Lithophane Maker › Photo night lamp lithophane
Photo night lamp lithophane
A lithophane looks like plain white plastic until a light comes on behind it – then your photo appears. Wrapped around a small LED, it becomes a night lamp that makes a lovely personal gift.
Open the free maker with a preset
- Four-photo night light box – one photo per side, prints in one piece with a ring for a 38 mm LED tea light.
- Round lamp shade – one wide photo wrapped into a cylinder that sits over a tea light or LED puck.
- Heart panel – a flat heart with an optional caption, to stand in front of a light.
How to make a photo night lamp
- Pick your photos. For the box choose four (front, right, back, left); for the shade one wide photo. Crop tightly.
- Open a preset above and add your photo(s). The backlit preview shows how it will glow.
- Tune brightness and contrast until the preview looks like the photo held up to a window.
- Set the size. 70–80 mm sides suit a tea light; for the box choose a closed floor ring or an open bottom to set it over a USB LED puck.
- Download the STL, slice and print it upright as exported. Drop in an LED light.
Recommended print settings
- Filament: plain white PLA (avoid silk, glitter and translucent).
- Layer height: 0.12–0.16 mm.
- Infill: 100% – a lithophane is all thickness detail.
- Thickness range: 0.8–3.0 mm (thinner max for weak tea lights).
- Orientation: upright as exported, with a brim; no supports needed.
- Speed: slow outer walls for sharper detail.
Gift tips
Mix generations in the box (grandparents, parents, kids, pet), add a name or date as a caption on a heart panel, or print a matching name keychain. For a bigger statement piece try the photo moon lamp.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free?
Yes. The lithophane maker is free, with no account. Your photo is turned into an STL inside your browser and is never uploaded.
Which light should I put inside?
LED only: a 38 mm battery LED tea light or a USB LED puck. Never a candle or a hot bulb – PLA softens around 55 °C.
Box or lamp shade – which is better?
The box shows four different photos, one per side, and is great for a family or couple gift. The lamp shade wraps one wide photo (a panorama or group shot) around the light.
What photos work best?
Clear faces, good contrast and a simple background. Crop close to the subject; small faces in a big scene get lost at lamp size.
How long does it take to print?
Roughly 4–10 hours for a 70–80 mm box at 0.12–0.16 mm layers, depending on your printer and size. Your slicer shows the exact time.
Why does my print look dark or flat?
Try a thinner maximum thickness (about 2.6–3 mm) for weak tea lights, raise contrast in the maker, and print in plain white PLA, not silk or coloured filament.
More shapes (heart, star, curved frame, keychain, moon lamp) are in the Lithophane Maker. See also the Photo Moon Lamp Generator.