Behind the Scenes: What Tools I Use for Live Engraving and Bottle Painting at Luxury Events

As a professional calligrapher, engraver, and illustrator specializing in live event artistry, one of the questions I’m asked most often is, “What do you actually bring with you to a live event?”

Whether I’m engraving fragrance bottles for Dior in Chicago, painting blooms for a bridal party, or personalizing luxury tumblers for a corporate gifting event, the answer is: a well-curated, highly portable studio setup—designed to deliver both beauty and efficiency under pressure.

In this post, I’m taking you behind the scenes and giving you a closer look at the tools and techniques I use for on-site engraving and live bottle painting. From specialty burrs and gilding wax to iced coffee and personalized signage, every item plays a role in creating a seamless guest experience and a polished final product.

Amanda Elliott’s luxury live event setup at Jo Malone in Chicago, complete with signage for complimentary bottle painting and a stunning hand-painted fragrance bottle display.

Live Event Engraving and Bottle Painting: Tools, Setup & Why It Matters

I recently had the honor of engraving Dior fragrances at a live event in Chicago—a luxury brand activation at Nordstrom. It was one of those beautifully styled events that called for elevated detail and personalized touches. For events like this, I bring a compact but powerful toolkit designed to work on a variety of surfaces including glass, metal, and acrylic. Here’s what’s always in my engraving setup:

✨ Tools I Use for Live Engraving

• Yokefellow Micro Engraver My ride-or-die. It’s quiet, powerful, and perfect for delicate surfaces like perfume bottles and wine glasses. Its precision and low vibration make it ideal for working live in front of guests.

• Burrs (assorted sizes) I carry a range of sizes of engraving burrs, each designed for different types of strokes—fine detail, thicker lines, and flourished scripts. Switching burrs allows me to adapt quickly depending on the material and client preference.

• Gilders Paste in German Silver + Rub ’n Buff These metallic waxes enhance the visibility of engravings, especially on transparent or darker glass. The German silver is my go-to for Jo Malone bottles—it complements the caps perfectly and adds a subtle but elegant shine.

• Stabilo All Pencils (Black & White) These pencils write on glass, metal, and plastic and wipe away cleanly with water or alcohol—ideal for drafting guides or centering names.

• Micron Plastic Nib Pen When I want slightly more visibility during prep or sketching, this pen gives me a crisp, temporary guideline.

• Q-Tips, Cotton Pads & Rubbing Alcohol Precision cleanup tools. I use these constantly to prep surfaces, clean residue from wax, or refresh a bottle mid-event.

• Ruler & Post-It Notes My analog spacing tools! Post-Its are great for visual centering, especially during fast-paced events. They're also discreet and easy to remove and can be used or client personalization requests as well.

• Rubber Desk Blotter Keeps my engraving area slip-proof and protects delicate glass bottles. It also reduces vibration from the engraver. Plus, it is super easy to clean!

• Acrylic Signage I bring a clear nameplate with my logo, and a “Complimentary Engraving” sign so guests immediately understand what’s happening and how to engage.

• Small Pillow A soft surface to cradle bottles while engraving, which allows for steadier hand placement and prevents slipping. It also gives me some leverage when engraving in tricky angles

• Make Up Brush For wiping away engraving dust from items and my workspace

• Burr Lube Keeps my burrs lasting longer but is kind of messy

• Mini Trash Can Not glamorous—but essential! Keeps things tidy and prevents cotton pads or waxy Q-tips from cluttering the space.

• Phone Stand To use for recording myself and my work live as well as providing a great angle for reference photos when needed.

• Rolling Train Case I am able to stay organized and carry everything I need on-site with me in one convenient rolling travel case.

• Iced Coffee Essential For energy and branding consistency. Just kidding. (Sort of.)

  
  

  

  Amanda Elliott’s personalized engraving setup at Nordstrom in Chicago, complete with her Yokefellow engraver, precision tools, and signature iced coffee—ready to bring luxe lettering to life.

  Bottle Painting: Adding Color and Character

Bottle painting is a more expressive, artistic form of personalization and is especially popular for weddings, bridal showers, and summer pop-ups. While the setup is similar to engraving, it includes more art supplies and a touch of organized chaos (in the best way).

🎨 Tools I Use for Bottle Painting

• Multi-Surface Acrylic Paints These paints are ideal for non-porous surfaces like glass and metal. They’re long-lasting, vibrant, and dry fairly quickly—important for event pacing. I prefer the Folkart brand.

• Variety of Paint Brushes I carry detail brushes for florals and larger flat brushes for background strokes or floral designs. Each brush is selected for control and precision.

• Cup of Water + Paper Towels Basic but essential. I always have a rinse cup nearby, along with folded paper towels to blot and clean quickly between color changes.

• Reference Examples of Painted Flowers These mini guides help guests choose their style or color palette and keep my designs consistent throughout the event. It's also a great conversation starter.

• Diet Coke My second go-to beverage. Bottled painting events can run long, and hydration (and caffeine) are key!

  

  A behind-the-scenes look at Amanda Elliott’s bottle painting table—fully stocked with brushes, water cups, and inspiration—ready for a luxury in-store personalization experience.

Creating a Polished Guest Experience

It’s not just about tools—it’s about creating a cohesive, luxury-focused experience that fits seamlessly into the event environment. Every item in my setup is intentional. From signage and materials to how I interact with guests, my goal is always to provide a live art activation that’s memorable, engaging, and shareable.

Working with brands like Dior, Jo Malone, Parfums de Marly, Burberry, YSL and others has taught me the importance of blending technical skill with approachable elegance. Guests love watching their piece come to life in front of them—it’s not just personalization; it’s performance.

Final Thoughts

Whether I’m engraving luxury beauty products at a flagship store, or painting custom florals at a private event in Chicago, my tools help me deliver a consistent, high-quality experience. It’s this mix of craftsmanship, thoughtful preparation, and human connection that makes live event artistry so special—and why I love doing what I do. If you’re planning a wedding, brand activation, or corporate event in Chicago or beyond, and you want to offer your guests something truly memorable, I’d love to help.

Get in touch to learn more about my live engraving and bottle painting services, or to inquire about my availability for your next event.