26th Aug 2026
Etching History in Glass: Moon Shadow Glass and the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial
Some sandcarving projects decorate a piece of glass. Others use glass to tell a story.
The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington, D.C., does exactly that. Dedicated in 2014, the memorial is the nation’s first monument devoted exclusively to disabled veterans from all branches of the U.S. military and conflicts throughout American history. Throughout the site, granite, water, bronze and glass work together to honor the service, sacrifice and resilience of disabled veterans.
At the heart of the memorial are 48 large etched glass panels featuring photographs and quotations that share veterans’ experiences in their own words. Creating those panels required more than impressive scale. It required the ability to reproduce meaningful photographic imagery and text in glass with the detail and consistency demanded by a national memorial.
VIRTUAL TOUR: American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial Virtual Tour
Bringing Photographs to Life in Glass with Moon Shadow Glass
Moon Shadow Glass of Sandy, Oregon, was selected to complete the glass etching for the project. Working as part of a larger fabrication team, Moon Shadow helped transform photographs and other imagery into permanent architectural glass installations.
The 48 panels form three interpretive glass walls throughout the memorial. Rather than simply applying decoration to the surface, the project uses etched imagery as an integral part of the visitor experience. Photographs of veterans appear within the transparent glass, creating an effect that changes with the light, surrounding landscape and position of the viewer.
For Moon Shadow Glass, reproducing photographic imagery in glass was not new territory. The company has spent decades developing decorative and architectural glass techniques, including processes for translating the shading and detail of black-and-white photographs into etched glass.
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Project at a Glance
48 etched glass panels
Approximately 1,800 lbs. per finished panel
5 layers of glass and 4 layers of lamination per panel
Up to 1/16-inch-deep etching on selected exterior surfaces
A Monumental Glass Fabrication Challenge
The scale of the individual panels makes the project even more impressive. Each finished panel contains five layers of glass and four layers of lamination and weighs approximately 1,800 pounds. The laminated construction was engineered to give the panels the strength needed for a permanent outdoor installation, including the ability to withstand hurricane-force winds.
The location of the etching within those layers was also carefully considered. Some of the imagery was etched into the outside surfaces of the glass to a depth of approximately 1/16 inch, allowing visitors to actually touch and feel the etched areas. The majority of the imagery and text, however, was etched on interior-facing surfaces where it would be protected from exposure to the elements. Placing etched elements on different surfaces also creates a subtle sense of dimensional depth within the completed panels.
The result demonstrates something that makes etched glass particularly effective for architectural applications: the image does not simply sit on the glass. It becomes part of the glass.
ON THE BLOG: Sandcarving Large Panels and Monuments with the CrystalBlast Elite X3 Extended
The Detail Behind Photographic Etching
Reproducing a photograph through abrasive etching presents a very different challenge from producing simple text or line art. A photograph depends on variations in tone and detail to create the appearance of highlights, shadows and dimension.
Moon Shadow Glass has a long history of pushing those capabilities. In an earlier IKONICS Imaging customer feature, the company discussed its use of RapidMask and UltraPro photoresist films for different applications. Moon Shadow also developed techniques using RapidMask High Tack to reproduce photographic images on glass while maintaining the shading and nuance of the original image.
That experience illustrates how photoresist technology and skilled abrasive etching can expand what is possible with glass, from logos and lettering to detailed photographic imagery and large-scale architectural installations.
WATCH VIDEO: 10 Benefits of RapidMask Dry Process Film
Sandcarving Beyond Awards and Personalization
Sandcarving is often associated with awards, drinkware, signage and personalized glass products, but projects like the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial demonstrate how far the process can go.
Architectural glass presents its own challenges: larger substrates, demanding installation environments, highly detailed artwork and little room for inconsistency. Yet the fundamental advantages remain the same. Abrasive etching can produce clean detail, permanent imagery, dimensional depth and a distinctive frosted finish that becomes part of the substrate itself.
In this case, those capabilities helped turn photographs and words into something visitors can experience not only visually, but in some areas, through touch.
VIEW GALLERY: Architectural Industry Photos
Learn more about the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial project and Moon Shadow Glass at Moon Shadow Glass.
Craftsmanship That Helps Tell the Story
The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial was created through the work of architects, designers, artists, glass fabricators and many other specialists. Moon Shadow Glass’s contribution is visible throughout the memorial in the etched images and words preserved within its glass walls.
For IKONICS Imaging, it is also rewarding to see the work of a longtime customer operating at this level of craftsmanship. Moon Shadow Glass has spent decades exploring what can be accomplished with decorative glass and photoresist technology, from individual custom pieces to major architectural installations.
The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is an extraordinary example of what happens when glass, imagery and skilled etching come together to preserve a story for generations.
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Contact IKONICS Imaging for Sandcarving Solutions
Interested in sandcarving detailed images in glass? Explore our line of photoresist films, CrystalBlast sandcarvers, and sandcarvings supplies to see how the right combination of film, equipment and technique can help turn artwork into permanent etched designs. Contact IKONICS Imaging with any questions.