Use ChatGPT or Gemini to convert your original image into a grayscale height map before creating the STL.
PROMPTbas-relief · grayscale · orthographic
Generate a front-facing orthographic grayscale bas-relief height map from this image for CNC/3D relief conversion. Preserve the exact subject and composition. Use grayscale only as physical elevation: black = minimum Z, white = maximum Z. Use compressed shallow bas-relief depth with smooth continuous transitions. Flat pure-black background. Preserve major facial/object forms, hair masses, ornaments and structural detail. Avoid directional lighting, cast shadows, ambient occlusion, specular highlights, clay-render shading, perspective depth, random surface texture and exaggerated pores. The output must read as a height field rather than a lit sculpture.
Paste into ChatGPT or Gemini, then attach your source image.
Upload your relief image
Drop or pick the grayscale relief image you generated.
Drop your relief image here
or
PNG · JPG · WEBP
UPLOADED
Unsupported file. Please upload a PNG, JPG, or WEBP.
PNG · JPG · WEBP, up to 20 MB.
CNC RELIEF STUDIO|
ready
Drop in a relief image
Upload a grayscale relief, depth map, or lithophane source. Adjust live, preview in 3D, export a watertight STL.
Drag & drop anywhere in this area · PNG, JPG, WEBP · up to 50 MB
Source-
Processed height map-
Mesh & export preview
Preview grid-
Preview triangles-
Preview STL size-
Physical-
Export qualityStandard
3D relief previewdrag · wheel · right-drag
-
Generating STL…
Building watertight mesh
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CNC Relief Studio · by Ricky Laser Art
Bas-Relief Generator for CNC: Image to 3D Relief STL
CNC Relief Studio is a free browser-based bas-relief generator by Ricky Laser Art.
It converts a grayscale image or height map into an adjustable 3D bas-relief and exports a watertight STL file
for CNC routers, carving machines and 3D printers. Processing runs locally in your browser: no sign-up, no AI image generation.
About the tool
CNC Relief Studio takes a 2D grayscale image or 16-bit height map and turns it into an adjustable 3D bas-relief.
Pixel brightness is treated as physical elevation: black is the minimum Z, white is the maximum Z. The result is
previewed live in a Three.js 3D viewer and exported as a watertight STL that imports directly into Vectric Aspire,
Carveco, Fusion 360, Mach3, LightBurn and most other CAM packages used with CNC routers and desktop 3D printers.
The tool is built around a CNC-router workflow rather than a 3D-print or AI-generation workflow. Controls are
focused on physical outcomes: relief depth in millimetres, base-thickness in millimetres, plate width, and
smoothing and sharpening that control how pixel noise translates into tool-path noise. The underlying STL mesh
is a solid plate with a displaced top surface, a flat bottom and four closed side walls, so the file is a true
watertight solid rather than a shell.
How it works
Prepare an image. Use a grayscale relief image or height map you already have, or generate one
with ChatGPT or Gemini using the on-boarding prompt provided inside the tool. The source should read as elevation:
black background, white highest point.
Upload. Drag-and-drop or pick a PNG, JPG or WEBP, up to 20 MB.
Preview and adjust. Change relief depth, base thickness, plate width, detail balance
(smoothing / sharpening), background threshold and microtexture suppression. The 3D preview updates live and
the camera stays where you left it between slider changes.
Export STL. Choose Preview, Standard or High quality. The server writes a watertight binary
STL and shows its triangle count and bounding box.
Who it is for
CNC router owners running Shapeoko, X-Carve, OneFinity, Avid, Carbide3D, Makera, Axiom,
StepCraft and similar machines.
Wood carvers and relief artists producing portrait plaques, scenic reliefs
and ornamental panels.
Sign makers adding sculpted lettering or raised logos to signage.
Coin, medallion and pendant designers who need a flat backing plate and tight depth control.
3D printing users producing lithophane-style reliefs or decorative panels.
Engraving businesses and freelancers building files for client CNC jobs.
Features
Grayscale image and 16-bit height map input.
Adjustable relief depth (0.5–20 mm), base thickness and plate width.
Detail balance slider for simultaneous smoothing and sharpening.
Microtexture suppression for cleaning pore / grain / weave artefacts in portraits.
Background threshold for keeping the backing plate flat under the subject.
Live 3D preview with smooth vertex normals, physically-based materials, and Front, 3/4, Side and Center
camera presets with orbit-tween motion.
Stone and Wood preview materials; additional variants in the Advanced panel.
Export quality presets: Preview, Standard, High.
Watertight STL output: solid plate with displaced top, flat bottom and four side walls.
Runs entirely in your browser: no account, no AI image generation.
Supported workflow and formats
Input
PNG, JPG or WEBP, up to 20 MB.
Grayscale is used; colour images are converted internally.
16-bit grayscale PNG is preserved end-to-end; 8-bit is accepted and upsampled.
Pure-black background and a clean subject give the best STL.
Output
Binary STL (.stl): watertight, consistent winding, suitable for CAM toolpath generation
and 3D printing slicers.
Processed 8-bit height map (.png) saved alongside the STL for reference.
Run configuration (.json) recording every slider value for the export.
CNC use cases
Portrait plaques: convert a portrait height map into a shallow bas-relief plaque
(3–5 mm) for walnut, maple or MDF.
Logos and signs: raise a logo above a clean plate with controlled edge sharpness; use the
background threshold to keep the plate perfectly flat.
Coins, medallions and pendants: small-footprint reliefs with tight base-thickness control.
Decorative panels and ornaments: scenic reliefs, Celtic knots, floral patterns.
Lithophane-style 3D prints: taller depth, finer resolution, backlit viewing.
Memorial plaques: photo-derived reliefs with microtexture suppression for clean skin tones.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tool to convert an image to a bas-relief for CNC?
CNC Relief Studio is built specifically for the image-to-bas-relief-to-CNC workflow. It accepts grayscale
images and height maps, gives you depth and base-thickness controls in millimetres, previews the result in
3D, and exports a watertight STL that CAM software can toolpath directly. It is free, in-browser, and does
not generate images with AI.
How can I convert a grayscale image to a bas-relief STL?
Upload the grayscale image, adjust relief depth, base thickness and plate width, then export as STL at your
chosen quality. Pixel brightness becomes elevation: black is the minimum height, white is the maximum.
Can I create a bas-relief STL online, without installing software?
Yes. The tool runs entirely in your browser. There is no desktop install, no account, and no paid plan.
What tool can create a CNC bas-relief from a height map?
A height map is exactly what CNC Relief Studio is designed to consume. Pixel luminance is interpreted as
elevation and converted into a watertight STL with the base thickness and plate dimensions you choose.
How do I turn a photo into a CNC relief?
A photograph needs to be reduced to a grayscale height map first: pixel brightness has to represent
elevation, not lighting. The on-boarding step inside the tool provides a prompt you can paste into ChatGPT
or Gemini to produce a usable height map from your photo. Upload the resulting height map, and the tool
converts it into a watertight bas-relief STL.
Does the tool work with ArtCAM, Vectric or Carveco?
The exported STL is a standard watertight solid and imports into Vectric Aspire, Carveco Maker, Fusion 360,
Mach3, LightBurn and most other CAM packages. The tool itself replaces the photo-to-relief step; your usual
CAM software still generates the toolpaths.
Is CNC Relief Studio AI-based?
No. The relief is produced by a deterministic height-field conversion, not by an image-generation model.
If you want to produce a height map from a photo, you may use an external AI such as ChatGPT or Gemini:
that step is outside the tool.
About Ricky Laser Art
Ricky Laser Art is the creator of CNC Relief Studio and a small family of browser-based tools
for laser cutting, CNC routing and image preparation. The brand focuses on practical software for makers who
actually run machines: not on generic generators or AI image products. More tools and documentation are at
rickylaserart.com.