Generators & Utilities

Image to Lithophane Converter

Turn a photo into a thin plate that reveals its image when backlit. Select a photo, adjust the dimensions and download an STL for your 3D printer.

Free No Sign-up Runs on Your Device

Select a photo

JPG, PNG, WebP or BMP. Up to 20 MB and 40 megapixels.

🔒 Your photo stays on your device. No upload, no account.

From photo to a printable lithophane

Bright areas become thin and dark areas become thick. A light behind the print passes through thin areas more easily, revealing the photo. The converter makes a rectangular plate with a textured front and a flat back.

  1. Select a clear photo or try the sample. Transparent pixels are composited onto white.
  2. Set the overall size, thickness and optional frame. Adjust brightness or contrast while watching the thickness map.
  3. Download the STL, import it in millimetres into your slicer and check the dimensions before printing.

Prepare your print

Frequently Asked Questions

A lithophane is a relief image encoded as different thicknesses in a translucent material. With light behind it, thinner areas appear brighter and thicker areas appear darker. This tool converts a photo into a closed rectangular model with a flat back, for preparation in a 3D-printing slicer.
No. Image decoding, grayscale conversion, preview and STL creation happen in your browser. There is no image processing server or account. The file stays on your device, and sharing uses a preview or page link rather than automatically uploading your original photo.
Width and height describe the entire plate, including the frame. The aspect-ratio option preserves the proportions of the image inside that frame. Uncheck Enable frame to remove it while keeping your frame settings. The inner bevel angle slopes the frame into the image relief; 0° keeps a square edge and 45° adds a bevel. The frame and photo form one closed solid.
The initial values are 0.8 mm for the brightest image areas and 3.2 mm for the darkest. They are starting values, not a printer profile. Filament, lighting and print settings affect the result. Adjust the range and test a small plate using your own printer and material.
The tool limits the front surface to 1,200,000 points and shows the actual sampling spacing. When your dimensions and detail setting exceed this limit, it automatically uses a coarser grid. The STL still has the requested physical dimensions. Coarser sampling reduces file size and processing time.
Open the downloaded file in a slicer, select millimetres and check the plate dimensions. STL contains geometry without a unit label or printer instructions. Prepare it for your printer and material before printing. The preview is a thickness map, so it cannot guarantee the appearance of the finished backlit print.
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