Photo to 3D Lithophane Tool
Turn photos into 3D printable lithophane & night light STL models. Supports Flat, Curved & Cylinder shapes with live backlight simulation.
🖼️ 1. Upload Photo
100% LocalClick or drop photo here
JPG, PNG or WebP formats supported
sample.png
800 × 800 px
2. 3D Lithophane Shape
⚙️ 3. Thickness & Structure
3D Printing Slicer Guidelines (Best Practices)
Never use sparse infill to ensure uniform light diffusion
Finer layer heights give smoother grayscale gradients
Vertical printing eliminates topographic layer stepping lines
White PLA provides warm, even light transmission
4-Step 3D Lithophane Quick Start Guide
Upload Photo
Drop your photo to automatically extract depth and grayscale heightfields locally.
Select 3D Shape
Pick Flat, Curved or 360° Cylinder, and adjust physical width and border frames.
Interactive 3D Preview
Orbit 360° with mouse and toggle Backlight Simulation to test night lamp translucency.
Export STL & Print
Download binary .stl file and slice with 100% infill printed vertically.
3D Lithophane Maker FAQ
Q: Why must Lithophanes be sliced with 100% infill?
Lithophanes work by varying plastic thickness to block or transmit light. Partial infill like 20% creates internal shadows that ruin the visual contrast.
Q: Why print vertically instead of lying flat?
XY stepper motors have higher resolution than Z-axis layer steps. Printing vertically eliminates topographic stair-stepping lines.
Q: How to choose between Flat, Curved and Cylinder?
Flat works great in backlight photo frames; Curved stands stably on flat nightstands; Cylinder fits on standard LED night light bases.
Q: Is the exported STL file compatible with my 3D slicer?
Yes. It uses standard binary STL mesh format, 100% compatible with Bambu Studio, Creality Print, PrusaSlicer, Cura, and Chitubox.