How To Acquire Images for Keepsakes

How to Capture Fingerprint Images From Your Living Loved Ones

To get fingerprints with paper, pencil, and tape, first create a dark, solid patch of pencil lead on a piece of paper. Next, rub the finger you want to print onto the pencil mark to cover it in graphite. Then, press a piece of clear tape firmly onto the graphite-covered finger and peel it off, transferring the fingerprint to the sticky side of the tape. Finally, stick the tape onto a clean sheet of paper to preserve the print

Where to Look for Existing Prints if Your Loved One is Deceased.

  • Funeral Home: This is the most common source. Many funeral homes take fingerprints for record-keeping. Contact the one that handled your loved one's arrangements, and they can likely provide a copy if they took one.
  • Government and Military Records:Military: If your loved one was a veteran, their military service records may contain fingerprints. You can check their paperwork or contact the relevant military office.
  • Driver's License: Some states have a record of fingerprints from the driver's license application process.
  • Personal and Professional Documents: Check any paperwork you have. Fingerprints may be present in documents signed in front of a notary public or other official documents. 

What to do if you cannot find existing prints

Consider other keepsake that Adorn Designs Jewelry can create for you from handwriting or soundwave.

Handwriting, Signatures or Drawings

  • For handwriting, signature or drawings, we can use pieces from multiple items and combine them to fit on your chosen keepsake.
  • Photos can be color or black & white.
  • It is OK to send several photos.
Person using a smartphone to take a photo of a fingerprint on a piece of paper.

I Have My Fingerprint - Handwriting Files .. NOW WHAT????

We do not need any physical files We need DIGITAL IMAGES. Take a photo of your fingerprints, handwriting or drawings.

  • Place on a flat surface with good lighting.
  • Be mindful of shadows.
  • Hold the camera flat and straight above so there is no angle.
  • Get as close as possible to the fingerprint and keep in focus.

It is OK to take photos of each fingerprint separately. Send them all and we will select the best one.

Soundwave Files

  • Keep it short: Aim for a recording under 10 seconds, especially to ensure the details are visible. If your recording is longer - no problem, we can isolate only the audio you want so that it fits nicely on your keepsake.
  • Speak clearly: Speak directly into the microphone, and consider leaving a brief pause between words so the waveform can "level out" between sounds.
  • Minimize background noise: Record in a quiet environment to avoid interference.
  • Position the microphone: For best results, keep the microphone close to you while you are speaking.

How to Record

  • You can capture new audio using the "Voice Memos" app on your Smartphone.
  • You can save a voicemail.
  • There is a free recording program called Audacity

File Formats

Most of these tools have an export option where you can choose to save your recording as an MP3 or WAV files