1. Prepare the image with Image Improvement
Upload a PNG, JPG, JPEG or WebP image with a clear subject. Remove unwanted borders and choose a composition in which the features you want to carve are easy to see.
For a low-quality or low-resolution image, expand Image Improvement and select HD Restoration to enlarge and improve the source before generating depth. Select Background Removal as well if you need to isolate the subject. Review the credit cost beside Fix, then select Fix and inspect the improved image before continuing.
Enlargement can make a small image easier to work with, but it cannot guarantee recovery of missing lettering or facial detail. Check these features before spending credits on depth generation.
2. Which depth-map model should I choose?
Choose a model for the surface you want, rather than selecting only by resolution. These are product model characteristics, not results from a controlled comparison. Use them as a starting point, then inspect the result for your particular image.
Color Image is useful for quickly comparing four progressively deeper results. Pro 1.5 is a good starting point for lettering and smoother deep bas-relief; Pro suits work where you want more pronounced surface structure. Review Image Dimensions and the displayed credit cost before starting generation.
| Model | Surface characteristics | When to start with it |
|---|---|---|
| Pro 1.5 | Closer to deep bas-relief, with clearer lettering and smoother surfaces. | Text, logos and relief designs where clean lettering and smooth transitions matter. |
| Pro | More distinct surface structure and stronger raised and recessed features. | Subjects where pronounced texture and stronger relief definition are desired. |
| Color Image | Faster generation; the standard BASIC workflow offers four images with progressively increasing depth. HD workflows can return a single result instead. | Quickly compare depth variations and choose the most suitable surface. |
Detailed Parameters: what each setting does
Expand Detailed Parameters after selecting the model and Image Dimensions. Optimal Size appears for Pro models except at 4K. Bit Depth appears for Pro models and for other models at HD, 2K or 4K. Some options require membership; review the available controls in your account.
Start by preserving the source, inspect the depth result, and introduce optimization only when it addresses a specific problem. Repaint may change artwork, so recheck text and recognizable features.
| Control / options | Effect | Practical choice |
|---|---|---|
| Optimal Size — On / Off | On lets the AI choose a suitable output size. Off keeps the original image size. Available for Pro and Pro 1.5 except at 4K. | Use On as a starting point for generation quality; use Off when matching source dimensions matters and compare quality. |
| AI Optimization — Off | Keeps the source as the reference without the additional optimization or prompt-repaint mode. | Start here when source composition and lettering should be preserved. Depth inference can still differ from the source. |
| AI Optimization — Optimize | Helps improve generated depth maps that lack a strong three-dimensional appearance or have low output quality. | Enable Optimize when the generated result looks too flat or its quality is poor, then generate again and compare the relief in 3D. Recheck lettering and other important details. |
| AI Optimization — Repaint | Allows requested modifications through a prompt. | Use it when you intentionally want to change part of the artwork. |
| Prompt | Appears when Repaint is selected. Describe the desired modification in English. | Describe one specific change, such as “remove the background clutter and keep the central subject.” Inspect the result for unintended changes. |
| Background Cleanup — On / Off | On unifies noise in dark backgrounds into pure black. Off keeps that background variation. Not shown for Color Image. | Use On for unwanted dark-background noise. Turn it off if ring-like banding appears or you need background texture. |
| Bit Depth — 8bit / 16bit / 32bit EXR | Controls output precision. 8-bit has 256 levels; 16-bit can represent finer grayscale steps; EXR uses floating-point values. | Choose a format supported by the next application. 32bit EXR is offered for Pro models and requires VIP access. Higher precision does not guarantee better inferred geometry. |
3. Use 3D Preview and No-watermark 3D
Open a generated result to see its actions. Select 3D Preview to open the current depth image in the 3D Lithophane Generator in a new tab. A history item also provides a 3D Preview action. Rotate the surface and compare the subject, lettering, edges and background.
Select No-watermark 3D in the result actions to preview the HD depth image without its watermark. The action checks whether that result has already been downloaded. If needed, it shows a credit confirmation before obtaining the image; an already-downloaded result is not charged again by this download check.
A watermark in a depth image can affect the surface you see. Use the watermark-free source when evaluating the actual artwork. In the 3D tool, check width, thickness and the height direction rather than judging only the shaded appearance.
4. What can the Depth Map Editor change?
Use the Depth Map Editor to refine an existing depth map: reduce speckles with Smart Denoise, preserve edges with Detail Protection, remap grayscale levels with Black point, White point, Midtone and Contrast, or reverse the height direction with Invert.
The editor also supports layered composition, positioning, resizing, rotation, cropping, background removal, text and artwork. Opacity blends a layer with the content below it. Local Edit lets you adjust selected areas of an unlocked raster image rather than changing the entire layer.
For example, a noisy background may need cleanup while the lettering needs stronger detail protection. Work on the relevant layer or local area, then check the resulting surface in 3D.
5. Prepare a depth image or relief mesh for the next application
Use the generator Download menu for the available PNG, TIFF or EXR image formats. A depth image stores relative height information; it is not an STL mesh. Use a 3D export workflow when the next application needs relief geometry.
For CNC carving, inspect the relief mesh and prepare toolpaths in CAM software. For 3D printing, check dimensions and slice the mesh. For laser engraving, import the image into your laser software and set the material and process there. Grayscale values alone do not specify a universal engraving depth in millimetres.
Common questions
Which SculptOK model should I use for text in a bas-relief?
Start with Pro 1.5 for clearer lettering and smoother deep bas-relief. Use a readable source image and inspect each letter in 3D; the model choice does not guarantee correct text.
How can I improve a low-resolution image before generating a depth map?
Use Image Improvement → HD Restoration → Fix in the Depth Map Generator. Review the displayed cost and inspect the improved source before generating depth.
How do I reduce depth-map background noise?
Try Background Cleanup for noise in a dark background. Turn it off if banding appears or background detail should remain. For an existing depth map, use Smart Denoise with Detail Protection in the editor.
What is the difference between 3D Preview and No-watermark 3D?
3D Preview loads the current preview image. No-watermark 3D obtains the HD watermark-free depth image after checking its download entitlement and any required credit confirmation. Both open the depth-to-3D tool.
Is an image-to-depth-map result a complete 3D reconstruction?
No. It represents a height field for relief work, not all hidden sides of the object. The independent AI 3D Model Generator at /3d uses a different workflow.