What is Lithophane?

Lithophanes started in 19th-century Europe as moulded porcelain panels, often set into lampshades and windows. Thick areas block light and appear dark; thin areas let light through and glow. Today they're one of the most popular things to make with a 3D printer.

How a lithophane is made

A photo is converted to greyscale and inverted, so dark parts of the photo become thick parts of the panel. That greyscale is then used as a heightmap on a thin slab. Our image to STL converter has a lithophane mode that does this in your browser.

Printing tips

• Use white or natural filament. Colours reduce contrast.
• Set 100% infill so the thickness, not the infill pattern, controls the light.
• Print it standing upright for the finest detail.
• A thickness range of roughly 0.8 mm (lightest) to 3 mm (darkest) works well for most photos.

The lithophane guide covers choosing photos and slicer settings in more depth.