PHOTO PREPARATION GUIDE · RASTERGO
Preparing a photo for glass engraving
Updated October 2026 · Free browser tool · photos stay on your device
Glass engraving is unforgiving: the mark is often made on the reverse side, which mirrors the image, and the tonal result depends on how your software maps values. Prepare the file at final size, decide the orientation deliberately, and test on scrap glass.
Decide which side you engrave
Engraving the reverse side is common because it protects the marked surface and gives a softer look when viewed from the front. It also means your image must be mirrored horizontally before export — forget this and any text in the photo comes out backwards.
Preparation steps
- Set the physical size and DPI first.
- Mirror the image only if you are engraving the reverse side.
- Keep contrast strong; glass shows a narrow tonal range.
- Export one normal and one inverted version and compare them in a test.
Testing without wasting pieces
Use cheap scrap glass or the back of a tile with the same finish. Glass can crack from thermal stress, so treat any setting you have not run before as an experiment on a disposable piece. We make no claim about a physical result on glass.
RasterGo prepares image files in your browser. Material previews are labelled digital simulations, not photographs of engraved pieces, and no power, speed or physical result is promised.