love and care, but with engraving, the details truly last a lifetime.

In my upcoming Engraving Workshop, you'll even learn how to engrave on glassware and get a glass to take home with you! Click here to join!

Reason 3: It's a Unique Skill You Can Use Personally or Professionally

You do not need to be a live event artist or a calligrapher to learn how to engrave on glass. However, if you are a creative professional, engraving is a phenomenal tool to add to your arsenal.

Not only is engraving an in-demand skill for live event work across brands and agencies alike, but it's unique in many ways:

Firstly, it's permanent! Once you engrave on glass, it is there forever. You are permanently removing layers from the top of the glass to showcase your pattern, design, or phrase. Paint can be used to customize products, but it comes with another set of skills, plus it can wear away over time.

Another unique plus about engraving is that it's easy to transfer designs onto your item and essentially trace using your hand drill. You can use Sharpies, chalk markers, or even tattoo stencils on glass, mirrors, or plastic items that help guide your engraving process.

Engraving is still a rare skill! Start learning now, and by next year, you can be booking holiday events engraving for your favorite brands.

Reason 4: The Tools Are Minimal, But The Results Look Luxe

You don't need much to get started with glass engraving: a rotary tool (I use a brushless motor nail drill that goes up to 40000 RPM), glass, and your design!

Ok ok, there are a couple more tools that can help with glass engraving...

But the point is that the tools are minimal AND accessible! You can order everything you need online through Amazon.

To set yourself up to create engravings at home, you can spend around $150 on tools, take my $99 intro course, and create unique, luxurious gifts for life!

If you want a full list of the tools I use to engrave on-site for live events, check out my Instagram post here.

Reason 5: It Helps You Reconnect With Your Creativity

Yes, there are plenty of physical and monetary positives to learning this art form, but at the end of the day, the true joy comes from learning something new that allows you to connect with inspiration and creative flow.

Not only can you be creative with the designs that you create with your newfound skills, but you can also challenge yourself to be creative with what you customize! Once you learn how to engrave on glass, metal, and plastic, the possibilities are endless.

When you have gotten past the beginner phase of learning this skill, you will be able to truly tap into your creativity and make brilliant pieces of art.

Glass engraving is a skill that will last you a lifetime. It helps calm you and ease you into a meditative state, allows you to create gifts that are unique and handmade, and can even help increase opportunities within your creative business!

If reading through this list is getting you excited to learn a new skill, you're in the right place!

I have an introductory class to engraving on glass next Saturday, October 24 at 7:00pm at Distillery of Modern Art in Chamblee, GA.

This 2-hour workshop will walk you through everything you need to know about using a hand drill, sketching designs onto the glass before engraving, and how to apply these skills to curved items. You'll receive a piece of glassware to create a design on and take home with you!

Click below for more information.

Until next time, keep creating!!