Sandcarving champagne bottles
Learn how to personalize these celebratory drinks step-by-step
By Liz Haas
Images courtesy of Rayzist
Champagne is one product that instantly says celebrate. It’s part of weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, engagements, retirements, and so many special moments. Personalize the celebration by sandcarving the bottle and adding a color fill for a true stand-out design.
Many businesses shy away from sandcarving champagne bottles because of the pressurized contents; I realize the concern. You do not have to etch deep. A simple surface etch works beautifully on champagne bottles. The process is simplified when using photoresist film and your sandcarving system.
Champagne bottles range widely in cost — from affordable selections to high-end bottles locked behind glass cases. Offering an etching service for alcohol bottles can be very rewarding when you follow proper mask application and sandcarving techniques. Higher-priced bottles can justify higher engraving fees. I strongly recommend using a waiver for very expensive bottles and charging accordingly. Also, remember: you can never remove the required alcohol warning label.
Fonts & design layout
Creating the layout for a champagne bottle starts with the artwork. Your design can be simple, bold, or creative.
A simple logo offers elegance. A more elaborate design provides the “wow” factor. Wedding and celebration designs often lean toward script or cursive fonts, but very loopy or delicate script fonts can disappear once sandcarved. A small adjustment to a font can make a huge difference in how well the design stands out.
There is a difference between print design and etch design. A font that looks beautiful in print may not translate well when sandcarved. On paper, nearly all fonts look great — but when blasted into glass, thin strokes can get lost depending on the size and depth.
Is it as simple as adding a stroke? Sometimes. But adding a stroke can close up the centers of letters like “e” and “o.” I recommend converting text to outlines (or curves, depending on your program). Once converted, manually adjust loops and thin areas. Open them slightly. Thicken areas point-to-point so the design holds up once etched.
Popular wedding fonts like Great Vibes, Alex Brush, Tangerine, Exmouth, and Allura are lovely — but not always ideal for sandcarving, especially at small sizes.
For example, Exmouth looks beautiful on paper. Once etched, however, the thin lines can become too delicate. Delicate lines will be difficult to paint as the paint will struggle to fit in the fine lines.
I recommend offering a small library of script fonts that you know perform well when sandcarved.
Depth & detail
Depth adds value to etched projects. However, very detailed images and fine wedding fonts can get lost in a deep blast. For champagne bottles, a surface etch is typically best.
Handle with care
In today’s world of quick turnaround and same-day shipping, it’s easy to rush. That’s when mistakes happen.
Bring the bottle in and out of the cabinet slowly and carefully. Do not rush the paint. Allow it to fully dry before cleaning or removing the mask.
Use the same method applied to champagne bottles on glasses for a matching set. The design fits beautifully within the shoulder of the bottle, demonstrating that sandcarving works exceptionally well on curved and sloped surfaces.
If you can apply the photomask, you can sandcarve it.
Materials & process
I prefer using 3-mil self-stick photoresist for champagne bottles since we are not blasting deep. The 3-mil captures fine detail and is ideal for surface etching.
Apply the mask. After placing the stencil on the bottle, remove the clear liner. Removing the liner allows the photomask to become more flexible, helping it conform to the curved surface.
Use a wire wheel brush over the design to remove any air bubbles. Then use a rubber brayer to compress the stencil to the surface. Application is important; take a few extra seconds to ensure the stencil is adhered.
Wrap the bottle with blast wrap to protect the label and foil top. This protects the label from overspray during paint application. Once the paint is dry, the plastic wrap tears away easily with no residue from tape. Blast wrap is also more economical than tape.
Sandcarve to a moderate surface depth, keeping the nozzle at a 90-degree angle to the photomask. The blasting process will be quick. For this bottle, we used 120-grit silicon carbide. After blasting, use an air gun to remove any excess abrasive from the engraved area before color fill.
Color fill
For this design, we used Montana Gold in silver. The silver color complemented the label and provided a beautiful contrast to the etched image.
Apply light coats from various angles. Always shake spray paint thoroughly and test spray before applying to the project. Allow the paint to dry for a minimum of 45 minutes before removing the photomask and tape. Touch the paint outside of the stencil, and if a fingerprint is left behind or if the paint is tacky, it is still wet.
Once the paint is dry, remove the blast wrap and stencil. I prefer to use a plastic razor to clean any left behind photoresist. Metal razors work great, but they can scratch the paint if the razor accidentally scrapes the paint.
Liz Haas has been a teacher, trainer, and show coordinator for Rayzist Photomask for 15 years. For the past 10 years, she has actively taught workshops on the photoresist and the sandcarving process.
