Photographs for Headstones and Plaques

Photographs for headstones and plaques are a very personal and intimate way of commemorating our loved ones who have gone before us. As well as being aesthetically attractive, memorial photographs for gravestones and memorial plaques allow family members and indeed future generations to visually see and remember their loved ones at their final resting place.

Basically, there are two types of memorial photos for gravestones and plaques. The first and most commonly used are ceramic photos for headstones and the second are photos that are applied by etching. Unlike ceramics which are made separately then stuck to a memorial, etched photographs are either laser-etched by a machine or hand-etched directly to gravestones or plaques.

For well over a century now, ceramic pictures for headstones have been used to display photographs of our deceased. Due to their robust manufacturing process, which involves baking a photo onto a ceramic plate at high temperatures, their durability and longevity continue to make them exceptional memorial picture ideas for grave ornaments and gravestones alike.

As well as this, both ceramic and porcelain photos for gravestones come in a variety of traditional and modern shapes and can be easily fixed to most types of headstones and cemetery memorials. Coupled with their ability to withstand all extreme weather conditions and their clean highly polished look, it’s no wonder why ceramics are the leading headstone pictures to commemorate our loved ones.

Unlike porcelain pictures, which are made separately and then stuck to gravestones, etched photos for graves are engraved directly to the headstone itself. These types of photographs for headstones and plaques are seen as a modern alternative to oval ceramic photos and have become increasingly popular due to the introduction of new and advanced technologies to apply them.

Although laser-engraved granite photos by machine are the most commonly used, your loved one’s photo can also be etched by hand into their memorial. As you can imagine, this process is an art in itself and requires a highly skilled stone mason to apply it. Granted that etching is more popular for memorial plaques with photos, etched pictures on headstones are gaining more notoriety and make a very unique portrait.

Both porcelain and etched pictures have their own unique qualities and can both provide you with truly magnificent photographs for headstones and plaques, However, some photos for graves, as seen on our laser-etched memorial plaques, are best engraved on black, or very dark granites.  And although granite etchings can be coloured, the majority of etched pictures are finished in black and white.

Given these points and many more besides, we have compiled a list of pros and cons, comparing ceramic photographs to etched ones, allowing you to see which type of memorial photos for graves best suits your headstone or grave accessories. It’s also important to remember that no matter what option you prefer, the better the quality of the photograph supplied, the higher in quality the memorial portrait will become.

• Coloured photographs can be replicated in colour to ceramic pictures.
• Ceramics are available in endless sizes, shapes and colours to match your headstone.
• Due to their weatherproof qualities, ceramic pictures do not fade and keep their vibrant colours.
• Fixing ceramics to headstones can be easily done by customers in their cemeteries.
• Unlike etched pictures, low-resolution photographs can be applied to ceramics.
• Most ceramic pictures are inexpensive, making them the most popular headstone portraits.
• Ceramics are extremely durable and will last for generations.

• A hard impact will crack or break a ceramic or porcelain photo.
• Poorly made, cheaper ceramic photographs are not fit for purpose and will fade over time.

Since the turn of the millennium, many cheap ceramic photos for headstones have flooded the market and are not fit for purpose. Unknown to many, most of these ceramic photos only have their photo printed with normal organic inks and do not go through a kiln-fired process, which bakes the photo to the ceramic at temperatures of 1500F (800°C), giving it its strength and enduring qualities.

Although cheap porcelain photos for gravestones look good and are fine for indoor use, they will eventually fade when exposed to UV rays and other outdoor elements. So, before you purchase pictures for gravestones or outdoor memorial plaques with photos, always check how the company produces their ceramics and make sure they offer a lifetime guarantee, which all reputable manufacturers and suppliers will provide.

• Just like a painting on a canvas, etched images become a part of the stone/granite memorial.
• Any image or photograph can be perfectly replicated onto headstones or plaques.
• Unlike ceramics, etchings on headstones will never crack or break due to a hard impact.
• Full size portraits can be engraved to memorials with incredible life-like results.
• The process of laser-etching by machine is quick can be completed within a few hours.

• The majority of laser and hand-etched photographs are finished in black and white.
• Etched photographs only stand out on black or dark-coloured granites.
• Painted etchings exposed to harsh climates may need to be repainted every 5-10 years.
• Low resolution, poor quality photographs cannot be used for laser-etching.
• Laser-etched photos can only be engraved on headstones before their installation.
• Portraits and images etched by hand take time and can be expensive.

In many circumstances, memorial pictures for gravestones are not required, as people prefer to leave them solely for inscriptions. In such cases, grave ornaments like heart-shaped plaques can be personalized with your loved one’s image and placed next to their headstone. This has become a growing trend in recent years, with most people now opting for photo memorial plaques to complement their gravestones.

Like headstones, memorial plaques for graves can also incorporate a porcelain or etched picture of your loved one, alongside their inscriptions. Nowadays, laser-engraved granite photos for plaques are viewed as a modern alternative to ceraamics and are the preferred option for most. That being said, ceramic memorial photo plaques are still popular and are mostly used to display pictures in colour.

Firstly, it’s important to note that memorial portraits provided for laser-etching must be of high quality. Unlike porcelain pictures, which can be produced using low-resolution photographs, etched photos on granite require much more detail to engrave them with clarity. So before opting for laser engraved plaques with a photo, make sure the photograph provided is of high resolution, otherwise the engraved image will be poor in quality.

Secondly, photos for graves that are etched to memorial plaques aren’t just reserved for portraits. Images showcasing a hobby or something the deceased was passionate about can be incorporated into granite memorial plaques. Above all else, etched headstone photo plaques offer a contemporary alternative to porcelain pictures, they make a statement unlike any other and will last for future generations to admire.

Unlike grave plaques with engraved photographs, ceramic memorial photo plaques are mostly used by those who prefer a coloured image. Similarly, if the photo supplied is old or the quality is not sufficient for granite laser-engraving, then porcelain is the best option. Although granite memorial plaques with photos made from porcelain are seen as quite traditional, their clean aesthetic look and ease of maintenance still make them a popular choice.

It’s also important to note that etched images will only stand out on black or dark-coloured granites. Therefore, photos for light-coloured granite grave plaques should be made from porcelain or ceramic. For example, grey granites which are very popular for headstones and personalized memorial plaques with photos, can only display portraits made from porcelain, as etched photographs will not be visible on their surface.

Please see below some frequently asked questions about memorial photographs for plaques and gravestones.

Pictures on headstones are a great way of keeping your loved one’s memory alive. Photos for headstones allow us and future generations to visually see family members’ photos at their place of rest and are a source of comfort especially when grieving a recent loss. Ceramic photos in various sizes can be easily added to headstones by customers themselves.

A small oval ceramic photo costs €100 and comes with an easy-to-follow installation guide. Ceramic photos are the cheapest option for putting pictures on headstones and can be secured to your memorial by yourself. Our ceramic pictures are made from the finest Italian ceramics and come with a lifetime guarantee, offering you complete peace of mind.

Ceramic photos on headstones that have gone through the correct manufacturing procedure will last for many generations. The best quality ceramic photos for graves are printed with ceramic-based inks and go through a kiln-fired process, baking the photo to the ceramic at temperatures of 1500F (800°C), giving it it’s strength and enduring qualities.

Having gone through the correct manufacturing procedure, porcelain pictures on headstones will not fade. Many cheap porcelain grave photos on the market are only printed with organic inks and have not been kiln-fired, which gives porcelain pictures their strength and longevity. Although such pictures are ok for indoor use, once placed outdoors, UV rays will eventually fade them.

In order to put a ceramic photo on a headstone correctly, please follow these installation guidelines:

1. Clean and dry the area you intend to position the ceramic photo on.
2. Holding the photo in place, position 4 pieces of tape around the outside of the photo.
3. Remove the photo. Now you have the exact location, marked by tape for your photo.
4. Next, remove the backing from the sticky tape on the rear of the ceramic.
5. Then distribute an even amount of sealant (supplied) around the ceramic’s outer rim.
6. Place the ceramic firmly in position, making sure the sealant squeezes out around the edges.
7. Importantly, this seals the ceramic, so no moisture gets inside.
8. After this, remove the 4 pieces of tape applied at the beginning.
9. Then using a damp cloth or some tissue paper remove the access sealant.
10. After 24 hours the sealant will be fully cured, and your ceramic will remain safely secured.