# Artwork for Laser-Engraved Leather Patches | File Guide

What artwork engraves well on a leather hat patch: vector files, minimum line weight, smallest text, fills vs outlines, and what we fix free.

Canonical: https://leatherpatchhatco.com/guides/artwork-that-engraves-well/

Leather engraving is forgiving. It holds detail embroidery cannot, and most logos engrave as-is. A few things do not work, and they are easy to spot before you send the file.

## Send this

- Vector: AI, EPS, PDF or SVG. Text converted to outlines.
- If you only have a PNG: 300 dpi at the size it will be engraved, on a transparent or white background.
- One color. Black on white is ideal. We set what is engraved and what is left raw leather.

## Minimums that matter

| Element | Minimum | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Line weight | 0.5 pt (about 0.007 in) | Thinner lines burn out or disappear on the grain |
| Gap between lines | 0.5 pt | Closer and they merge |
| Text height | 0.1 in (about 7 pt) for sans-serif; 0.12 in for serif | Counters in e, a and o close up below this |
| Fine detail in a 1.5 in logo | Keep it to 3 or 4 tones of detail | A photo-style gradient engraves but reads muddy at hat size |

## Fills and outlines

Engraving darkens whatever is filled. A solid logo on tan leather engraves as a dark shape; the raw leather around it is the highlight. If your logo is a thin outline only, it will be faint at a distance. We often suggest inverting: engrave the background and leave the logo raw. Your proof shows both if you ask.

## What we fix for free

- Converting a clean PNG to a vector when the logo is simple.
- Thickening hairline strokes to the minimum.
- Removing a background from a logo file.
- Inverting fills so the mark reads at hat size.

## What we quote per job

- Redrawing a low-resolution or blurry logo from scratch.
- Complex custom patch outlines that follow the logo shape.
- Personalized patches with a different name on each hat.

## Shape and size

Tell us the hat and we will size the patch. Default maximums are about 3 × 2 inches on a Richardson 112 and 3.25 × 2.5 inches on a 168. See [leather colors and shapes](/decoration/leather-colors-and-shapes/).

## The proof

Before we cut leather you get a digital proof with the patch at scale on the hat outline, the leather tone and the engraved areas marked. Approve it and the 28-day clock starts. If we engrave something that does not match the approved proof, we redo it free.

[Send artwork for a proof](/quote/)

## Questions
**Can you engrave a photo?** A high-contrast photo engraves as tone, but at 2 inches wide it rarely reads well. A simplified logo almost always looks better.

**Do you need my fonts?** No, if you convert text to outlines in the vector file. If you send text as text, tell us the font and we will match or substitute on the proof.

**Can you remove a white box around my logo?** Yes, that is a free fix.


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Leather Patch Hat Co. is a brand of Battle Born Clothing, 3 Pebble Beach Dr, Yerington, NV 89447. Quote: https://leatherpatchhatco.com/quote/