How to create a Custom Lithophane Keychain

In this tutorial you will learn how to create a Custom Lithophane Keychain - A perfect christmas or birthday present

Used Software

These programs are needed to create a Lithophane Keychain, however you don't need to know how to use them.

Prepare Files

At first you need to choose a picture for the keychain. The subject of the picture should be in the center because we will apply a "vignette effect". Download all the model files for this project from prusaprinters: www.prusaprinters.org/prints/48141-custom-lithophane-keychain and put all of them with your picture in a folder to keep an overview.

Edit Picture

To edit the picture we use Paint.net. Start the program and open your picture in it (Ctrl + O). For this tutorial I use a picture of a Benchy!

At first, you have to make sure that the picture has the same height and width. For that click on Image>Canvas Size. A Popup Window will appear. There deselect "maintain aspect ratio" and set the width equal to height (or reverse depending on which side is longer. The image shouldn't be cropped).


Next we apply a "vignette effect". Click on effects>photo>vignette. In the Popup Window set the center to 0;0, Radius to 0.50 and Density to 1.

This step is finished and you can save the image in your folder.

Convert Picture to Stl

Now we convert our picture to a Lithophane on the following page: 3dp.rocks/lithophane. Open the web page and upload your picture ("Images" tab).
Click on Settings>Image Settings. Now check that the settings are like in the picture below.

Then click on Settings>Model Settings and check that the settings are like in the picture below.

When the Settings are set you can click on refresh in the model tab and then download it.

Convert Stl to Keychain

The .stl file is now a square with your picture on it. To transform it, we use Blender. Open the program and delete the "Standard Cube" (Gray Cube in the Center, Delete with "Del").
Now open your files by clicking on File>Import>Stl. In the Popup select "centercircle.stl", "keychain top.stl" and the stl you generated in the previous step. If everything is correct, it should look like this:

In the next step click on your "generated" file (the file generated on 3dp.rocks/lithophane) in the top right. Then on the little wrench below and click "Add Modifier". Select "Boolean". Repeat this so you have two modifiers.

In the first modifier Tab, select "Intersect" and select "Centercircle" as object.
In the second modifier Tab, select "Union", select "Keychain Top" as object and set the "Overlap Threshold" to 0.3m.
The Modifier Tab should now look like this:

To save the file, click on your "generated" file in the top right. Then go to File>Export>Stl. In the Popup select "Selection Only" and then click on "Export Stl".
(It is important that the "generated" file is selected before export else you will see just a flat surface in Prusaslicer)
You now have the finished Keychain as an .stl.

Slice it

Since you own a 3d Printer you propably know how to use a Slicer. But here are some notes:

Now you are ready for printing! Have Fun!

I hope this tutorial helped you! If you have any improvements or notes you can write me an Email: juliushussl@gmail.com.