Live Event Calligraphy & On-Site Engraving in Brisbane & Gold Coast
Personalisation for retail activations, launches and guest gifting
Creative Inking delivers live calligraphy, on-site engraving, foiling, painting and wood burning for luxury retail activations, corporate events, weddings and VIP gifting.
Based on the Gold Coast and regularly servicing Brisbane, Alison is a live event artist who personalises perfume bottles, glassware, gifts and keepsakes to suit your event brief.
Selected personalisation projects
Burberry at Queens Plaza
A handwritten name personalises a shaped Burberry Christmas gift tag in this Queens Plaza example. The small paper detail sits alongside the branded packaging, with the lettering sized to fit the tag.
Gucci at Pacific Fair
Alison paints yellow flowers onto clear glass baubles at the Gucci Pacific Fair boutique. The tabletop setup brings the painting process into the store, alongside the finished floral pieces.
DOMETIC Launch Party
Engraving block initials and outdoor icons; fish, mountain, sun or leaf for Dometic's Launch party at Maritime Green Brisbane on Dometic's tumblers
Tiffany & Co. at Pacific Fair
Alison uses a pointed pen to add a gold Mother's Day greeting to Tiffany-blue stationery at Pacific Fair. The coloured paper and handwritten lettering bring the personal detail into the brand's gift presentation.
DITA Eyewear
Gold Hot Foiling calligraphy on DITA Eyewear glasses cases at Vision Optics West End
Metricon Robina Showroom
Gold hot foiling on faux leather luggage tags for Metricon's Live It Up Expo at their Robina Showroom, sponsored by Colorbond.
Live calligraphy & engraving at your event
From handwritten paper details to engraving on suitable glass and metal, Alison personalises gifts at your event. The technique, lettering and setup are tailored to your items and brief.
What we personalise live
Planned around your event
Table setup, attire and workflow are tailored to your brief. Additional artists can be arranged for larger gifting campaigns.
Book directly with Alison, with no agency in between.
Pricing guide
- Live event calligraphy & on-site engraving
- From $250 per hour 3-hour minimum booking
Frequently asked questions
What can you engrave?
I can engrave most glass and metal surfaces, most stainless steel drink bottles, and some plastics. Champagne and other pressurised bottles are not suitable for engraving. If a surface is untested or plastic, I’ll recommend a test item first so we know it engraves cleanly.
Popular water bottle brands like Yeti, Frank Green, Stanley, Hydro Flask, S’well and Corkcicle all use stainless steel or powder-coated finishes that engrave well. Surface finishes vary across some Yeti models, so for those I’ll test a small area under the bottle first.
Not suitable for engraving
- Champagne or other pressurised bottles (I can personalise these with paint pens instead)
- Excessively ridged or patterned surfaces
Do you supply items, or should I provide my own?
Creative Inking keeps stock of white and black paper fans and a smaller range of other fan colours. We also carry a large selection of plain and decorative place cards, and at times compact mirrors and luggage tags. We can help source paper stock products (any shape or size) to suit your brief.
You are welcome to supply your own items; they can be dropped off or posted to our Mermaid Beach address.
What can you personalise live at an event?
Popular live requests include perfume engraving, bottle engraving, glass engraving, gift tagging and handwritten calligraphy. Alison offers live calligraphy, on-site engraving, foiling, painting and wood burning, and the setup suits in-store activations, corporate events, weddings, product launches, influencer events and milestone celebrations.
See examples of Burberry Christmas gift tags at Queens Plaza and Tiffany & Co. Mother’s Day calligraphy at Pacific Fair.
Can you handle high-volume gifting at a brand activation?
Yes. Alison has worked at luxury retail and shopping-centre activations. Additional artists can be arranged for larger gifting campaigns. Table space, attire and workflow are agreed before the event.
What are the minimum booking hours and studio spend?
On-site calligraphy and engraving have a 3 hour minimum booking.
In-studio projects have a $150 AUD minimum spend to cover setup and design time.
How much do calligraphy and engraving cost?
Live event calligraphy and engraving start at $250 AUD per hour with a 3 hour minimum.
In-studio projects have a $150 AUD minimum spend. The final quote depends on the items and design. Starting prices in Australian dollars are:
- Certificate calligraphy: From $70 each
- Calligraphy on place cards: From $4 each
- Calligraphy on envelopes with full addresses: From $8 each
- Engraving on fragrances: From $80 each
Fast turnarounds may incur a rush fee. See the calligraphy and engraving pricing guide for rates and potential additional costs.
What areas do you service?
Alison is based on the Gold Coast and regularly services Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Northern NSW and wider Southeast Queensland for local events. She is also happy to travel further by arrangement.
Can you do rush or urgent jobs?
Rush fees may apply for urgent jobs. Send your deadline with your enquiry and Alison will confirm availability.
Why choose Creative Inking?
Creative Inking has provided calligraphy and engraving since 2009, including work for Burberry, Gucci, Tiffany & Co. and Jo Malone. Alison handles live events, wedding stationery, corporate gifts and studio commissions.
