Cermark color application techniques?

[Jared nemec]

Cermark makes different colors black, pearl white, and bronze does anyone know of any guides or manuals or videos on how to apply the cermark to get the results like the picture?sus136-1.jpg

[Keith Downing]

Cermark makes different colors black, pearl white, and bronze does anyone know of any guides or manuals or videos on how to apply the cermark to get the results like the picture?sus136-1.jpg

Was that picture done with Cermark? I can't think of any reasonably easy way to do this. Maybe, maybe if it was on a flat surface and you had a way to perfectly align the material you could do this with several passes.

Also, what substrate are you working with? If memory serves most of their colors where intended for use with glass or ceramics. Probably an easier way to do this than with the laser and 3+ applications of different Cermark.

[Kev Williams]

Actually, it's pretty easy, the only catch is, you have to be able place the metal you're engraving back in the same place so the colors will align properly. So start with the metal in a corner...

Then, how I would do it:

Each color of the dragon needs to be a different color in Corel or whatever you're using. It's only 3 colors so it's easy: I'd make the dragon's black = black, dragon copper = blue, dragon white = yellow. Verify it's all colored correctly.

Black's the cheapest Cermark, so cover the plate with enough to get all the dragon. Then engrave ONLY the black...

Go wash it off and dry it, now you have a pattern to follow, so you don't waste so much of the expensive stuff. I would apply the copper Cermark next...
Place the plate back in the corner exactly where it was, then engrave only the copper (blue).

Wash that off, dry, then repeat again to finish up the white....

I watched a friend of mine print up 4-color brochures one day at his work, one color at a time. He'd print 1000 sheets, change the ink, run a couple of sheets to verify the colors are aligned, then run the 1000 sheets again... repeat 2 more times, printing the same 1000 sheets 4 times. Color-engraving that dragon is exactly the same procedure, just uses a different 'ink'.