3D Printed Lithophanes: Ancient Art With A Modern Twist

Imagine a unique artwork that comes to life when illuminated—a hidden image waiting to be revealed. Lithophanes, with their rich history and evolving craftsmanship, offer just that.  But how exactly do they work, and what makes them so special? 

What Makes Lithophanes So Special?

Lithophanes are quite special when it comes to a regular photo:

• They are tactile, meaning you can feel and see the difference in thickness of the actual photo
• They are more resistant to wear and tear as the photos themselves do not degrade in color quality as the years go back, unlike regular photo paper.
  
• Due to the nature of lithophanes, the photos get a particular oil painting like look.
  

Where Does The Word "lithophane" Come From?

The word itself is quite interesting: 

• Originating from Greece, it combines two Greek words: 'lithos' (meaning stone or rock) and the word 'phalnein' (meaning 'to appear'). Quite literally meaning "appearance in stone"
• However, the 'old-fashioned' way of making them is actually by using a wax cast together with porcelain, as we will read below in a bit.

The History of Lithophanes

What exactly are they?

Lithophanes are thin plaques of translucent material, typically porcelain, that reveal detailed images when backlit. The varying thicknesses of the material allow different amounts of light to pass through, creating shades that form the image

Some of the oldest lithophanes originate from France in the 1820s and quickly gained popularity. Germany became the main producer, with notable manufacturers like the Prussian Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (KPM) in Berlin. The peak of the original way of making lithophane production was between 1840 and 1870.

How were they made?

The traditional method of making porcelain lithophanes involved carving a wax plaque placed on a glass backing. A plaster cast of the wax was then used as a reusable mold for the porcelain. As production increased, more durable metal molds were often used instead, which helped keep the quality of the lithophanes high.

After manufacturing, the lithophanes would then be illuminated from behind by a small candle and, as the years went by, via more modern methods like a small LED light or LED light strip.

Which is great, considering that using an actual flame as backlight for a 3D printed lithophane is definitely not a good idea...

3D Printed Lithophanes

What's the difference between the traditional way and a 3D printed one?

While 3D printed lithophanes differ in the materials use, the same base principle applies: you create an object that can have varying thicknesses, but also thin enough to let light through to create the image. The thicker the area, the less light can pass through the back of the lithophane.

In the case of a 'black and white' 3D printed lithophane, you make very thin layers of white plastic to make that happen! You could technically do it with any other color, but white allows you easily let light through.

Full color lithophanes follow the same method, but add thin layers of cyan, magenta or yellow in between the white layers. It's the same way your inkjet printer creates colored images or text. 

This sounds really cool, how can I get one?

Hand of Stardust can help you with that: simply provide us with the photo you would like to use for your lithophane using our contact form and we will get in touch with you regarding pricing and available options.

The possibility to order them directly as a product on the website is something we're currently working on to bring you as soon as possible. Once this is live, you will be able to easily tell us:

• If you want a 'black and white' or full color lithophane
• Which size you would like your lithophane in (we will be working on 3 kinds of sizes, depending on our testing results)
• Which 3D printed accessories you would like for your lithophanes such as lighting or frame kits, so you can quickly set them up for yourself or as gifts for loved ones

If you intend to use our contact form to ask us about the possibilities for the lithophanes, you can use the list above as a guideline for when you reach out to us.

Final word

I hope I've gotten the chance to teach you about why Hand of Stardust offers lithophanes as a new and interesting way to remember special moments in your life! If this got you excited to make your own or if you have any more questions, please feel free to reach out on our contact form

Huge thanks to Wikipedia for providing the information that I used for this article. And if you want to find out more yourself, you can find it all on the Wikipedia page about lithophanes. Looking forward to illuminating your memories in a truly special way!