How to engrave with the sun

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO EASILY ACHIEVE OUTSTANDING ENGRAVINGS WITH FEBO
Engraving with the sun is an ancient technique which is based on harnessing the solar power to burn decorations on many organic surfaces other than paper, like wood, cork or leather. Using a convex glass lens the energy carried by the rays of the sun gets concentrated into a beam of light powerful enough to burn the surface beneath it.
Febo, an innovative tool to engrave with the sun, makes this process easy and at everyone’s reach. It won’t take you much before mastering this truly captivating art. This step-by-step tutorial will introduce you to the basis of this fun technique, to successfully start engraving with your Febo solar engraver.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED
![]() 1 - The Sun Of course, the sun is the essential element to engrave. As simple as it is, without the sun you won’t get that power necessary for the magic to happen. A cloudy sky may not guarantee a light beam powerful enough to engrave on your chosen surface. So be sure to check your local weather forecast and place yourself in a a sunny spot without too many shadows.
Febo is designed to make the solar engraving process easy and intuitive. Its convex glass lens will concentrate the rays of the sun into a high-energy spot of light, with which to engrave immediately. Moreover, the Febo kit includes all the essential tools to safely engrave. A pair of one-size-fits-all foldable goggles, to protect your eyes while engraving, and a cotton bag where to store your Febo when not in use. Get yours here!
![]() 5 - Stencils If you don’t feel confident enough on your drawing skills or you simply chase to create amazing artworks and patterns in a fast and precise way, you could bring with you some stencils. We created a kit of 36 original stencils in 5 different styles, ready to use. Mix them in original ways and create stunning designs.
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STEP 1 - CHOOSE YOUR CANVAS
Select a natural surface you like on which you would like to engrave. If you are working with some raw logs or barks that you found outdoor, then it may be useful to prepare your mediums by sanding the wood to remove knots and imperfections. Go through the grades up to 400 Grit, or until your surface is smooth enough.
STEP 2 - TRACE YOUR DRAWING
Start by drawing your sketch on your chosen support, using the pencil. You can draw freehand or trace a stencil and personalize any of your belongings. Pencil's graphite is also great to speed up your engraving.
STEP 3 - WEAR THE GOGGLES
When the sun is high, take your Febo kit and your drawing and go out creating! First of all, put on the protective goggles provided with the Febo Kit. They will shade your eyes from the intense light focused by Febo.
STEP 4 - POSITION YOUR FEBO
Position your Febo over the drawing, keeping it perpendicular to the sun. It is very important that the lens of Febo is facing the sun at 90°, in order to effectively concentrate the rays into a focal point. If positioned correctly, a small, high energy dot of concentrated light will automatically start engraving.
STEP 5 - FOLLOW THE SKETCH
Trace the lines of your pencil sketch using the point of concentrated light generated by Febo. Febo is designed to allow for maximum control on whatever surface you engrave on, making the whole engraving process very intuitive, fast and precise. Have fun with the sun and leave your mark!
STEP 6 - STORE YOUR FEBO
When you are done engraving with Febo, store it in its cotton bag, along with the goggles. This will protect the lens of Febo from scratches and dust.
STEP 7 - FINISHES
You may want to add some special flare to your engravings, with some nice little finishings. Using acrylic or inks, you can add color to your drawings or darken the shadows of the burns. If you are working with a wooden surface, you can also consider to use wax, lacquer or oils for woods, to give your artwork a glossy effect and protect it over time.
STEP 8 - SHARE YOUR ART
There’s nothing better to celebrate your creative accomplishments than sharing them with the world, and we really encourage you doing that! Follow Febo on social media, check out inspirational engraving projects and inspire other Febo lovers with your solar engravings as well, using the hashtag
#madewithfebo
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