Your Lithophane Generator — Photo to 3D Printable
Create a 3D-printable lithophane from any photo: set width, thickness range, contrast, gamma, smoothing and frame, preview the 3D relief and a backlit.
- Free to use
- No signup
- Nothing to install
- Runs in your browser
Illustration. Open the tool for the real thing.
What is the Lithophane Generator — Photo to 3D Printable?
A lithophane is a thin relief that turns into a photograph when light shines through it: dark areas are thick and block light, bright areas are thin and let it pass. Drop in a photo and this generator converts brightness to thickness between the minimum and maximum you choose (for example 0.8 mm for white and 3.2 mm for black), builds a watertight solid with an optional frame, and shows both the 3D relief and a simulation of how it will look lit from behind.
Contrast, gamma and smoothing sliders let you fix washed-out photos before printing, and the resolution setting trades detail against file size (0.2 mm per pixel is a good default). The mirror option makes the picture read correctly from the flat side, which is how a lithophane is normally viewed. Download the STL and print it standing upright in white filament.
3 steps to your result
Open the tool and follow along. Nothing to install.
What you get
Brightness mapped to thickness between your minimum and maximum.
See how the lithophane will look before printing.
Optional border and correct left/right orientation.
Your photo is processed locally, never uploaded.
AZRS tools are free to open and use.
It opens in your browser, so there is nothing to download.
Used for
Pick one to see how it fits.
How it compares
A plain look at this tool next to the usual alternative.
| This maker tool | Desktop software | |
|---|---|---|
| Install | Nothing to install | Usually an app or program to install |
| Account | No signup | Depends on the product |
| Cost | Free to use | Free or paid, depends on the product |
| Where it runs | In your browser tab | On your computer |
Questions people ask
What thickness range should I use?
0.8 mm to 3.2 mm is a good starting range for white PLA; thinner minimum gives brighter whites.
Why mirror?
Viewed from the flat back the image appears flipped unless mirrored.
What resolution?
0.2 mm per pixel is detailed; 0.1 mm gives very large files.
Is my image uploaded?
No — processing is entirely in your browser.
How do I use the Lithophane Generator — Photo to 3D Printable?
1. Drop in a photo (portraits with good contrast work best). 2. Set the width, thickness range and resolution. 3. Tune contrast, gamma and smoothing while watching the simulation. 4. Download the STL and print it upright in white filament.
More free tools
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Try the Lithophane Generator — Photo to 3D Printable now
Turn a photo into a 3D-printable lithophane STL with backlit preview. Free to use.
Try it free