Glossary of Sandcarving Terms

  1. Abrasive: a sand-like material used in the sandcarving process to etch or engrave many different surfaces. The abrasive can be super-fine or coarse in texture. — Silicone carbide and aluminum oxide are specific types of abrasives. Abrasive may also be called blasting media.
  2. Custom Photomask: a premade, finished stencil that is produced by Rayzist Photomask
  3. Engraving: a moderate-to-deep marking of the substrate surface, appropriate for image lettering, line art or a design pattern. — Engraving is achieved by using abrasive.Engraving is a specific type of sandcarving. —
  4. Etching: a light surface marking or dusting of the substrate surface with an abrasive or an etching cream. The etching process creates a frosted image of the artwork, which may include lettering, photo images and/or a design pattern. — Light surface etching is used for hard metals, hard woods, acrylics and plastics. Etching is a specific type of sandcarving. —
  5. Stage Carving: a multi-level carve that incorporates more than one depth, ranging from a light frost to a deep carve, for effect. The result is a three-dimensional image of your artwork. — Stage carving is a specific method of sandcarving. —
  6. Film Print: the material onto which the custom artwork is printed in the process of making a photomask. Rayzist UV Vellum, Inkjet Film and Laser Film are all film prints.
  7. Membrane: a clear, exceptionally thin layer present on some types of photoresist films. The membrane allows for easy release of the film carrier and, once the film has been developed, holds the photomask together. The membrane disintegrates during the sandcarving process.
  8. Non-Membrane: describes a photomask that does not contain a membrane and is used with an etching cream process. — Non-membrane photomasks are not recommended for use with hydrofluoric liquid. —
  9. Photoresist Film: a translucent, durable, flexible, light responsive, water-soluble, raw film that has not gone through a developing process. — Photoresist film is used to create a finished photomask. Photoresist film may also be called raw material or film. —
  10. Photomask: a stencil made of photoresist film that has undergone a developing process. The stencil design is typically created from custom, computer-generated artwork, which may include lettering, photo images and/or a design pattern. The finished photomask is used to guide the sandcarving process, so that the custom artwork is etched or engraved into the surface being carved. — Photomask may also be called mask, stencil, premade pattern or template. —
  11. Sandcarving Quarterly: Rayzist’s original publication featuring articles and material focused on sandcarving and the sandcarving industry. Twelve issues of Sandcarving Quarterly are available for free download in PDF format from Rayzist.com.