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Make a flat photo lithophane

A lithophane is a thin 3D print that looks like a plain white panel until light shines through it, and then your photo appears. This generator turns every pixel of your picture into a thickness: dark parts print thick and block light, bright parts print thin and glow.

Upload a JPG or PNG, choose a preset or adjust contrast, brightness and gamma, set the size and the thickness range, and preview it in 3D before you download the STL. It is free with an account: register free, then build, preview and download, with a few downloads a day; Supporters download without a daily limit.

Tips for a good print

  • Crop tight to the face or subject: a lithophane has a fixed amount of detail, and background uses it up. The image editor crops, straightens and paints out distractions.
  • Print it standing up, like a picture frame, with the image facing the front. It needs no supports; add a brim if a tall panel wobbles.
  • Use 100 % infill, a 0.10 mm layer height (0.08 mm for the finest detail), a slow speed of about 30 to 40 mm/s and the fan at 100 %. Any gap in the infill lets light leak through unevenly. The full table is in the guide.
  • White PLA gives the best contrast. Avoid translucent, sparkly or dark filament.

Frequently asked questions

What thickness should a lithophane be?

The defaults, 3.0 mm at the thickest and 0.6 mm at the thinnest, suit white PLA and most lights. If prints come out muddy or washed out, calibrate your filament once and the thickness range tunes itself to the plastic you use.

What infill and layer height should I use?

Use 100 % infill, a 0.10 mm layer height (0.08 mm for the finest detail), a slow speed of about 30 to 40 mm/s and the fan at 100 %. Any gap in the infill lets light leak through unevenly. The full table is in the guide.

Should I print a lithophane flat or standing up?

Standing up. Printed vertically, the fine relief is built from the side of each layer, which gives smoother tones than printing it lying flat, and it needs no supports.

Can I print it in two colours?

Yes. Tick "Two-colour print" and the page tells you the exact height to add a filament change in your slicer, so the frame prints in one colour and the photo in another on an ordinary single-nozzle printer.

What is the best photo for a lithophane?

A sharp, well-lit photo with a clear subject that is brighter than its background, at least about 1000 pixels on the long side. Faces, pets and silhouettes work best; busy backgrounds disappear when lit.

Is my photo uploaded?

No. Your browser turns the photo into a grid of height numbers on your own device, and only those numbers are sent to build the 3D model; they are not saved. See the privacy policy.