Lithophanes vs Depth Maps: What's the Difference?
They look similar and both rely on grayscale — but lithophanes and depth maps are made for completely different things. Here's how to tell them apart.
If you've spent any time in laser or 3D printing communities, you've seen the terms 'lithophane' and 'depth map' used almost interchangeably. They're related — both turn brightness into physical dimension — but they're built on opposite principles, and using the wrong one will ruin your project.
What a lithophane does
A lithophane is designed to be viewed with light shining through it. It's a thin translucent panel where thicker areas block more light (appearing dark) and thinner areas let more light through (appearing bright). The image only fully appears when it's backlit — think of a frosted glass photo that glows on a lightbox.
Because of this, lithophane brightness is inverted relative to thickness: the brightest part of your photo becomes the thinnest part of the panel. They're almost always 3D printed in white filament or engraved into thin translucent material.
What a depth map does
A depth map is designed to be viewed with light reflecting off it. It's a solid relief carved into an opaque material like hardwood, slate, or acrylic. White areas are the highest points and black areas are the deepest cuts. There's no backlighting involved — the dimension is read through shadow and highlight on the surface itself.
Quick rule: if light passes THROUGH it, it's a lithophane. If light bounces OFF it, it's a depth map relief.
Side-by-side comparison
- Viewing: Lithophane needs backlight; depth map is viewed in normal reflected light.
- Material: Lithophane uses thin translucent material; depth map uses solid opaque material.
- Brightness logic: Lithophane is inverted (bright = thin); depth map is direct (bright = high).
- Typical use: Lithophanes are popular for 3D printing; depth maps shine in laser relief engraving.
Can you use the same file for both?
Not directly — because the brightness logic is reversed, a depth map will look inverted if printed as a lithophane and vice versa. However, a good grayscale source can be adapted to either by inverting the values and adjusting contrast. The depth maps in the PortraitHut gallery are prepared as reflective relief files, optimized for carving on opaque material rather than backlit panels.
Browse 16-bit depth maps prepared for laser relief engraving.
Explore the depth map gallery