It’s a sad fact that this highly detailed art form had begun to diminished itself to a novelty item or curio cabinet piece from the saturation of overseas production companies with a limited amount of design or understanding their own technology.  In their effort to sustain production they continue to have their own little price wars between one another.

When pricing gets too low, the production time is decreased by placing less and less points in the crystal.  We figure at this rate within a few years, you may be able to purchase a 3D laser cube of any design you like for less than a dollar as long as it only has 3 points in it.  Ok, so we over exaggerated a bit, but you can see the irony of it all.

Now don’t get us wrong, there are a few good overseas companies that in our opinion understand the basics of design but none truly geared toward custom design.  When you do get custom design, you need to get 1000 pieces and a 4-6 week lead time in production plus container freight.

Needless to say, we don’t get much call to do that and that is a good thing because we really enjoy creating the right design.

The image they wanted was of the White House and it had to be of a quality and size worthy of our President to bestow on visitors from foreign countries.

Since this was extra extra important (but really aren’t they all) – we took our time and spent over 20 hours reviewing every possible photograph and image we could find on the White House.  In the process learned a lot about the history and changes made to the architecture over the different administrations (like the front stairs, the car port, even the roof).  In the end, we settled on focusing the the primary and most distinguishable elements of the White House with the hopes that these features wouldn’t change anytime soon.

and so we built the White House

In a matter of speaking we did and when it was done we realized that we had a lot more detail than was needed.  Now don’t get us wrong, detail is a good thing and one of the principal aspects of every design we do.  However, the laser doesn’t like too much detail and the results can produce an unusually ugly piece which can take a long time to produce (not a good thing).  We say ugly because all laser designs in crystal deal with a certain level of transparency and because of that, too much detail creates clusters of dots that turn into visual blobs for the viewer blocking other details.  Regardless, the issue can become quite frustrating at times and we needed to be revisit the approach.  In the end, we decided to remove a number of elements that “clouded” the image while preserving some of the smaller details that round out the piece.

Detail View of White House

Above is a collection of close ups showing the final design in crystal.  The detail is allowed to show itself without overwhelming the total image, while subtle elements such as the hanging lantern in the car port or the sconces on the lower part of the front steps help add to its character. [ED: Time Capsule Note - the above was done using a red laser technique which produces larger point sizes than the more advanced green lasers mostly employed today.]

After the White House staff approved the final design, it was presented to the President.  As for the final approval from the Commander in Chief himself, we were told that “the President didn’t stand a chance after the First Lady saw it first” – of course, that’s the story we got and we’re pretty sure the actual comments were probably filtered for National Security sake.

Needless to say, you can not buy this design anywhere – this size, design and even some of the subtle elements have been reserved by us for the United States Government.  After all, how special would a diplomat feel if they were to walk out of the White House and bump into a vendor selling the SAME crystal regardless of the signature on it – I mean wars have been started for less!

The Obvious Plug

We hope you enjoyed the little story behind our design of the White House; and remember if the President can trust us to get the job done – you can too!

In the real world, printing is done on white paper, ink is black, shadows are dark, highlight is light and the world is round.  In our world, our paper is clear, the ink is white, shadows don’t exist, white is viewed as substance (the world is still round just upside down and backwards).

here is an example swatch of how tone is rendered by a laser – remember the BLACK is clear
continuous tone on top/segmented in middle/laser dithering below

Since we don’t have shadows to define elements, we do have contrast between our “colors” – in the example above we can clearly discern the difference between segments on the bottom row – more so the farther apart they are.  This is a good example of how textures in an image or model can best be used to enhance the result using our “inks”.

Another important thing to know is the objects in the design will rarely ever look like a solid white object because they cast no shadow on themselves.  With white being the primary “color” and no ability for shadows to enforce contours, the designer should have a working knowledge of negative space, spatial juxtaposition and a basic understanding of good design.

3d modeling

A scene, logo, or product is designed completely in 3D cad system – ideally, different components may have differing shades of white.  This approach works well with simple shapes that are easily identifiable for the viewer.  Complex shapes create numerous overlapping surfaces which confuse the viewer with dense white regions and hide the actual shape. <show me> Best used sparingly by a designer that understands “less is more” for a better result – cad file drops from the client rarely provide satisfactory results out of the box.

2d bitmap

One of the most common methods of laser engraving for both sub-surface and surface engravers.  Images are converted into a “halftone” which is a pattern of dots spaced to evoke a sense of tone across the varying intensity of the image.  The brighter (whiter) the area, the closer the dots are placed to one another.   Less dense areas appear less bright creating tonal changes in the image.  Look at newspaper print of an image – same idea – different medium.  This approach works well with photographs that have good contrast in them as well as single or two color logos or text.  There is some size limitations though since images, symbols and text need enough dots to be recognizable.

2.5d bitmap

This is an interesting approach which combines the advantages of 2D bitmaps and some of the dimensionality of 3D modeling.  This techniques builds as many as seven to eight layers of points over one another to create a whiter “white” than is available with the basic 2D approach.  This approach works really well with logos and a certain amount of text – photographs of heads are commonly done but we feel they look “spiky” when viewed from subtle angles and suddenly loose the visual effect desired.

what do we use

Actually, we use all of the above techniques just a bit differently.  Sometimes we mix techniques with the laser and with traditional engraving – other times, one or two is all that’s needed.  Some of these variations include proprietary halftone techniques, dimensional texturing or even digitally redrawing on a tablet.

Regardless, we always show you the technique and how it can be best presented for your needs before it is ever engraved.

Sub-Surface Laser Engraving or SSLE as it is being termed nowadays, is a technique “discovered” in Russia.  Originally the creation of these “dots” was a problem known as “Laser Induced Damage” and was exhaustingly studied.  At the time, the idea was to avoid these problems by selecting specific material compositions and laser optics to improve laboratory use.

In the process, a list of material compositions was created that provided good transparency with minimal heat absorption.  There was also another list which didn’t and it was somewhere in there, that laser technicians found it “cool” to write their name in these materials.

Needless to say, someone decided there might be some commercial applications for this and began writing dissertations about the controlled placement of these dots inside of the crystal.

Over the years, the science of this process has become more of an art form that balances the technical aspects of high-powered lasers and delicate balance of image design within them.

So how is it done – the somewhat technical explanation is:

“The creation of our 3D laser crystals utilize high-energy laser beams to produce a phenomena known as “Multi-photon Absorption” within optically perfect crystal. This phenomena which use the electromagnetic wave of the laser beam known as coherent light creates an electric field greater than 10 million volts per centimeter.

When the laser beam is focused within the interior of the subject crystal the energy creates unattached electrons also known as “free” electrons. These “free” electrons, accelerated by the electric field created by the laser beam causes the high energy electrons to collide with atoms and ions in the focus area.

As the process continues it causes a chain reaction and produces about 1 million trillion free electrons per cubic centimeter in about 1 trillionth of a second. The laser then emits a short pulse beam of a few billionths per second and produces a tiny micro crack. The laser head then align and position tens of thousands of additional micro cracks to create 2 or 3 dimensional images.  Each of these micro cracks is unstable if positioned in too close a proximity to one another – in effect the entire cluster of these micro cracks are held together through the internal stress of the crystal itself.

Although, the laser generates power densities of 10 billion watts per square centimeter, the surface of the crystal is not damaged due to the highly transparent nature of optically perfect crystal. The resulting images appear to float within the crystal. “

actually, we prefer the simpler explanation:

“A big sophisticated machine called a high powered laser generates an ittsy-bitsy spot of heat inside the crystal. This heat creates a teeny-weeny dot.

The machine moves across the crystal a little at a time and creates another teeny-weeny dot. Each of these teeny-weeny dots is far enough apart to not touch the other teeny-weeny dots (which wouldn’t be a good thing). The machine does this again and again to create a really really (really) lot of teeny-weeny dots.

When the machine is done, we see all the teeny-weeny dots as a complete shape floating in the crystal. We see these teeny-weeny dots as an object because of a process that takes place in our heads known as “Perception” and “Pattern Recognition”.  It is these cognitive skills which allow us the ability to visualize objects in our mind, based on a interpretation of visual patterns, their structure and symmetry but, that’s an entirely different story…”

No matter how you come to understanding of how they are produced, we feel that the results speak louder than words.

Dimensions that are appropriate for most designs

Appropriate dimensions are directly related to the proportions of the design,  Think of a model train being placed in a square cube.  It would look pretty lonely in there since the cube has a 1:1:1 ratio and a train would be more like 8:2:1 <ratios?>.  Using that same example you may want some text in there, and there would be plenty of room – but what would you notice first the text or the train?  Using the right proportional ratio for the design allows for a maximum scale of the design to accommodate the size available.

The majority of the dimensions we use are chosen to produce a stature and presence while remain as cost efficient as possible for each size.   The reality of material cost is directly proportional to the volume of glass used, its finishing and market production volume.  This is why we lean towards flatter standing pieces as opposed to cubes for a number of designs – they simply provide more presence at a similar cost of a smaller cube.

Exclusivity through size provides another aspect to consider.  While many people are visually impressed with our 8″, 10″, and larger standing blocks what many fail to appreciate is that these blocks take as much as three months to cool properly.  Couple this with the fact that most manufacturers could make more smaller cubes from that same raw material at a price that more people would generically purchase and you understand why these larger blocks and slabs come at a premium.  However, these larger scale shapes provides more area to engrave which means more detail available when needed.  Which means the letter “I” floating in the middle of an 8″ tall, 24lb block of crystal might be “artful” but really doesn’t leverage the available resolution of detail.

Perception – avoid generic gift store/discount shapes

A number of people have contacted us in the past to ask for a unique and custom design for some special event and THEN ask that it be placed in a generic sized cube (like one they saw at a flea market or discount store).  These shapes also usually have heavy bevels , extremely  ornate (in our opinion – gaudy) and restrict the area we can engrave.

Our role is to advise our clients with the best approach and make suggestions if we believe a design may be less than optimal.  Still, if we were to blindly accept this request and the buyer understood that a custom design cost more than a mass-produced piece  – what would the end result be.  Here is a scenario we envision.

The gift is presented and they open the gift box (is it a ring? – its too heavy)

the cover lifts off and the first thing they see is the overall shape and size of the crystal

they think “I have seen these before” – hmm

they look closer and marvel at the detail

of the Sistine Chapel within the confines of this crystal Faberge-ish

and realize that their name engraved within

They pause and look at you

to say “How thoughtful, you got my name engraved!”

Never mind the Sistine Chapel or the fact that it is custom designed – in their mind, they saw one of these on a cash register at a local gas station, being hawked on eBay or by a street corner vendor.

It would be like putting thousands of dollars into a custom interior and engine in a Honda (oh, they do that!).

The point is the results of creating a custom design shouldn’t be confused with the generic mass produced shapes.

Whatever the case we have outlined a few of the more popular ways we handle design for different reasons:

Recognition

Recognition crystals have been given to entire design teams or individually to people who demonstrate the type of drive that a company wants to echo in its workforce.  Whatever recognition program your company wishes to promote; we can create a design that reinforces your organization appreciation of their effort.

recognition is what people value.

In one of our recent promotional campaigns titled, “it’s not just about the money”, we spoke rather succinctly about the underlying aspects of employee satisfaction and the feeling one gets when a job is well done.  Although it is true that the satisfaction comes from within the person – having it recognized by others only serves to reinforce as well as demonstrate the appreciation for going the “extra mile”.

It would be great if we could tell you that by simply dropping one of our crystals on everyone’s desk that productivity would be up 1000-percent, costs would be slashed 75% and everyone in the office would be singing in unison – but, that isn’t how it works (we’re working on it!).  Actually, it is a bit more discerning than that which, is the actual magic, behind recognition.

Recognition is one of the most basic human needs, we all share some level of desire to be recognized for our achievements, contributions and vision.  From the CEO all the way to the new intern – each of them is seeking some kind of appreciation for their effort.  The important term here is “effort”.

While it can be said that it may be an effort to “go to work” everyday – people get paid to do that.  The effort we are speaking of is the effort put forth on a job or project that helps get it done – and it doesn’t necessarily mean the results are always successful, either.  How many times has a team done it’s very best, gone that “extra mile” and still lost.  Yes, it might be disappointing to lose a game, project or client but, the real loss can be enthusiasm and self-esteem.  Much like Marlon Brando’s character in “On the Waterfront” lamented “I coulda’ been a contender”, leading to losing more than that client or project but, also the drive to excel.

So recognition isn’t simply about the “close”, the “profit”, the “prize” but the “effort”.  The next time you find yourself in a position to identify with someone that did more than their share and supported the “team” – give them something to take home at the end of the day – even if it is simply a sincere thank-you.

We work with you to provide the most effective design and size to fit your budget and can even provide “economy-of-scale” designs that can be stocked for ready-made awards in your organization.

Corporate

Two specific areas that these can be used in are the Corporate Lobby or Conference Room branding the company logo.  They can be built into an enclosure for added affect.

corporate presence

When people come to your company for the first time, their first impression is drawn in the lobby area and main entrance.  While they are waiting, they are making observations and drawing conclusions about your operation – conclusions that shape the foundation of the relationship being built.

We have all been inside great lobbies and conference rooms which exude confidence, strength and style – all of which is very detailed and deliberate. Now, we don’t claim to be formally trained in interior design – only somewhat observant.  In our observations, we see the culmination of discrete elements pulled together in a statement that says something about the organization.

Regardless if that statement made, uses traditional cherry and mahogany or high tech glass and steel.  We see different types of corporate art function as a form of punctuation; whether it is an asterisk, exclamation or period depends on the underlying message being communicated.

Sub-Surface Laser Engraving for Corporate Prestige is a relatively new area of use, mostly because of the size of these types of engraving.  As in all of our work, we can provide the basic shapes and sizes, however for this category, we can provide design of larger oversized crystal weighing over 40 pounds.

When considering the image your company wants to project without words, express it through design.

Promotional

When considering a crystal for promotion, it is important to determine how you will be distributing them.  This is done for a number of reasons but, most importantly to determine budgeting.  Companies that choose to distribute a large number of items will usually choose the smaller sizes, where those that distribute more selectively, use the larger sizes.

The size and style of the crystal helps determine how well your company logo, motto, or product will fit within.  Smaller crystals have a limited amount of area and are best used with a clear logo (like the NFL logo).  Larger crystals provide more area but can be overkill for most logo designs.  We can help you best determine the size and style of the crystal after reviewing artwork, and speaking to you about your promotional plans.

the value of promotion

We are not talking pens or golf balls here.  They have their purpose and can be a cost effective means to promote your organization or company to the public  Really what we are talking about is promoting your organization at a level that is consistent with your company and its goals. Right now, there are existing clients that value your services and new clients that will learn too.

Promotion is a self-perpetuating tool that businesses can find very helpful in growing their organization.  So what is “promotion” – actually you do it every time you shake a persons hand, remember their name, or help them out of a pinch.  These are all symbols and expressions of building a relationship and relationships are what brings people and opportunity to you and your business.  Also these relationships run well beyond the income they produce but, rather support the image of your company to your clients by recognizing the trust they have in you.

While on the surface this may appear idealistic, you can rest assured it is the principal of every successful business today and the foundation of the most successful.  The adage of “Supply and Demand” tends to depersonalize things a bit but, you know that if your “supply” is fraught with frustration, confusion or lack of appreciation – the “demand” will be taken elsewhere.  These complications do not necessarily need to come from you directly; customer support, system outages, manufacturing problems or delays, and anything that leaves a client feeling left out or under appreciated.  Remember these are people and they make decisions based on how they feel.

As in most things in life, the simple gesture of consideration becomes the value.  So relationships in life and business are inherently the same.  Each time we think of someone and send them a card, flowers or even a letter (remember those) to say that they are being thought of, doesn’t replace the thought but, reinforces it.  Likewise, giving your clients something that says that they are appreciated supports those values in the same way.

Our promotional items have the ability to set your company apart from the pack, for one simple reason – they are not cheap and therefore, are not perceived as such.  They are no more expensive than a ground-breaking business lunch or dinner, a pair of tickets to the symphony.   In fact, they are less expensive but then again, it is not just about the money.

Promotional Crystals come in a number of basic shapes and can use most other blanks available from commercial award blank manufacturing.  Our preliminary designs will show the crystal in all initial shapes together and be priced accordingly so you can narrow the field a little.  Once the initial design and shape is approved, we create a final 3D rendering for review and refinement if needed.

Fund Raising

Nearly all organizations are built on their membership and the funding they receive is almost solely built upon donations, membership fees or dues, and even merchandise.  We are geared to work with organizations looking to brand their organization or to simply recognize the different levels of membership.

If your organization is membership driven consider stimulating donations by creating a line of commemoratives showing your members that their involvement is appreciated and recognized in the organization.   Branding and Merchandising is available to even the smallest of organizations through our special program.

]]> http://www.sharpeawards.com/design-and-purpose /feed 0 http://www.sharpeawards.com/enhance http://www.sharpeawards.com/enhance #comments Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:39:29 +0000 admin http://www.sharpeawards.com/?p=106 10 seconds

There is a saying that “Presentation is Everything” and we tend to agree for about 10 seconds except when it comes to the unveiling.  Still,10 seconds is about the initial time the recipient has before initially seeing the goods.

A lot happens in that initial 10 seconds between wondering what it really is and finding out – this is one of the areas we like to help.  While all of our smaller designs will come in a suitable gift box – larger ones require some special consideration.

Recently we completed an original design for a well-known Automobile Magazines’ Annual Award – the award stood over 17″ tall in cut crystal wrapped with custom fabricated aluminum.  A mere box would be a bit demeaning and structurally flimsy – a museum style shipping crate for an artifact might be nice but had nothing to do with automotive.

What we came up with was a big red metal toolbox with a foam injected black felt holder on the bottom.  On the outside bottom corner, a brushed metal plaque with magazines’ logo.

It was perfect – it acted as not only as a great presentation for the Automotive Industry but a very safe shipping container (double boxed of course).  Perhaps best of all, this sort of presentation had never been done before – which we were even happier to hear.  Moving forward, they now have the opportunity to continue using this as part of their brand in the award ceremony – basically, owning the toolbox concept in their industry.

While the above example demonstrates the ideal scenario of good packaging, all of our designs do not benefit from something that well conceived.  Basically our designs benefit from something simple but elegant.  Sometimes it is a basic black heavy board box, or a velvet gift bag allowing the design to emerge from its wrap.

We also create custom wood boxes for some of our designs which double as a keepsake.  These boxes are constructed of solid hardwood of your choosing with a fitted lid – all of our custom boxes are solid hardwood with mitered corners with four-corner matched grain.  Additional treatments such as dovetails, bi-wood keys, and inlays are also available.

All of the packaging we offer can be engraved, embossed, imprinted to add a level of personalization or message.

the design

After the initial presentation, the recipient will look over the design and the detail.  The texture of the natural wood or stone add to it tactile esthetics.   The engraving may play with the eye and reveal other messages.

While we try to offer ideas during the initial phase of the design – it helps to know that additional treatments can be added in addition to the multitude of combinations we offer.

• 18K gold gilding
• precious metal and stone inlays
• illumination
• custom base designs

Regardless of the vast array we can provide you – we can make things simpler by making suggestions that are appropriate to your event, tone and budget.

We provide a number of engraving options to accommodate any design ranging from traditional diamond wheel to advanced sub surface laser engraving.  Each approach provides a different look to the finished piece.

The majority of our engraving is done with high wattage lasers – we like lasers because they provide a tremendous amount of detail oriented engraving styles with a lower cost to client.

Regardless, understanding the different types available is the purpose of this section.

etching and engraving

A high powered air compressor blasts media onto the surface of the material.  The design is protected through the use of a mask which kind of looks like a negative of the design being done.   The mask protects the material underneath from being etched (actually removed), so that when the mask is taken off only the exposed areas appear etched.

This technique is great for continuous coverage in areas.  Depending how long the design is blasted the material removed can be deeper for added effect.  Very fine details between exposed areas should be avoided.  Tone can be control by the artist much like using an airbrush in painting.  Consistency in multiple pieces is very high.

deep multi-stage engraving

This technique which is a variation of etching that allows for deeper contours to be added to the work by systematically revealing different regions of the mask.  Regions exposed earlier benefit from the deeper cuts from the next pass.  The overall effect creates a dimensional relief in the material which is stunning in glass.

Setup for these is the most arduous of all etching due to the multiple masks required and registration of the design.  They have the same coverage quality with added depth but still concern must be made when dealing with fine details between exposed areas.  Consistency in multiple pieces varies but can be controlled.

surface laser engraving

High powered lasers concentrate a beam of energy onto the material creating a tiny fracture on the surface.  The laser can control intensity and pulse of the beam allowing for very accurate designs with a high consistency for multiple pieces.  Detail is only limited to the size of the spot on the beam (typically 0.005 inches) and the stability of the material itself.

This technique works with many materials including glass and crystal although the defining edges on these can appear slightly rough when not properly set up.

sub surface laser engraving

Without getting into a technical dissertation (you can read some of it here) – sub surface laser engraving is truly a marvel to see when executed correctly and less than impressive when not. The reason we say this because when treated like a microwave (throwing in a model or scene to laser) the design gets lost with overlapping surfaces and visual clutter.

In a more positive note,  when the design is executed properly it has the ability to play with the viewer by leveraging its dimensional properties while retaining structure of design.  This is one of the areas we specialize having produced hundreds of original designs in this medium.

This technique only works with optical crystal and glass that has the composition to support laser engraving.  If you are considering having us design a piece for you, you should read some of the additional sections we have on our website (like here).

diamond wheel

The truly traditional art of wheel engraving is very beautiful on glass and crystal.  Most of you are more familiar with crystal loving cup or goblets which use with this age-old art form.

While we don’t do that traditional style of work (but know those that do should you desire one), we have used it for more geometric design in crystal as a background treatment.  The visual effect allows for crisper depths than deep engraving but is mostly limited to linear designs which is why we stay in that comfort area.  The refraction quality of these cuts can be further enhanced when polished as well.

All of the woods shown below have there own natural beauty and coloring but perhaps more importantly they impart character.

Some of the woods we have worked with:
Walnut	Ash	Red Oak	Hard Maple
Curly Maple	Birdseye Maple	Spalted Maple	Cherry
Mahogany	African Paduak	Purple Heart	Cocobolo
Wenge	Teak	Bubinga	Zebrawood
Maple Burl	Rosewood	Ebony	Redheart

There are a multitude of other wood species to choose from, each with there own unique characteristics.  Take a look at this page of collected wood samples to appreciate the variety.  Should you see something you particularly like – ask us and we can advise you to its workability for your application in design.