How to choose the right font for your engraving

Engraving is an art. It’s been around for thousands of years, since the cave men and women would carve images into stones and metal. It has also fascinated people for centuries, particularly the use of attractive text to get a point across, or to make someone feel a little bit more special. It’s a wonderful way to show someone how much you care, or to show them appreciation for the efforts (sporting or otherwise).

Often, engraved items are kept for life as keepsakes, and sometimes they are even handed down through the generations. A trophy, a wedding ring, watches – the options are endless.

It might not seem like it, but one of the most important factors you need to consider when you’re getting something engraved is the font. Taking the time to choose wisely is just another step to providing the ideal personal touch and can determine the right fit with the recipient; based on their personality, a particular event or the style of product you are getting engraved. Choosing the right font for the right product will also ensure it is readable.

There are two main “types” of font to take into consideration before you choose the design to suit.

Finding the right style depends on whether you’re going for single line and multiple line engraving. Single line fonts are one line throughout the lettering – such as a single letter A. These fonts are usually simple, ideal in small size or when reading from a distance is more important. An example is ARIAL. Fonts like Arial have many variations so they can be fitted to a wide selection of shapes long or short. Single lines are ideal if you have something small to be engraved, such as jewellery.

Multiple line fonts include 2-5 lines – it might be outlined letters, or letters that have double lines on one side, such as the CASTELLER font.  These fonts provide a higher, nicer, level of detail there is no additional cost in case of laser engraving. Multiple fonts are best if you’re getting something large engraved, like an award or presentation gift.

Another key choice is whether you want Serif font or Sans Serif. Seref fonts include tails on the ends of letters and these are often used for events like weddings and birthdays. While Sans Serif fonts are more simple and modern. An example of a Serif font is FELIX ; a Sans Serif font is Century Gothic  .

And finally, before choosing a font, you need to consider the size of the engraving. How big or small is the text going to be and how much space do you have to “play” with to ensure you get the full message across. For example, if you’re getting a key ring engraved, it’s best if it’s larger than 3mm wide, otherwise you’ll have a hard time fitting any comprehensible text.

Depending on text and area available text can be sized to best fit.

So how do you choose which is the right font for your project?

Whether you’re looking at a personalised gift, an award or simply looking to make your mark, you want to choose a font that suits the message you are trying to convey.

If you’re planning on getting someone’s initials engraved into the gift, you can choose between either single or multiple lines. An old English style font, like Old English   Text, is popular in this case as it takes up more of the space and adds a classic, historical look. Another great font for initials is COPPERPLATE .

For messages like “Happy Anniversary” or “Happy Birthday”, a script font is a great choice because the words are still very readable, but it takes up less space on the item if space is an issue. We recommend using something like Brush Script , Edwardian Script , or Freestyle Script . If you have plenty of space and want your message to stand out, we recommend using a popular font like Lucida Handwriting . This is a great font for items like champagne glasses and photo frames.

The options really do seem endless and sometimes a simple decision can be the hardest to make. If you’re still unsure which font best suits your project, you’ll find samples of more than 60 fonts on our FONTS page or if you’re after something a little more unique or need some advice, just ask.

On ordering items there is a special instructions box where you can enter any special font requirements, or upload example with your order to show what look you require.