1
Prepare your design
Everything starts with your photo. We lay out the design and show it to you for approval before anything is made.
The process
How Custom Photo Slates Are Made
Turning a photo into a slate keepsake is simple. Here’s exactly how it goes.
01
Send us your photo
Text or email the digital photo you want on slate. The higher the resolution the better — a clear, well-lit photo makes for a stunning piece. Not sure if yours will work? Send it anyway and we’ll let you know.
02
We talk it through
We’ll confirm the look you’re after — the occasion, whether you’d like any text or a tribute line added, and the feel you want for the finished stone.
03
We print it onto slate
We print your photo permanently onto natural slate, by hand, right here in Coshocton, Ohio. Because the stone is split from nature, every edge is unique — your photo printed on slate is always one of a kind.
04
You keep it forever
Your finished keepsake is ready to stand on a shelf or hang on a wall — a piece made with care, to be enjoyed for years.
About your photo
Send it anyway — even an old one, even one that needs work
The photo you have is almost always good enough, and the ones people apologise for are often the ones that matter most. A faded print from a shoebox, a phone picture taken at a birthday, a snapshot somebody scanned crooked — send it as it is and we will take it from there.
I help with the photo personally, start to finish. I will tell you honestly which one will look best on the stone, clean it up, crop it to fit the piece, and lay out the design — the photo, and any names, dates, or words you would like with it. Then I show it to you, and nothing is printed until you tell me it is right.
Not sure which picture to pick? Text a couple of them to 740-610-1589 and I will tell you which one I would use.
Watch how it is made
From your photo to a finished slate
Start to finish, in our Coshocton workshop — the photo, the transfer, the press, and the piece coming out of the stone. About two minutes, and no narration needed.
Tap play · about two minutes · filmed in our Coshocton workshop
See the process
A photo becomes stone, step by step
Every one of these was taken at the bench in our Coshocton workshop. Same hands, same tools, same piece of stone — five steps, from your photo to the finished keepsake.
2
Tape it into place
The design is positioned on the natural edge slate and secured by hand, so it lands exactly where it should.
3
Heat and press
The press sets your photo into the stone, permanently.
4
Peel and reveal
This is the good part. The sheet comes away and the finished piece appears on the stone.
5
Out in the world
The last step is not ours. A finished piece goes home with the people who ordered it, to be seen every day.
The question we hear most
How Do You Do That?
It is the question we hear most. How does a photograph end up looking like that on a rock?
You text or email us the digital photo you want on slate. That is the only thing we need from you to begin.
We carefully prepare the layout for your piece — the photo, the names, the dates, the words that matter — and we show it to you for your approval before anything is made. Nothing is printed until you say it is right.
Once you approve it, the image is printed onto natural slate and hand-finished in Coshocton, Ohio.
The slate is the part that surprises people. It is real stone, cut and left with its raw chiseled edges, so every piece is one of a kind, and the image sits on a surface with weight, texture and a matte finish no glass or canvas can match. It does not fade, it does not warp, and it does not look like anything else on the shelf.
That is the whole answer. A photo you already love, on a piece of stone you will hold for the rest of your life.
Good to know
Common questions
What kind of photo should I send?
Any digital photo you love. Clear, well-lit, higher-resolution images print best, but send what you have and we’ll tell you honestly how it will look on slate.
Can you add names, dates, or a tribute line?
Yes. Many memorial and wedding pieces include a name, date, or a short line of text. Just let us know what you’d like when you reach out.
Can you combine more than one photo?
Absolutely — collages are a favorite for memorials and family pieces. Tell us which photos you’d like together and we’ll arrange them.
How long does it take?
Most orders are handcrafted within 3 to 5 business days after you approve the design, then shipped. Standard delivery takes about 5 to 7 business days after that, and expedited shipping delivers in about 2 to 3 business days after it ships.
Can I return my order?
Because every piece is made just for you with your own photo, personalized orders are final sale once you approve the design. If it arrives damaged, or it is not what you approved, we will make it right at no cost — a replacement or a full refund. And you can cancel for a full refund any time before you approve the design.
How do I get started?
Fill out the order form or give us a call. We’ll go over the details and the options with you before anything is made.