The Shop — 3D printed photo light
Lithophane night light, printed from your photo
$49.99
A 3D printed photo light with a trick built in: turned off, it looks like a plain white textured panel. Flip the switch and your photo appears in glowing detail — a moment that gets a gasp out of everyone who sees it the first time.
- ✓ Your photo, hidden until lit — every panel is one of a kind
- ✓ Free personalization — add a name or date under the image
- ✓ We proof the lit preview before printing a single layer
- ✓ Free Raleigh pickup or tracked, well-packed shipping nationwide
The magic, explained
How a photo becomes a lithophane
We convert your photo into a 3D relief: bright areas of the image are printed thin so light pours through, and dark areas are printed thick so they stay shadowed. The printer builds thousands of these thickness variations layer by layer into a single white panel — invisible as an image until light passes through from behind, when every face, whisker, and fold of fabric reappears in glowing grayscale. It’s a 19th-century porcelain trick, rebuilt with the same machines we use for engineering work.
Couples
The proposal shot or the first-dance photo, glowing on the nightstand. An anniversary and Valentine’s gift that no one else can duplicate.
New parents
The newborn photo as the nursery night light — useful every single night and a keepsake the whole time. Grandparents ask for their own copy.
Pet portraits
Fur reads beautifully in a lithophane — the texture and depth catch every tuft. A favorite photo of a dog or cat becomes a little glowing monument.
Memorial lights
A photo memorial light for someone you’ve lost — dark by day, present every evening. Many families order several from the same photo, one per household.
Specifications
The specs
Every lithophane runs on the same printers we use for rapid prototyping work — calibrated for fine layers, which is why faces stay sharp instead of turning to mush.
- Panel
- Around 4" x 5" lithophane, 3D printed from your photo
- Light
- Warm-white LED base, USB powered — low heat, long life
- Photo
- Any clear photo works — we check resolution and send a proof
- Detail
- Thousands of thickness steps reproduce faces, fur, and fabric
- Personalization
- Free — add a name, date, or short line under the image
- Made
- To order in our Raleigh, NC studio — proof before we print
Multiples & bulk orders
One for the nightstand, or one for every household
Same photo, multiple copies
Memorial orders often turn into three or four lights from one photo — one for each sibling, one for the grandparents. We keep your processed file on hand, so adding copies later takes one email, not a fresh setup.
Ordering 10+ for an event or organization?
Price breaks start at 10 lights, with deeper tiers at 50 and 100+. Anniversary favors, team photos, retirement gifts — send the photos and quantity through the quote form and a real person replies with batch pricing within one business day.
Request a bulk quoteLithophane night light FAQs
What kind of photo works for a lithophane night light?
Almost any clear, well-lit photo — portraits, wedding shots, baby photos, and pet pictures all translate beautifully. We review every image for resolution and contrast before printing, and you can add a name or date under the image for free. You approve a digital proof showing exactly how the lit panel will look before we print.
How durable is it, and does the light get hot?
The panel is solid 3D-printed plastic — no glass to crack, no print to fade, because the image is the physical shape of the panel itself. The warm-white LED base runs cool and is rated for tens of thousands of hours, so it’s safe to leave on all night in a nursery or bedroom.
How long does production take?
Each lithophane is printed to order in our Raleigh, NC studio — fine layers take hours on the printer, but you approve a proof first and most orders ship with tracking or are ready for free Raleigh pickup within 2–5 business days. Need it for a specific date? Tell us before you order and we’ll confirm.
Can I order lithophanes in bulk for events or memorials?
Yes — families often order several from the same photo after a loss, and they make striking favors for milestone anniversaries and retirements. Price breaks start at 10 units, with deeper tiers at 50 and 100+. Send the photos through the quote form and a real person replies with batch pricing within one business day.
Turn a photo into light
Send us the photo — we convert it to a 3D relief, proof the lit preview with you, print it layer by layer in Raleigh, and ship it tracked or hold it for free pickup.