Guide reviewed by SculptOK ·
Photo preparation, depth maps or SVG: which tool do you need?
SculptOK Laser Image Processing prepares raster images for 2D photo engraving. Like image filters, it changes brightness, contrast, edges and noise, and can turn shading into black-and-white dots. It processes your uploaded image in the browser; this tool does not run AI depth generation or spend generation credits.
A grayscale photograph describes light, shadow and color intensity. A relief depth map uses grayscale to represent surface height. Converting a photograph to grayscale does not establish the height of its subjects. Choose the tool according to the intended output, rather than the fact that both images look gray.
| Goal | SculptOK tool | What the output describes |
|---|---|---|
| Engrave a photo or shaded illustration on a flat surface | Laser Image Processing | Raster tones or a black-and-white dot pattern; machine settings are configured downstream. |
| Create bas-relief for CNC carving, 3D printing or depth-map engraving | AI Depth Map Generator, then Depth Map Editor | An interpretation of surface height for a separate relief workflow. |
| Create vector shapes for logos, silhouettes or graphic engraving | Images to SVG | Monochrome vector paths, rather than raster photo shading. |
1. Upload an image and compare the preview
Upload a JPG, JPEG, PNG or WebP. Processing starts after the image loads; there is no AI Generate step. Use a clear source with useful separation between the subject and background. Improve a small or blurry source before applying filters: stronger contrast cannot restore missing detail.
Click the image preview to switch between Original and Processed. Compare faces, lettering, highlights and shadows as you change settings. Judge small features at the size you intend to engrave, then confirm the physical dimensions in your laser software.
2. Choose a material preset as an image starting point
Quick Material Presets applies a combination of image adjustments. Wood is the initial preset. Selecting another preset replaces the current settings with that preset, including the rendering mode. All six currently start in Grayscale with Lightness 0, Depth Levels 256 and Noise Reduction off.
These are image-filter presets, not tested power, speed or frequency settings for a particular machine. The same material name can cover different surfaces and coatings; use the processed preview and a sample engraving to decide whether to keep or adjust the preset.
| Preset | Current image settings | What to compare |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | Brightness +9; Contrast +18; inversion and edge enhancement off. | Subject separation without washing out highlights. |
| Acrylic | Brightness +4; Contrast +24; edge enhancement on. | Fine edges and whether brighter areas still have useful detail. |
| Metal | Brightness −6; Contrast +28; edge enhancement on. | Shadow detail and whether dark areas merge. |
| Leather | Brightness +4; Contrast +16; inversion and edge enhancement off. | Gentler tonal separation and readable texture. |
| Glass | Brightness +6; Contrast +24; inversion and edge enhancement on. | The inverted light/dark direction against your intended marking. |
| Stone | Brightness −8; Contrast +30; inversion and edge enhancement on. | Inverted tones, merged dark regions and narrow details. |
3. Understand every adjustment
Start with Brightness and Contrast while viewing the subject. Apply Noise Reduction sparingly if the source has unwanted texture, then try Edge Enhancement if important boundaries need more definition. Excessive smoothing removes detail; excessive contrast or lightness can clip tones.
Lightness is a brightness multiplier in this tool, not a gamma control: 0 leaves the adjusted value unchanged, 1 doubles it and 2 triples it before clipping. Use small changes when highlights are already bright.
| Control | Effect | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness · −100 to +100 | Adds or subtracts a tonal offset before contrast. | Lift an underexposed source or darken an overly bright image. |
| Lightness · 0 to 2 | Multiplies the contrast-adjusted tones by 1 plus the selected value. | Lift remaining dark tones carefully; clipped whites lose detail. |
| Contrast · −100 to +100 | Expands or compresses tonal differences around the midpoint. | Separate the subject from the background; reduce it when shadows or highlights lose detail. |
| Depth Levels · 2 to 256, Grayscale only | Values below 256 reduce the number of tonal levels. The 256 setting skips this reduction, retaining the source processing precision. | Keep 256 for smooth tones. Lower values create stepped shades. This is not engraving depth, number of laser passes or file bit depth. |
| Output Rendering | Chooses continuous grayscale or one of two black-and-white error-diffusion algorithms. | Choose where photo shading will be converted into dots: here or in the laser application. |
| Dither Strength · 0–100%, dithering only | Controls error propagation. 0% is a hard threshold; 100% uses full diffusion. Every setting still produces black and white. | Compare dot distribution and recognizable small features. It does not set laser power. |
| Invert Colors | Reverses light and dark values. | Check the marking direction required by the surface; avoid inadvertently inverting twice downstream. |
| Edge Enhancement | Sharpens local grayscale boundaries. | Clarify edges; inspect for exaggerated noise or halos. |
| Noise Reduction | Smooths the image with a neighborhood averaging filter. | Reduce unwanted speckles or texture before output. |
| Intensity Level · 1 to 6, Noise Reduction only | Increases the number of smoothing passes. | Use the lowest level that removes unwanted noise while preserving lettering and facial features. |
| Reset | Restores neutral adjustments and Grayscale output, rather than reapplying the selected material preset. | Compare your edits with a neutral starting point; select a preset again if you want its settings. |
4. Choose grayscale or a dithered image
Grayscale retains tonal shading. Use it when you want the target laser application to perform its own image conversion, or when your intended workflow specifically uses grayscale power modulation. Keep the export in grayscale until you have selected the appropriate downstream mode.
Floyd–Steinberg and Stucki convert shading into black-and-white dot patterns using different error-diffusion neighborhoods. Compare both on your source; neither is universally best for every photo, material or machine. Depth Levels is hidden in these modes because their output already contains only black and white.
For an image already dithered in SculptOK, avoid another dithering step in the next application. LightBurn documents Pass-Through for preprocessed images; its line interval/DPI is tied to image size, so verify size and dot spacing. This guidance is for the black-and-white dithered output, not a blanket instruction to enable Pass-Through for continuous grayscale.
The physical result also depends on the laser and material. Grayscale power modulation can create physical depth on some machines; that does not mean this filter has inferred a relief height map from a photograph.
5. Export PNG or TIFF and prepare the laser job
Hover over the processed image, or focus its download control, to choose PNG or TIFF. The exported file is raster artwork. It does not contain machine power, speed, scan interval, a cutting path or a completed laser job.
Regular image inputs use the 8-bit processing path. Supported 16-bit PNG inputs use a separate 16-bit path; the image badge lets you switch output between 16-bit and 8-bit. Keep 16-bit output when the source and downstream workflow benefit from that precision. The browser preview itself does not show all 16-bit precision, and increasing file bit depth cannot recover detail from an 8-bit source.
A dithered image contains only black and white even when saved in a 16-bit container. Depth Levels, pixel dimensions and file bit depth are different properties; none directly specifies the physical depth of an engraving.
Import the downloaded image into your laser software, set the physical size and image operation, and verify polarity and dot spacing. Configure settings for your machine and material there, preview the job and run a small sample before the final piece.
Common questions
Is Laser Image Processing an AI depth map generator?
No. It filters your uploaded image for 2D photo engraving, adjusting tones, edges, noise and optional dithering. To infer surface height for bas-relief, use the separate AI Depth Map Generator.
How do I prepare a photo for laser engraving on wood?
Upload a clear image, start with the Wood preset, inspect brightness and contrast, then choose grayscale or a dithered output. Export PNG or TIFF and configure size and machine settings in your laser software. The preset is an image starting point, not a calibrated machine recipe.
Do Glass and Stone presets automatically set laser parameters?
No. They apply tonal adjustments, inversion and edge enhancement. Power, speed, focus and scan settings remain part of the machine workflow.
Does Depth Levels change engraving depth?
No. Here it reduces grayscale tones at values below 256. Physical depth depends on the machine job, material and intended engraving process.
Should I dither again in LightBurn?
If you export an already dithered black-and-white image, avoid applying another dither. Check LightBurn’s Pass-Through guidance and the resulting image size and DPI. If you export continuous grayscale, choose a suitable image mode in LightBurn instead.
Does this feature use AI generation credits?
No. The image-filter processing runs locally in the browser. Separate AI generation or image-improvement features have their own displayed requirements.