What is a lithophane?

An image carved into a thin material that only reads when backlit: dark parts of the photo print thicker (blocking more light), light parts thinner. Put a light behind it and the photo appears. It's a classic for lamps, frames and gifts.

Is my photo uploaded to a server?

No. Everything is computed in your browser, on your device. Your photo is never sent anywhere, so it's private and there's no size limit beyond your machine's memory.

How do I print it so it looks good?

In white or translucent material, 100% infill and no seam on the front face. We tie the base to a multiple of your layer height so the thinnest area prints solidly. For lamps, use the curved shape.

Which photos work best?

High-contrast photos with a clear subject: portraits, pets, silhouettes, landscapes with sky. Very dark or flat photos lose detail. You can toggle the negative to swap lights and darks.

What format do I get?

STL (the universal 3D-printing format) plus OBJ, 3MF or PLY. The mesh is watertight and manifold by construction, so your slicer won't complain.

Tool · free · in your browser

Lithophane generator

Turn a photo into a print-ready 3D lithophane. Control size and thickness in millimetres, pick it flat or curved (for a lampshade) and download an STL. Everything in your browser: your photo is never uploaded to any server.

Lithophanes generated

lithophanes

this month

this week

Drag a photo (JPG · PNG · WEBP) or clickJPG · PNG · WEBP

Tip: high-contrast photos with a clear subject (portraits, pets, silhouettes) work best.

Processed in your browser. Your photo is never uploaded.

How it works

1 Drag in a photo (JPG, PNG or WEBP). The more contrast, the better.
2 Tune width, max thickness (dark areas) and the base to match your layer height; pick flat or curved for a lampshade.
3 Preview it backlit, hit “Build lithophane” and download the print-ready STL.

What it's for

A lithophane is one of the most rewarding printable gifts: a photo that comes alive when lit, in a frame, a lamp or a backlit keychain. Here you make it in the browser, nothing to install and nothing uploaded, with real millimetre control and an always-printable mesh (watertight, with the base tied to your layer height). If instead you want to lighten an STL or convert between formats, see the mesh reducer and the 3D converter; and for organic lattices, the voronoi generator.

Frequently asked questions

What is a lithophane?: An image carved into a thin material that only reads when backlit: dark parts of the photo print thicker (blocking more light), light parts thinner. Put a light behind it and the photo appears. It's a classic for lamps, frames and gifts.
Is my photo uploaded to a server?: No. Everything is computed in your browser, on your device. Your photo is never sent anywhere, so it's private and there's no size limit beyond your machine's memory.
How do I print it so it looks good?: In white or translucent material, 100% infill and no seam on the front face. We tie the base to a multiple of your layer height so the thinnest area prints solidly. For lamps, use the curved shape.
Which photos work best?: High-contrast photos with a clear subject: portraits, pets, silhouettes, landscapes with sky. Very dark or flat photos lose detail. You can toggle the negative to swap lights and darks.
What format do I get?: STL (the universal 3D-printing format) plus OBJ, 3MF or PLY. The mesh is watertight and manifold by construction, so your slicer won't complain.