Intro

Photos are a wonderful way to remember our loved ones, and when turned into 3D, they bring those memories to life in a beautiful way that regular photos can't.

In this tutorial, we'll guide you on how to use an FDM printer to make a lithophane—a popular light display made of an embossed image, and preserve your cherished memories in a wonderful way.

What is Lithophane

Lithophane is a thin piece made of translucent material with areas of different thickness. When light shines through it from behind, the thicker and thinner parts create different shades, forming an image.

                             

 Image from Wikipedia

In the past, lithophanes had to be handcrafted in porcelain. Now, with 3D printing technology, you can easily create one yourself using a 3D printer.

How to 3D Print a Lithophane

Step 1: Prepare the Image

To 3D print a high-quality lithophane, it's best if the source photo meets the following criteria:

1.  High resolution: Ensure the main subject is clear.

2.  Simplicity: The simpler the image is (in both subjects and background), the better the final print will look.

3.  Good contrast: Ensure the image has a good balance of light and dark areas.

Step 2: Convert the Image to 3D Model

There are many online conversion tools that can turn an image into a 3D model of lithophane, such as Lithophane Maker and ItsLitho. For this tutorial, we are using 3dp.rocks.

Upload your image: Crop it to your preferred ratio before uploading.

Choose a shape: Choose the shape of the lithophane that you like. Click "Refresh" to see what it's like after you select a new shape.

Adjust settings: It's recommended to leave all the settings as default for the best result, except for maximum size.

The maximum size refers to the larger of either the length or the width of the 3D model.

Step 3: Slice the 3D Model

To ensure good details and a see-through effect, the following four settings are recommended:

1.  Placement: Place the model vertically

2.  Layer height: Use a smaller value, such as 0.12 mm

3.  Wall loops and infill: Either go with more than 3 wall loops with 0% infill, or no wall loop with 100% infill

4.  Adhesion: Add a raft or brim to make sure the model doesn’t fall

Step 4: Print the Lithophane

Once the file is ready, send it to your printer and start printing. For the best visual effect, use a white filament.

Order ELEGOO filament: https://www.elegoo.com/collections/filaments

Step 5: See the Effect

After the lithophane is ready, put it in front of a light source to reveal the image. There are suitable light strips available online that can make your lithophane pop.

Step 6: Pick a Frame

To make a complete display with lithophane, it's best to mount it in a frame. You can find all kinds of lithophane frames online. Once you find one, make sure the lithophane fits the frame size.

For example, we found this lithophane frame that requires an image of 1:1 ratio. We cropped the photo to this ratio and converted it into a lithophane 3D model that fits the frame.

After all the steps are done, enjoy your lithophane and the best memories!

(In the loving memory of ROXY)