Neil Young Laser Engraved Guitar

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Today we will be creating a unique work of art by engraving Neil Young's face on the back of a guitar. What a fantastic way to make a guitar truly one-of-a-kind. To achieve this remarkable effect, we utilized a Trotec Speedy 400 flexx laser engraving machine. All you need is an acoustic guitar. How I Created This Step 1: Select Your Image File First and foremost, it's essential to properly set up the image file to ensure the best possible outcome from the laser machine. In this first step, we have the original photo, an outline of a beautiful acoustic guitar, and the perimeter/engraving measurements of the guitar incorporated into a rectangle. We must carefully set up the image file to allow the machine to create a precise image. We took the original photo (which can be any image you prefer) and overlaid it with an outline of a guitar along with the perimeter/engraving measurements within a rectangle. Step 1: Select Your Image File Step 2: Adjust the Size This step is designed to ensure that the picture is the right size for the actual guitar. An outline of the guitar was created to overlap the image, allowing us to see exactly where the engraving will take place. This is very helpful in making sure the photo is the correct size to be engraved. Step 2: Adjust the Size Step 3: Enhance Contrast During this process, we slightly enhanced the contrast to ensure we received the best effect (darker darks and brighter light aspects). This step will decrease the detail of the actual photo while the finished piece will have a greater effect in contrast. Step 3: Enhance Contrast Step 4: Convert to Black and White Since the machine works in RGB colors, the picture had to be converted to black and white using the Jarvis setting. This step allows the machine software to recognize the image to engrave. The Speedy 400 flexx operates in RGB colors, so we needed to convert the image into black and white using the Jarvis setting. This also enables the machine software to identify which parts of the image should be engraved. Step 4: Convert to Black and White Step 5: Invert Colors We inverted the colors to allow the machine to engrave the dark areas instead of the light (which will result in the desired effect). Step 6: Make Power and Speed Adjustments The power and speed levels are dependent on the image and object type itself. In this specific case, we used 100 power, 100 speed, and 500 dpi. Step 7: Insert Your Guitar To ensure the guitar will be engraved properly, we must place it correctly within the machine. To do so, we centered the guitar and moved the laser to the center. Looking at the image, you can see that the laser has been moved from its original position on the machine's bed. Step 7: Insert Your Guitar Step 8: Set Up Your Own Image File to Engrave Your Acoustic Guitar Not only can images be engraved onto guitars, but text, graphics, and symbols can all be engraved to your liking. Happy engraving!