Transferring design

Quoted text begins.There seems to be a lot of experimenting that goes on when artists work
with slate.
End of quote.

Thanks everyone for the input on slate. I ended up putting on mineral oil,
then taking it off, then putting on linseed oil and going back to rework the
letters, and finally deciding that I liked the look of it best with even the
letters being dark. It will be outside leaning against a tree stump and the
angle of shadows is plenty to make it readable.

Does anyone know if melting beeswax onto soapstone (or slate for that
matter) would have longer durability than say linseed oil, or would that
need re-doing every year too?

Thanks everybody!
Karen