Free lithophane maker
Turn a photo into a lithophane: a thin panel that shows your picture when you hold it up to a window or a lamp. Choose a rectangle, circle or heart and download the STL. Your photo never leaves your computer.
Free for personal use. Selling prints of what you make? Commercial License. Want it designed for you? Custom birthday designs from $29.99.
The relief and lithophane method is based on ImageToMesh by halogen22 (MIT licence), rebuilt here to run in the browser with closed, correctly sized meshes.
How to make a lithophane for 3D printing
- Choose a photo. Faces, pets and landscapes with clear light and dark areas work best.
- Pick the shape and size. Rectangle, circle or heart. 100–150 mm wide is a good size for a frame or night light.
- Set the thickness. Around 0.8 mm for the brightest parts and 3 mm for the darkest gives good contrast.
- Check the backlit preview. Switch the preview to Backlit to see how it will look with light behind it.
- Print standing up in white. Use white PLA, 100% infill and 0.12 mm layers, printed standing up for the most detail.
Questions
What is a lithophane?
A thin print with thicker and thinner areas. Thick parts block light and look dark, thin parts glow, so the photo appears when it's backlit.
What filament is best for lithophanes?
Plain white PLA. Coloured or silk filaments hide the detail.
Why print a lithophane standing up?
Layers along the picture give finer detail than flat printing, because the nozzle draws the thickness changes in X and Y.
Is this lithophane maker free?
Yes, free for personal use, and it runs in your browser so your photos stay private.