To produce a hand-made cameo

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Cameo Production
To produce a hand-carved shell cameo, most artists follow the following steps:
	After the sardonyx or cornelian shell is selected, it is divided into two parts by a scoppatore. One part of the shell is used for souvenir items and trinkets, and the other part — thicker and more richly colored — is used for cameos.
After being divided in two, the thicker and colored part is signed with a waterproof pen by a segnatore, who decides cameos shape according to shells' shape.
	The part of the shell to be used for cameos, called the cup, is then divided further by a cutter, called "tagliatore".
The back of these pieces of shell are then smoothed and rounded by the aggarbatore, and finally attached to a wooden stick for easy handling by the carver. The rough, curved outer layer is left exposed for carving.
	Carvers work with a carving tool called a bulino, introduced by Italian carvers several hundred years ago, or small dental drills, to grind away shell.
After drawing a sketch of the subject matter on the shell, the carvers use traditional cameo carving tools to create the image. Most carvers sit near windows to take advantage of natural light, doing the majority of the work by hand. Cameos can take a few hours or a few days to complete.