Image to lithophane STL or 3MF
Convert photo brightness into printable thickness for backlit prints. Dark areas become thicker by default, bright areas stay thinner so light can pass through. Free to use, with no account or sign-up required.
3D preview
Upload an image to preview the heightmap mesh.
Lithophane defaults
Use light or translucent filament and place a light source behind the print. A thinner minimum thickness gives brighter highlights; a thicker maximum improves shadows but needs stronger backlight.
Lithophanes are judged with light passing through the part, not by how the model looks in normal room light. Use smoothing for portraits and photos, keep the minimum thickness printable, and test a small crop when the image has very dark shadows or fine text.
- Dark areas usually need more thickness to block light.
- Bright areas need enough minimum thickness to remain printable.
- Large photo lithophanes can become heavy files; choose mm per pixel from the final print size.
- Compare workflows in the heightmap vs lithophane guide.