You may already be familiar with lithopanes, etched artworks that reveal an image when lit from behind. Now, we’re going to teach you how to make one.
THE PROCESS IS SIMPLE:
1) Open the Customizable Lithopane in Customizer, the Thingiverse app that lets you create unique things from a set of parameters and inputs.
2) Upload the photo you want and let Customizer do its thing.
3) Print on your MakerBot.
FOR THE PERFECT PRINT, PAY ATTENTION TO THESE TIPS FROM THINGIVERSE HERO, TBUSER:
Make sure your image is square. Images with other dimensions will be distorted.
– Choose a grayscale image with low contrast. A high-contrast black and white image won’t look as good.
– Use an image that is 100×100 pixels – it will result in a cleaner lithopane.
– Don’t forget to invert colors in Customizer!
– Leave the Layer Height at 0.2 and the Number of Layers at 12 for the best results.
– Print with a Layer Height of 0.2 and one shell.
– Use a light-colored filament. Yellow, White, and Natural MakerBot PLA filament work best.
You can use a photo editing tool to prep your image to make the best lithopane possible. Here are a few things you can do in Adobe Photoshop Express Editor, a free, browser-based photo editing tool.
QUICKLY CROP YOUR IMAGE INTO A PERFECT SQUARE.
1. Click “Get Started” and upload your photo.
2. Select “Crop & Rotate” under “Edit” on the left side of the screen.
3. Under “Crop Dimensions,” select “Square.”
4. Use the hand cursor to move the square to your desired location, adjusting size using the corner toggles.
5. When finished, click “Done” in the bottom right corner of the screen.
6. Select “Save to my computer,” then upload saved .jpg to Customizer.
DECREASE THE CONTRAST IN YOUR IMAGE TO CREATE MORE GRAYSCALE.
1. Click “Get Started” and upload your photo.
2. Select “Highlight” under “Edit” and “Adjustments” on the left side of the screen. The far leftmost option will have the lowest contrast available.
3. Experiment with “White Balance” and “Fill Light” to try to get even less contrast, if desired. Too little contrast, though, and your image won’t be recognizable. Aim for a happy medium.
4. When finished, click “Done” in the bottom right corner of the screen.
5. Select “Save to my computer,” then upload saved .jpg to Customizer.
CONVERT YOUR LARGE IMAGE INTO A 100×100 PIXEL IMAGE.
1. Click “Get Started” and upload your photo. If it isn’t already a square image, crop as instructed above.
2. Select “Resize” under “Edit” on the left side of the screen.
3. Select “Custom” and type 100 into the “Height” field. The “Width” field should automatically adjust to 100, too.
4. Click “Done” in the bottom right corner of the screen.
5. Select “Save to my computer,” then upload saved .jpg to Customizer.
POST LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE LITHOPANES IN COMMENTS!