I created a slate coaster featuring a frog perched regally atop a mushroom, part familiar, part cryptid, fully caffeinated guardian of beverages. (It's actually a part of the familiar set I'm working on but can't share all my secrets here and at one time) This design combines bold lines and mystical whimsy to showcase the xTool’s precision on dark materials while tapping into trending goblincore and cottage-fantasy aesthetics. It’s a functional art piece with lore, vibes, and laser flex.
Used Adobe Illustrator to create a vectorized file, then uploaded it into Creative Space. Sometimes, I add the text in Illustrator, but I just did it through Creative Space this time.
Position your slate and frame your work area. I personally like putting my slate coasters in a cut-out piece of basswood to help me keep measurements straight. Not a jig per se, just something to make sure I'm aligning correctly, especially when doing the square coasters. My settings can be tweaked if you'd like a lighter image or could be inverted, even.
These particular coasters accumulate quite a bit of dust, so I tend to wipe them off with a damp paper towel, let them dry, and wipe again with a dry paper towel before spraying with polycrylic spray.