3D Printed Lithophanes
A lithophane is a thin panel that looks plain in daylight — but when you shine a light behind it, the thicker areas block the light and the thinner areas glow, revealing your photo in stunning detail. Here's how Light Box Lab turns four of your photos into a personalised glowing light box.
Real light boxes we've made
Finished lithophane light boxes printed, assembled and tested by CadCr3D.
What is a lithophane?
A lithophane is a 3D-printed image in relief. Bright areas of your photo are printed thin so more light passes through, and dark areas are printed thicker so less light passes through. The result is a remarkably photographic image that only appears when backlit — a quiet, everyday object that becomes a glowing picture the moment you switch it on.
The technique dates back to the 19th century, when lithophanes were etched into porcelain. Today, 3D printing lets us reproduce your own photographs as lithophane panels with fine detail and consistent translucency.
How we make yours
1. You upload four photos
Upload four photos and crop each one to a square in our browser-based designer. No software to install — everything happens on your phone or computer.
2. We convert each photo to relief
Each cropped photo is converted into a height map: brighter pixels become thinner panel, darker pixels become thicker panel. We print every panel at 100×100 mm with a 3 mm translucent border on a 3D printer tuned for even light transmission.
3. We build the frame
Your four lithophane panels slot into a 3D-printed frame in your chosen colour — White, Red, Black, Blue, Gold, Pearl Pink, Pink, or Green. The finished light box measures 115×115×110 mm.
4. We add the light
A warm LED sits inside, powered by a 5V USB cable with an inline on/off dimmer switch. (The USB cable is included; the mains plug is not — use any standard 5V USB adapter.) Switch it on and your four photos glow.
What you receive
- A personalised light box, 115×115×110 mm, with four of your photos as backlit lithophane panels.
- Your choice of frame colour, 3D-printed to fit the 100 mm panels.
- 5V USB LED power with an inline on/off dimmer switch (USB cable included, mains plug not included).
- Made to order in the UK — please allow 3–5 working days for dispatch.
Tips for the best lithophane
- High-contrast photos with clear subjects reproduce best.
- Faces and portraits glow particularly well as lithophanes.
- Avoid tiny text or very small detail — it won't survive the relief.
- Each panel is square, so crop to the part of the photo that matters.
Your photos stay private
We know your photos are personal. They're only used to create your lithophane panels — they're never shared, sold, or posted anywhere. Once your light box has been made and dispatched, your uploaded photos are permanently deleted from our system. If your order is cancelled or not completed, your photos are removed straight away. You're always welcome to send a message if you'd like a photo removed sooner.
Design your own light box
Upload four photos, pick your frame colour, preview it in 3D, and order — £29.99 with free UK mainland delivery.
Start your design