Forma3D1 · Pick your photo
In the scene, tap the + button and choose Image 3D. Tap Pick Image and select a photo — high-contrast portraits and pets work best. An SVG file works too via the SVG import button.
Make a lithophane from a photo on iPhone and iPad
Forma3D turns any photo into a printable relief panel — a lithophane that reveals the image when backlit. The conversion runs entirely on-device: pick a photo, tune the height map, export STL or 3MF, print.
Guide published November 3, 2026 · By Forma3D · iOS 17 or later
View Forma3D on the App StoreHow it works
A lithophane encodes brightness as thickness: dark areas of the photo become thick material that blocks light, bright areas become thin and let light through. Forma3D builds this as a real height-map mesh — not a texture — so it prints on any FDM printer with a single filament.
Steps
2 · Set Mode to Height Map
Open the Mode picker and keep Height Map — the smooth relief used for lithophanes. Voxel mode builds the image from columns instead, a different look.
3 · Invert brightness
Enable Invert Brightness so dark areas of the photo become thick — the standard mapping for a backlit lithophane. If the preview looks inverted for your print, toggle it off.
4 · Tune height and resolution
Set Max Height to 2–3 mm — thin enough to pass light, thick enough for contrast. Set Resolution to High for the sharpest relief, or Custom Budget for fine control over the triangle count.
5 · Smooth and apply
Raise Smoothing slightly to soften sensor noise on busy photos. Min Height sets the thinnest point — keep at least ~0.6 mm so the panel stays printable. Tap Apply to generate the mesh.
6 · Size, frame, export
Scale the panel with the transform gizmo or numeric panel — about 100 mm wide is a good print. Optionally add a frame with a sketch or extruded border. Export STL or 3MF and open it in your slicer.
Print tips
- Print the panel standing upright on its edge — layer lines run across the relief and keep thin areas strong.
- Use white or neutral PLA; color filament kills the light-through effect.
- 0.12–0.2 mm layers, no supports needed for the relief itself.
- Backlight it — a lamp, LED strip, or a window — to reveal the image.
On-device processing: the photo and the generated mesh stay on your iPhone or iPad. Forma3D does not upload images or models to a cloud service for processing.
Related guides
See the STL mesh editing guide for cropping and framing the relief, the painting guide for adding multi-filament accents, and the SVG keychain tutorial for another 2D-to-3D workflow.
Frequently asked questions
What is a lithophane?
A thin printed panel where darker areas of the image are printed thicker and lighter areas thinner. It looks like a flat grey plate until you shine light through it — then the photo appears with shading. Classic lithophanes are printed in white PLA and viewed backlit.
How do I make a lithophane in Forma3D?
Open the + menu, choose Image 3D, pick a photo, set Mode to Height Map, enable Invert Brightness so dark areas become thick, set Max Height to 2–3 mm and Resolution to High, apply — then export STL or 3MF and print upright in white PLA.
What settings work best for a 3D printed lithophane?
Max Height around 2–3 mm keeps the panel thin enough to pass light. Enable Invert Brightness for the standard backlit mapping. Print the panel standing upright on its edge in white or neutral PLA, 0.12–0.2 mm layers, no supports needed for the relief itself.
Can I edit the lithophane after generating it?
Yes — the generated relief is a normal editable mesh. Crop it, add a border frame, combine it with 3D text, or paint faces for a multi-filament 3MF export like any other Forma3D object.
Does the photo get uploaded anywhere?
No. Image 3D converts the photo to a mesh entirely on your iPhone or iPad — Forma3D does not send images or models to a cloud service for processing.