Precision Detail.
3D Photo Relief™.
CNC machine engraving cuts the design directly into the metal with a computer-controlled router, producing exceptional fine detail and precise logo reproduction. It’s the process behind our 3D Photo Relief™ technique — a dimensional portrait machined directly into bronze or aluminum, not a flat photo behind glass.
See Machine Engraved Plaques in Real Installations
Every photo below is an actual photograph of a real plaque we produced — not a simulation or rendering.
Engraved Bronze Memorial — Eric David Crane
A JROTC Cadet Captain remembered by his mother’s poem for his “spiked hair and cheesy grin.” This memorial plaque dedicates a rappel tower at Bandy’s High School, using exceptionally large source photos to achieve an unusually high level of detail.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 26″ × 20″ |
| Border Style | Single Line |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid bronze) |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Bronze (gold) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Hand-Rubbed Oxidized (dark brown) |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Smooth, except the 3D Photo Relief™ image area |
| Unique Features | Extremely high level of detail from unusually large, detailed source photos |
Framing Eric’s photo was partly the customer’s idea and partly necessity, given how much photo we had to work with — but I like the formal tone it gives his plaque. From what I learned about Eric during the design process, this fits his character perfectly.
— Jeff, Design Team
Engraved Bronze Memorial — Percy Heath
Percy Heath spent his life sharing jazz with the world as part of the Modern Jazz Quartet. His memorial plaque, installed at Montauk Point Lighthouse near his favorite fishing spot, introduces him to visitors who never knew his name — through one candid photo and a lighthouse scene rendered in 3D Photo Relief™.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 18″ × 33″ |
| Border Style | Double Line |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid bronze) |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Bronze (gold) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Hand-Rubbed Oxidized (dark brown) |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Images in 3D Photo Relief™ |
| Unique Features | 3D Photo Relief™ of Mr. Heath and the Montauk lighthouse scene |
I really enjoyed creating this scene, knowing it was Percy’s favorite place to spend time. High-resolution photographs for both images helped them reproduce beautifully on the plaque.
— Jeff, Design Team
Engraved Bronze Memorial — Ronnie Lane Gaspard
One candid photograph of Mr. Gaspard enjoying one of his favorite pastimes, reproduced in full-color contoured 3D Photo Relief™ — a minimal-text design that proves a plaque doesn’t need many words to say a great deal.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 17″ × 11″ |
| Border Style | Plain Edge |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid bronze) |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Bronze (gold) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Full color painted |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Image in 3D Photo Relief™ |
| Unique Features | Candid shot looking away from the camera; no border, minimal text |
This is such a simple, non-cluttered design, yet it says so much. Sometimes less content really does go further with the reader.
— Lisa, Design Team
“You do awesome work. I particularly like the last sentence in italics. A very nice touch.”
— Jimmy McCartney, Lafayette, Louisiana
Engraved Bronze Memorial — Mark S. Malone
Mark built his own plane and loved to fly it — but no photo like this had ever actually been taken. By combining separate images of a mountain and an aircraft, the design team created a flying scene that never existed as a single photograph, yet feels completely real.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 12″ × 22″ |
| Border Style | Double Line |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid bronze) |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Bronze (gold) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Hand-Rubbed Oxidized (dark brown) |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Images in 3D Photo Relief™ |
| Unique Features | Separate mountain and airplane images combined into one flying scene |
Mark built this plane himself and loved to fly it, so I enjoyed creating this scene. Especially rewarding was depicting one of Mark’s many trips, even though a photo like this had never actually been taken.
— Jeff, Design Team
“I can’t tell you how impressed I am with your ability to portray Mark just as we knew him to be. The plaque is beautiful. This has truly been a rewarding experience.”
— Debi Malone
Engraved Bronze Veteran’s Memorial — Aylmer Law Firm
No amount of inscription text could convey the bond between Joe and his dog Duke the way a single image does — a flag backdrop and 3D Photo Relief™ portrait bring their story to life.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 23″ × 30″ |
| Border Style | Single Line |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid bronze) |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Bronze (gold) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Hand-Rubbed Oxidized (dark brown) |
| Texture in Recessed Area | 3D Photo Relief™ images |
| Unique Features | American flag backdrop behind a portrait image |
No amount of words could ever convey the joy on Joe’s face, or Duke’s faithfulness, the way this one image does. It brings their inscription to life.
— Danielle, Design Team
Engraved Bronze Seal — Homewood Flossmoor High School
A precise duplication of the school’s official seal, used on campus at Homewood Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois — with a matching aluminum twin installed elsewhere on campus.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 12″ × 12″ |
| Border Style | Single Line |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid bronze) |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Bronze (gold) and Painted (black) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Painted (bronze, white, red) |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Smooth |
| Unique Features | Exact duplication of the school’s official seal |
Even though this is a duplication of the school’s seal, artwork conversion was required to maintain accuracy and meet the specifications of the engraving process.
— Danielle, Design Team
Engraved Bronze Plaque — Holy Spirit College Stewardship & Innovation Center
This compact plaque does three jobs at once — identifies the Stewardship & Innovation Center, reproduces the college’s full-color seal in 3D Photo Relief™, and recognizes corporate sponsor BP with their full-color logo.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 11″ × 8-1/2″ |
| Border Style | Single Line |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid bronze) |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Bronze (gold) and Painted (BP green) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Painted (full color graphics) |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Smooth |
| Unique Features | Full-color 3D seal, mid-level ampersand symbol, full-color sponsor logo |
The relatively small size of this plaque, along with its many unique features, provides a distinctive way to identify the college, the center itself, and give appropriate recognition to sponsor BP — all in one design.
— Lisa, Design Team
Engraved Aluminum Badges — United States Marshals Service
The U.S. Marshals Service has served the country for over 220 years. When the agency needed a look that boldly communicated their presence, they chose engraved aluminum badges and seals crafted at 20 inches in diameter using official agency graphics.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Aluminum |
| Size | 20″ diameter |
| Border Style | Plain edge and single-line borders |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid aluminum) |
| Raised Surfaces | Oxidized or Painted (custom colors) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Oxidized or Painted (custom colors) |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Smooth or 3D Photo Relief™ |
| Unique Features | Exact duplication of official badges and seals, including the material removed between star and ring just like a real badge |
The CNC process is excellent for duplicating seals because it retains almost all the detail in the original art. Except for a back-side attachment pin, these are essentially 20-inch metal badges.
— Jason, Design Team
Engraved Bronze Dedication — Historic Evergreen Train Depot
Built in 1907, the Evergreen Train Depot was once the only building in town with electricity. After a full restoration, it now houses the local Chamber of Commerce — and this dedication plaque, featuring an architectural drawing of the building, marks its second life.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 30″ × 20″ |
| Border Style | Double Line |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid bronze) |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Bronze (gold) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Hand-Rubbed Oxidized (dark brown) |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Smooth, except the depot illustration |
| Unique Features | Architectural drawing rendered in 3D Photo Relief™ |
When it comes to the 3D Photo Relief™ process, you are not limited to photographs — this building illustration is an architectural drawing.
— Lisa, Design Team
Engraved Bronze Badge Plaque — US Marshals Service SOIB
A reproduction of the official Sex Offender Investigations Branch seal, including the badge worn by every Deputy Marshal — matched precisely to reinforce a consistent look across agency offices, vehicles, and identification.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 20″ × 14-5/8″ |
| Border Style | Single Line |
| Back of Plaque | Standard casting return |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Bronze (gold) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Full color painted |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Smooth |
| Unique Features | Custom badge shape and graphics with custom color matching |
Duplicating the exact shape, graphics, and colors from the official US Marshals shield reinforces a consistent appearance between branch offices, agency graphics, and Deputy identification.
— Gary, Design Team
Engraved Aluminum Plaque — Raytheon’s South Pole Station
At the geographic South Pole, a station built on adjustable columns with rounded corners and angled walls to scour away snow. This identification plaque needed to be as clean and purposeful as the building itself.
| Plaque Type | CNC Machine Engraved |
|---|---|
| Material | Aluminum |
| Size | 15″ × 24″ |
| Border Style | Single Line |
| Back of Plaque | Flat (solid throughout) |
| Raised Surfaces | Smooth Satin Aluminum (silver) |
| Recessed Surfaces | Hand-Rubbed Oxidized (black) |
| Texture in Recessed Area | Smooth, except the 3D Photo Relief™ image area |
| Unique Features | 3D Photo Relief™ of the station itself |
Considering the nearly featureless Antarctic landscape and the station’s unique design, I wanted this plaque to accurately represent both — everything from letter styles to the overall layout was kept as simple and straightforward as possible.
— Gary, Design Team
What Engraved Plaque Customers Say
“On behalf of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 698, and the Bishop family, I wish to pass on to you the wonderful comments we received regarding the plaque made by Innovative Signs. The dedication was well attended and received coverage by the local media.”
Ralph A. Garcia — Secretary, Tom Bishop Memorial Project Manager, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 698
When you call, a designer answers — the same designer who will build your plaque from scratch. No templates, no call centers, no handoffs. One person who knows your project start to finish.
- Every design made from scratch
- Custom spacing, type, and proportions
- Domestic manufacturing, full QC
- 42 years, no compromises