'My own analogy of glass is to imagine that it is actually made of light; light trapped between two polished skins. Scratch the surface and light is released at that place. The engraver's task is to find and release the light in the way that best expresses his ideas'.

Simon Whistler
On a Glass Lightly, 2005

At its simplest, engraving involves using a tool to abrade the surface of the glass in order to leave a mark. There are many ways to do this, and many tools available to do it, ranging from the simplest diamond-point hand tool to complex machinery. Here is a brief introduction to the range of techniques and effects which all come under the heading of 'glass engraving'.

Point engraving involves marking the glass with a hand-held diamond or tungsten carbide point. The tool can be used to draw lines, or by tapping the surface of the glass lightly, tiny white dots.

In stipple engraving the design is built up entirely of dots, defining areas of light and shade. The closer together the dots, the lighter the area will appear.

In drill engraving the tool used is a rotating bur in the handpiece of an electric drill. This tool can be used to create surface effects similar to those of hand engraving techniques but can also cut into the glass more deeply to create the illusion of three dimensions. This technique is often called 'flexible drive engraving', referring to the type of drill familiar from the dental surgery, which has a flexible drive shaft running from a pendant motor, but other types of drill are also used.

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