What Is a Depth Map? A Beginner's Guide for Laser Engravers

If you've seen a stunning 3D portrait carved into wood by a laser and wondered how it was done, the answer is almost always a depth map. It's the single most important file in dimensional laser engraving — and once you understand it, a whole category of projects opens up.

The simple definition

A depth map is a grayscale image where the brightness of every pixel tells your laser how deep to cut. White means the highest point on the surface, black means the deepest cut, and the shades of gray in between map to every depth between those two extremes. Instead of burning a flat 2D picture, your laser varies its power and passes to physically carve a relief.

Why 16-bit matters

A standard 8-bit grayscale image only has 256 levels of gray. A 16-bit depth map has over 65,000 — which means dramatically smoother gradients and far more depth detail. When you're carving subtle features like the curve of a cheek or the petals of a rose, those extra levels are the difference between a smooth, lifelike relief and visible stair-stepping.

Every depth map in the PortraitHut gallery is a clean 16-bit grayscale file, prepared specifically so it carves smoothly rather than in harsh bands.

How a laser uses a depth map

1. You load the grayscale PNG into your laser software (LightBurn, for example).
2. You select grayscale / 3D / depth engraving mode rather than a standard image or dither mode.
3. The laser varies its power based on each pixel's brightness — more power and more passes for darker pixels.
4. The result is a physical relief carved into the material, with real depth you can feel.

What you can make with depth maps

• 3D portraits and pet memorials carved into hardwood
• Relief signage and decorative wall panels
• Coins, medallions, and keepsakes
• Lithophanes and backlit acrylic art