The invention relates to a method for making and evaluating a sample cut in an electronic engraving machine for engraving printing cylinders. An engraving control signal for guiding the burin of a graving element is formed from engraving data representing the predetermined tonalities that are to be engraved. The burin cuts a series of cups, arranged in the gravure screen, in the printing cylinder. The geometrical parameters of the cups determine the actual engraved tone values. During the trial engraving, trial cups (33) are engraved and a video image (35) of them is made. In accordance with the screen parameters of the gravure screen, measuring points (40) are fixed in the video image (35), as distances to a selected reference point (41). The geometric parameters of the trial cups (33) such as transverse diagonal, longitudinal diagonal, width of the engraving channel, width of the connecting material and cup surface are measured in the video image (35) at the measuring points (40), and compared to the corresponding geometric parameters of the cups representing the predetermined tone values. Adjustment values are deduced from this comparison, which are used to calibrate the engraving control signal in such a way that the actual tone values correspond to the predetermined tone values.