Turn Photos Into 3D-Printable Lithophanes

A free browser-based lithophane generator that converts any photo into a 3D-printable STL by mapping image brightness to layer thickness. Dark pixels become thick plastic; bright pixels become thin plastic; when backlit, the image shines through. Generate flat lithophanes for frames or curved cylindrical lithophanes for lampshades. All processing happens in your browser — images stay on your device.

How to make a lithophane from a photo

1
Upload your photo

High-contrast portraits, silhouettes and landscapes work best. Resolution above 600 × 600 px is plenty.

2
Pick flat or curved

Flat for picture frames, curved for lampshades that wrap around a bulb.

3
Set size and thickness

100 × 100 mm at 0.8–3 mm thickness is a safe starting point. Larger sizes show more detail.

4
Tweak contrast

Increase contrast for punchy photos; decrease for soft landscapes. Watch the live preview.

5
Download and print

Export STL, slice at 0.1 mm layer height, print flat (for flat) or upright (for curved) with white PLA. Light from behind when done.

Print photos as layered plastic plaques that reveal the image when lit from behind.

Drop a photo or click to browse
JPEG · PNG · WebP — high contrast images work best
JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP, GIF, BMP, HEIC, HEIF, AVIF, TIFF, TIF ·

Features

Flat and curved shapes Live preview with backlight Image adjustments Fully parametric Clean STL export

Frequently asked questions

What image types work best?

High-contrast black-and-white or naturally contrasty photos — portraits with plain backgrounds, pet silhouettes, mountain landscapes, wedding photos. Dense detail (crowded scenes) tends to blur in the final print.

What filament should I use?

Plain white PLA is the community standard — it transmits light evenly. PETG works but needs slightly higher min thickness. Avoid dark colours; they block light.

What print settings?

0.1 mm layer height, 100% infill, 3 perimeters, no supports. Flat lithophanes print flat on the bed; curved ones print upright with a brim.

Is my photo sent to a server?

No — the photo is processed entirely in your browser by JavaScript. The server only logs anonymous usage events (tool_use) to help improve the tool.

How big can the STL be?

At high resolution, a 200 × 200 mm lithophane produces a ~20 MB STL with 300k+ triangles. Most slicers handle this fine but loading and slicing take longer than a typical print.

💡 Want us to improve this tool just for you?

We can — and it's free! Just send us a quick message with your idea. If you'd like to discuss it in detail, leave your email and we'll get back to you. You can stay anonymous.

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