How to Design a Tombstone Engraving

If you have particular design in mind for your own tombstone, or you wish to design a tombstone for someone else, then you will need to start out by laying out a tombstone engraving. While a stonemason will have to do the final carving, you can design every aspect of your tombstone engraving before you take the design to the stone carver.

Things You'll Need

• Sheets of Lazertran transfer paper
• Tape
• Tombstone
• Pencil
• Paper towels

Instructions

1. Lay out your transfer paper, fastening sheets together with tiny pieces of tape, so that it is the size of the tombstone. This will help you envision the stone as you work and also ensure that the design will fit on the stone when you are done.

2. Draw or trace your design layout onto the transfer paper. You may wish to include images, like angels, or write a favorite verse from a poem or lyric from a song.

3. Soak the transfer paper in water for 5 to 10 minutes. This will release your design from the paper and give you a transfer that will stick to the tombstone.

4. Carefully apply the transfer to the tombstone. Use damp paper towels to smooth it on. Once the transfer is dry, take it to a stone carver to have your custom design etched in the stone.

Tips & Warnings

• You may want to do a rough layout on a smaller piece of paper first so that you can decide what you like best before you start drawing on the transfer paper. Remember, you cannot erase what is drawn on transfer paper.