Engrave Your Own Handwritten Note
Made to Empower
Instruction
Information
I’ve included instructions for engraving your own handwritten note onto the frame, allowing you to personalize the design however you’d like.
This piece is a updated version of my very first completed design made with my Xtool. It began with a funny note written by my niece when she was just 8 years old, which I transformed into a lasting piece of art. Creating it was such an empowering moment—not only because it marked my very first finished project, but also because it incorporated handwriting. I’ve always loved how engraving handwriting adds such a personal, heartfelt touch. Since then, I’ve continued exploring this style, creating more designs that celebrate the uniqueness of handwritten memories.
Instruction
Step1: Create Engraving from Handwriting
You can use the file as is, or you can follow these steps to use your own handwritten note. Upload a picture of your note to the XCS file. Adjust the image to get a high contrast between the writing and the background. You want the writing to be dark and the background to be as bright as possible. Crop the image if needed. This will make removing the background a little easier. Use the manual cutout to remove the background. You may need to use a combination of the magic wand and the eraser. Now, use the offset button and set the distance to zero. If the writing is really thin you can increase the distance to make it thicker. Make sure your note is set to engrave. Adjust the size of the writing to fit inside the frame.
Step2: Process Material
Cut and engrave your material. This file uses 3mm basswood plywood. Be sure to adjust the settings if using a different material. The blue lines are for cutting and the purple is engraving.
Step3: Assemble
Clean/sand your material if needed. The engraving setting in the file is deeper than the recommended setting, so you will get some char that can easily be sanded off. Glue the frame onto the back piece. Glue the stand in place if desired. Finish with polyurethane or a topcoat of choice. Enjoy!
