On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. For the art of music notation, see Music engraving. Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a burin. Wood engraving is a form of engraved valentines gifts printing and is not covered in this article, same with rock engravings like petroglyphs.

Engraving was a historically important method of producing images on paper in artistic printmaking, in mapmaking, and also for commercial reproductions and illustrations for books and magazines. Many old master prints also combine techniques on the same plate, further confusing matters. Other terms often used for printed engravings are copper engraving, copper-plate engraving or line engraving. This section does not cite any sources. Each graver is different and has its own use. Engravers use a hardened steel tool called a burin, or graver, to cut the design into the surface, most traditionally a copper plate. However, modern hand engraving artists use burins or gravers to cut a variety of metals such as silver, nickel, steel, brass, gold, titanium, and more, in applications from weaponry to jewellery to motorcycles to found objects.

In addition to hand engraving, there are engraving machines that require less human finesse and are not directly controlled by hand. They are usually used for lettering, using a pantographic system. There are versions for the insides of rings and also the outsides of larger pieces. Such machines are commonly used for inscriptions on rings, lockets and presentation pieces.

Gravers come in a variety of shapes and sizes that yield different line types. The burin produces a unique and recognizable quality of line that is characterized by its steady, deliberate appearance and clean edges. The angle tint tool has a slightly curved tip that is commonly used in printmaking. Florentine liners are flat-bottomed tools with multiple lines incised into them, used to do fill work on larger areas or to create uniform shade lines that are fast to execute. Musical instrument engraving on American-made brass instruments flourished in the 1920s and utilizes a specialized engraving technique where a flat graver is “walked” across the surface of the instrument to make zig-zag lines and patterns.

The method for “walking” the graver may also be referred to as “wriggle” or “wiggle” cuts. This technique is necessary due to the thinness of metal used to make musical instruments versus firearms or jewelry. Tool geometry is extremely important for accuracy in hand engraving. These two surfaces meet to form a point that cuts the metal.