Lithophane maker
Turn a photo into a 3D-printable lithophane: flat, curved or a cylinder lamp shade. Download STL or 3MF. Photos never leave your browser.
Shape & size
Image
Backlit preview
Roughly how it looks with a light behind it.
Export
How to make a lithophane from a photo
- Drop a JPG, PNG or WebP photo into the box above. It is read locally in your browser.
- Pick a shape: Flat for a frame or window, Curved for a stand-alone display, or Cylinder (360°) for a lamp shade or tea-light cover.
- Set the width (the height follows the photo's aspect ratio), the min and max thickness and the border.
- Adjust brightness and contrast while watching the 3D and backlit previews.
- Download a watertight STL or 3MF and slice it — or open it in the PrintCAD modeler to add a stand or frame.
How a lithophane works
A lithophane is a thin plate whose thickness follows the brightness of a photo. Dark areas are thick and block light; bright areas are thin and let light through. With a light behind it, the plate shows the photo in fine detail — even though it looks like a bumpy white panel in normal light.
Best print settings for lithophanes
- Print it vertically (standing up). Layer lines then run across the image and the thickness steps stay smooth. This tool already places the model upright on the bed.
- 100% infill (or enough walls to fill it). Gaps inside show up as dark lines.
- White PLA gives the best contrast. Colored or glossy filaments work too, but look different.
- 0.1–0.12 mm layer height for detail. Print slowly and add a brim to tall, flat lithophanes so they don't wobble.
- Keep the minimum thickness around 0.6–0.8 mm and the maximum around 3 mm. A 0.4 mm nozzle handles the default detail of 0.2 mm per pixel.
FAQ
How do I make a lithophane from a photo?
Drop a photo above, choose flat, curved or cylinder, set the size and thickness, then download the STL or 3MF. No sign-up and no upload.
What are the best print settings for a lithophane?
Upright, 100% infill, white PLA and 0.1–0.12 mm layers. Print slowly and use a brim for tall flat panels.
What thickness should a lithophane be?
About 0.8 mm minimum and 3 mm maximum for white PLA. A bigger range gives more contrast but needs a brighter light.
Why does my lithophane look like a negative?
Dark areas must be thick and bright areas thin — that is the default here. If you turned on Invert, turn it off.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. Everything runs inside your browser.