Every piece of bottle art is approached in a different manner. A combination of Graphic, Commercial and even Textile design has made the art of Candice Norcross unique to the Etching Industry. Once a design is finalized, the art is hand drawn and configured to suit the space available on the bottle. Attention to detail is key. Keeping a label or original art as authentic as possible is a constant challenge. Adapting to everything from children's primitive drawings to complex layered computer imaging requires the ability of an artist to see the varying layers, and then reprocess that through sandblasting and paint. A final rendition is transfered of a drawing is transfered to a special paper through light and then goes through a hand washing process. This creates the template that is then dried and applied with adhesives to the full or empty bottle. The bottle is then masked and all air bubbles are painstakingly scored and pressed out by hand to ensure that only the areas with the design are sandblasted. The bottle is then placed in an enclosed box and sandblasted at varying pounds of pressure depending on the delicacy of the design. On occasion a "lift" is called for which leaves a second surface raised above the first and able to also hold paint. This is for design purposes. Most etched bottles when filled are black, so sometimes the black is used in the design and sometimes it is eliminated or altered with a lift. Now the painting process can begin. A base coat is first applied and then a sealer. If the bottle is to be a single color this completes the process, then the bottle is stripped, cleaned and ready to go. If the art requires more steps such as airbrush, sponging, handpainting or layering these are done in a predecided manner and completed in various different ways. All processes are by hand. It can't be stressed enough how much this allows the artist to control the outcome of the final product...and why Candice Norcross has always strived to create the best art possible on wine bottles. Art in the Bottle...Art on the Bottle. Cheers! | 
