How to Set Up Lettering and Carving
Choose the lettering style, litho color, and carving type for your monument.
Written By Dennis Rodin
Last updated 26 days ago
The Lettering & Carving section is part of Step 3 (Items & Configuration) under Options & Enhancements. This is where you configure the style and how the text will look on the monument.
Note: If you selected Bronze Marker as the monument type, the lettering style and litho color fields are not shown, since bronze markers do not use traditional stone lettering.
Lettering Style
Pick how the letters are cut into the stone. Two main styles:
Sunk Lettering — the letters are cut into the stone (recessed). This is the most common style and works on every stone color.
Raised Lettering — the surrounding stone is cut away so the letters stand out from the surface. More expensive and labor-intensive, typically used for high-end memorials.
If you select Sunk Lettering, five sub-styles appear:
Standard — flat-bottomed cut, most common. The recessed area has a flat floor.
V-Sunk — the cut tapers down to a point in the center, giving the letter a sharper, more dramatic shadow.
U-Sunk — the cut has a rounded floor instead of flat or V-shaped. Softer look.
Skin Frost — only the surface is frosted, leaving the polish below intact. Subtle, lower contrast.
Outline — only the outline of each letter is cut, leaving the inside of the letter polished.
Raised Lettering doesn't need a sub-style because the technique is the same regardless of font.
Litho Color
Litho is the paint or finish applied to the recessed letters to make them stand out against the polished stone. Pick whichever the customer wants:
Black — the standard. Black paint filled into the cut letters. Highest contrast on lighter stones (gray, pink, mahogany).
Natural — no paint applied. The recessed letters show the raw, unpolished surface of the stone. Most subtle option.
Highlight — silver or aluminum leaf finish that catches the light. Best for darker stones (black, dark blue, dark green) where black paint would be invisible.
White — white paint. Strong contrast on dark stones; uncommon on light stones.
Other — pick this for any custom finish (gold leaf, custom paint color, multi-color, etc.). When you select Other, a text field appears so you can describe it. The description shows up on the Shop Ticket so the engraver knows what to do.
Tip: If you're not sure what works on the stone color you picked, ask your customer to bring a sample if possible, or default to Black on lighter stones and Highlight on darker stones.
Carving Type
This determines how any decorative elements (roses, crosses, scenes, emblems) are produced on the stone:
Flat / Sandblasted — the design is etched into the stone surface using a stencil and sandblaster. The design is flat, not three-dimensional. This is the standard for most monuments because it's faster, cheaper, and works for any artwork you can produce as a stencil.
Shaped Carving — the design is hand-carved in 3D relief, with depth and contour. Used for sculptural elements like raised flowers, religious icons, or portraits. Significantly more time and skill required.
Note: Carving type only affects decorative elements (roses, crosses, scenes). It does not affect the lettering — that's controlled by Lettering Style above. You can mix and match (e.g. sunk lettering + shaped carving on the same stone).
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