Abstract: An engraving head apparatus and method for engraving a gravure cylinder. The engraving head apparatus includes a magnetostrictive actuator formed from TERFENOL-D.TM. which elongatably drives a diamond-tipped stylus arm in a reciprocal manner in response to a varying magnetic field created by a bias coil and a drive coil. The bias coil establishes a DC biasing magnetic field which causes an initial expansion of the actuator to approximately one-half the total linear expansion limit of the actuator. The drive coil is concentrically interposed between the actuator and the bias coil and modulates the magnetic field intensity established by the bias coil to cause additional expansion and contraction of the actuator about the initial expansion point.