Field guides
Depth map, relief, and STL guides that end at a real file
Every guide below embeds the workbench it describes. Start with the map you need, check the scene against its source for free, and only then decide whether a production file is worth paying for.
Start here
The three guides that answer the first question
Fundamentals
How to make a depth map that survives the next tool
Learn how to make a depth map from a photo, choose a suitable source, inspect near and far values, fix common errors, and export for CNC, laser, or VFX.
Read the guideSTL workflow
Convert a depth map to STL without creating an open shell
Use this depth map to STL guide to build a watertight relief, choose width, relief height, base thickness, and mesh density, then verify it for CNC or print.
Read the guideTool selection
The best depth map generator in 2026 is the one that shows its work
Compare depth map generators by what they deliver: free preview quality, true 16-bit output, closed meshes, failure refunds, and clear production boundary.
Read the guideFundamentals
1 guide
Choose the right map, direction, and range before any export.
STL workflow
1 guide
Turn one image into a mesh a slicer or CAM package accepts.
CNC workflow
1 guide
Source, relief height, tool diameter, stock, and a scrap test.
Laser workflow
2 guides
Prepare grayscale, set direction, and calibrate on scrap.
LightBurn depth map: prepare the grayscale before the first burn
Prepare a LightBurn depth map for 3D sliced engraving: choose 8-bit or true 16-bit, set the near direction, test power on scrap, and avoid common import errors.
4 minute readDepth maps for laser engraving that survive the controller
Prepare depth maps for laser engraving: choose brightness direction, avoid stippling and banding, pick 8-bit or 16-bit, and test a grayscale PNG first.
4 minute read3D printing
2 guides
Thickness, layer height, orientation, and a small test first.
Lithophane generator: turn a photo into a printable thickness map
Make a lithophane from a photo with a relief workflow: thickness range, brightness direction, layer height, orientation, and a light test before final print.
4 minute read3D print relief failures: ten causes and the fix for each
Fix the ten most common 3D print relief failures: thin base, non-manifold mesh, unsupported overhangs, wrong scale, layer height, orientation, and noisy depth.
4 minute read3D and VFX
4 guides
Separate distance, elevation, and surface direction.
Normal map from an image without Photoshop
Create a normal map from an image without Photoshop: convert a height map locally, check OpenGL versus DirectX green, tune strength, and validate before use.
4 minute readDepth map vs displacement map: the difference that changes the export
Depth and displacement maps both carry height, but they answer different questions. Learn which one your renderer expects and how to avoid the wrong export.
4 minute readHow to create a normal map from an image you already have
How to create a normal map from an image: luminance converters vs AI geometry, a step-by-step photo workflow, and the green channel and space checks to run.
5 minute readDepth map vs normal map: distance values or surface direction
Depth map vs normal map explained: what each stores, which one CNC, laser, 3D print, VFX, and game texture work needs, and how to make both from one photo.
6 minute readFile formats
3 guides
Verify bit depth, range, and what the next program reads.
16-bit depth map test: verify the precision, not the label
Verify a 16-bit depth map instead of trusting the label: inspect the PNG header, measure the actual levels, and decide whether the extra precision matters.
4 minute read16-bit depth maps: more storage is not always more truth
Understand what a 16-bit depth map stores, when it prevents banding, why conversion cannot invent precision, and how to verify PNG import in CNC and 3D tools.
4 minute readHow to read and repair a grayscale depth map
Learn how a grayscale depth map represents near and far surfaces, how to choose direction, fix clipped range and halos, and prepare PNG output for real tools.
4 minute readProduct engineering
1 guide
Build or buy the queue, credits, retries, and refunds.