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[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA
Project made with xTool F2 machine for Laser cut and engrave.
Project made with xTool F2 machine for Laser cut and engrave.
[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA
Project made with xTool F2 machine for Laser cut and engrave.
[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA
Project made with xTool F2 machine for Laser cut and engrave.
[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA
[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA
[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA
[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA
[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA
[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA
[Laser cut and engrave] Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA

Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA

First Prize in Laser Everything ContestAtomm Featured
Instruction
Botanical.xcs
Botanical
.xcs
Application scenario
Laser processing (17min)
Machine & module
xTool F2
5W, 15W
Compatibles · 1
Material used
1/8"(3mm) Black PLA
gift
89
1921

Information

      In this project, I created a floral engraved artwork on matte black PLA using IR Color Engraving (5W IR laser).

The key idea is simple but powerful:

👉 Instead of guessing settings, I used a custom swatch to map colors(https://www.atomm.com/project/108813-pla-ir-engraving-swatch-guide-xtool-f2-portable)
👉 Then used XCS Color Separation to assign those exact tones to different parts of the design

This gives:

Controlled tones (beige, brown, dark accents)
Clean layering
Professional finish without trial & error
lasereverythingcontest
botanical
art
flower
plastic engraving
plastic engraving settings
color engraving
LaserEngraving
artistic
Artistic Design

Instruction

1

Step1: Prepare the Design

Design Type:

  • Floral line + fill artwork
  • Multiple tonal regions (not just black/white)

Key Concept:

👉 Break design into color layers, NOT depth layers. Xtool Studio provides a color seperation button on the top that will break down the colors for you. Or use the imag and file required.

2

Step2: Use XCS Color Separation (MOST IMPORTANT)

Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA instruction: step 2 - Use XCS Color Separation (MOST IMPORTANT)
Preview
Midnight Bloom – Swatch-Mapped IR Floral Engraving on PLA instruction: step 2 - Use XCS Color Separation (MOST IMPORTANT)
Preview

This is where the magic happens.

🔹 In xTool Creative Space (XCS):

  1. Import your design
  2. Select image → Enable "Color Separation"
  3. Reduce to:
    • 3–5 colors (based on your swatch)

🎯 Example Mapping (From Your Artwork)

Design AreaSwatch ToneLaser Setting
Petals (main)Light beigeLow-mid power
Inner petal textureSlightly darkerMedium power
LeavesBrown tonesMedium-high power
OutlinesDarkHigh power (controlled)

👉 Each color = one engraving layer

3

Step3: Assign Swatch Values

Now match each separated color to your swatch:

Example (based on your result):

  • Light tone → ~30–40% power
  • Mid tone → ~50–60% power
  • Dark tone → ~65–75% power

⚠️ Avoid:

80% power → melting/gloss effect

4

Step4: Engraving Process

Settings:

  • Mode: Color IR Engraving
  • DPI: 300–350
  • Passes: 1 (important for color consistency)

Order:

👉 Engrave from light → dark layers

Why?

  • Prevents overheating early
  • Maintains color contrast
5

Step5: What’s Happening Physically

PLA reacts to IR laser through:

  • Micro melting
  • Surface texture change
  • Light reflection variation

That’s why:

  • Light tones = shallow thermal change
  • Dark tones = deeper heat effect
  • Too much heat = glossy black (loss of detail)
6

Step6: Pro Techniques (For Better results)

1. Hybrid Engraving

  • Use Color IR for fill
  • Use Normal IR for outlines
    👉 Gives extra sharpness

2. Contrast Boost Trick

  • Slightly exaggerate differences between tones in XCS
    👉 Improves final visual separation

3. Texture Control

  • Increase DPI for smoother tones
  • Lower DPI for more “grainy” artistic look

🏁 Final Result

You’ve effectively:

  • Turned PLA into a multi-tone engraving material
  • Used data-driven swatch mapping
  • Leveraged XCS color separation like a pro

👉 This is how you move from hobby → professional output

Comments

Remixes

xTool Supplies Used in This Project

xTool F2
xTool F2
1/8"(3mm) Black PLA
1/8"(3mm) Black PLA

License

CC0