<p>From a single image from this perspective (front view) you cannot map the coin surface in detail. There is reported limited success in estimating the depth of single images, but, this is for images with a clear perspective (e.g. like a picture of a room showing the walls and floor at an angle). In order to map the surface you will need to have multiple images and preferably know the direction of lighting on that object.</p>

<p>People with one eye cannot estimate depth very well, you need two eyes and a trained brain to understand the differences in depth.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T08:13:00.060Z
You can create a depth map based on a black and white image, where blacks are lows and whites are highs. My question was related to this.
NLed
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T08:32:22.157Z
@NLed Please add that to your question then. I'm very curious how you then would define how high a white color is and how low the black. If you have a legenda it is easy, but how would you determine that from a single front view.
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T08:42:34.140Z
@NLed, your attached image does not have that property.
Sean Houlihane
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T11:20:51.347Z
@NLed You can from a *greyscale* picture that is *formated* in this special way. a B&W photo does *not* have this property.
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T14:27:06.637Z
@0scar I literally just did this in Photoshop, and managed to get a 3D object out of it and print it. Will post it as an answer to my own question.
NLed
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T15:42:16.693Z
@NLed Please do note that a  lithopane is not an `accurate depth map` of the coin, it does not map the surface of the coin, it maps the coin so that if you put it in front of a light you see a similar image as you started based on translucence. If that is what you are after, you should update your question, as it is formulated now, you want to get the coins surface map i.e. 3D profile.
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T17:00:33.010Z
@0scar Photoshop will take a minimum value in cm/mm (black) and maximum height (white), anything in between that gradient will have a height between min and max. I'm going to answer and do a tutorial to my question.
NLed
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T17:24:05.790Z
@NLed Yes but the problem is that the image of your coin is not in a black to white scale, it is a color scale with highlights, so you cannot make a [heightmap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heightmap). The stars and the 1899 are placed on a plane surface, but if you make a gray scale image of this and convert to a heightmap you never get the actual coin. This is what Trish and Sean hint at.
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T06:47:53.217Z
2018-10-10T06:47:53.217Z
0scar
<p>I designed a coin to use as a tokens for a RPG. I decided to make it from scratch instead of making a height map. I tried two different approaches. </p>

<p><strong>Smooth height changes</strong></p>

<p>I found a 3D model of the head I wanted to use on my coin. Then I cut it in two, and placed on of the pieces flat side on top of the coin. I then flattened the head to make it more appropriate for a coin. When I sliced it whit the layer height supported by my printer I noticed that I lost too much of the details in the head. </p>

<p><strong>Layered height changes</strong></p>

<p>I found a picture of the head I wanted to use and drew outline of the different parts of the head that I wanted to include. I then added each drawing with a different thickness to the coin. This gave me a clear drawing on the coin, and is what I ended up printing.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OJexW.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OJexW.jpg" alt="Final coins both sides in different material"></a></p>

<p><strong>Printing</strong></p>

<p>I printed the coins standing up. 2 of my 42 coins failed because the coin fell over during print. I printed 4 and 4 coins at the time, on placed in each corner of the print surface. I finished one entire coin before starting the next. 
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/jjXf6.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/jjXf6.jpg" alt="Printing position"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T14:16:38.363Z
Thanks for answering!! How did you design it? What program did you use?
NLed
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-12T06:59:41.817Z
I used Fusion 360, which is free for non-comercial use.
Marius
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T10:56:58.970Z
2018-10-10T10:56:58.970Z
Marius
<p>If you have a depth map (a raster file with the height at each point), OpenSCAD has the ability to read the height map and create a 3D object.  That 3D object can then be exported as an .STL file, and sliced normally.</p>

<p>I have done this (maybe 3 years ago), and it worked well.</p>

<p>This <a href="http://aggregate.org/MAKE/TRACE2SCAD/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">site</a> includes a list of available tools.  I probably used one of these, as I could easily convert my particular depth map to a PNG or other image file.</p>

<p>Once the file is in STL format, you can choose how best to print it for your printer.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-23T20:32:14.357Z
2018-10-23T20:32:14.357Z
cmm
<p>If I have an image like the one attached, what’s the best way to create an accurate depth map of it? I have photoshop CC and 3ds Max, but I don’t know what settings work best with Slic3r. There is a plethora of settings and combinations to choose from in either programs. </p>

<p>Did anyone do this before? If so, can you share your technique?</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/9wbEP.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T14:06:01.057Z
Sadly, it's just about as impossible, as the answers point out.  OTOH, if you want to create a **lithopane**  ,  there are several websites that will do so from your image quite simply.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-10T15:33:55.037Z
@CarlWitthoft lithophane and speedprinting need solid Q&A still - good reminder!
Trish
<3d-models><slic3r>
What is the best way to print a coin with depth map?
NLed
# What is the best way to print a coin with depth map?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-10-10)

If I have an image like the one attached, what’s the best way to create an accurate depth map of it? I have photoshop CC and 3ds Max, but I don’t know what settings work best with Slic3r. There is a plethora of settings and combinations to choose from in either programs.

Did anyone do this before? If so, can you share your technique?

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/9wbEP.jpg)

**Tags:** 3d-models, slic3r
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Sadly, it's just about as impossible, as the answers point out.  OTOH, if you want to create a **lithopane**  ,  there are several websites that will do so from your image quite simply.  
> **username_2**: @CarlWitthoft lithophane and speedprinting need solid Q&A still - good reminder!  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-10-10. Score: 4

From a single image from this perspective (front view) you cannot map the coin surface in detail. There is reported limited success in estimating the depth of single images, but, this is for images with a clear perspective (e.g. like a picture of a room showing the walls and floor at an angle). In order to map the surface you will need to have multiple images and preferably know the direction of lighting on that object.

People with one eye cannot estimate depth very well, you need two eyes and a trained brain to understand the differences in depth.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: You can create a depth map based on a black and white image, where blacks are lows and whites are highs. My question was related to this.  
> **username_3**: @NLed Please add that to your question then. I'm very curious how you then would define how high a white color is and how low the black. If you have a legenda it is easy, but how would you determine that from a single front view.  
> **username_4**: @NLed, your attached image does not have that property.  
> **username_2**: @NLed You can from a *greyscale* picture that is *formated* in this special way. a B&W photo does *not* have this property.  
> **username_0**: @0scar I literally just did this in Photoshop, and managed to get a 3D object out of it and print it. Will post it as an answer to my own question.  
> **username_3**: @NLed Please do note that a  lithopane is not an `accurate depth map` of the coin, it does not map the surface of the coin, it maps the coin so that if you put it in front of a light you see a similar image as you started based on translucence. If that is what you are after, you should update your question, as it is formulated now, you want to get the coins surface map i.e. 3D profile.  
> **username_0**: @0scar Photoshop will take a minimum value in cm/mm (black) and maximum height (white), anything in between that gradient will have a height between min and max. I'm going to answer and do a tutorial to my question.  
> **username_3**: @NLed Yes but the problem is that the image of your coin is not in a black to white scale, it is a color scale with highlights, so you cannot make a [heightmap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heightmap). The stars and the 1899 are placed on a plane surface, but if you make a gray scale image of this and convert to a heightmap you never get the actual coin. This is what Trish and Sean hint at.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-10-10. Score: 1

I designed a coin to use as a tokens for a RPG. I decided to make it from scratch instead of making a height map. I tried two different approaches.

**Smooth height changes**

I found a 3D model of the head I wanted to use on my coin. Then I cut it in two, and placed on of the pieces flat side on top of the coin. I then flattened the head to make it more appropriate for a coin. When I sliced it whit the layer height supported by my printer I noticed that I lost too much of the details in the head.

**Layered height changes**

I found a picture of the head I wanted to use and drew outline of the different parts of the head that I wanted to include. I then added each drawing with a different thickness to the coin. This gave me a clear drawing on the coin, and is what I ended up printing.

[![Final coins both sides in different material](https://i.sstatic.net/OJexW.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/OJexW.jpg)

**Printing**

I printed the coins standing up. 2 of my 42 coins failed because the coin fell over during print. I printed 4 and 4 coins at the time, on placed in each corner of the print surface. I finished one entire coin before starting the next.
[![Printing position](https://i.sstatic.net/jjXf6.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/jjXf6.jpg)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for answering!! How did you design it? What program did you use?  
> **username_5**: I used Fusion 360, which is free for non-comercial use.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-10-23. Score: 0

If you have a depth map (a raster file with the height at each point), OpenSCAD has the ability to read the height map and create a 3D object. That 3D object can then be exported as an .STL file, and sliced normally.

I have done this (maybe 3 years ago), and it worked well.

This [site](http://aggregate.org/MAKE/TRACE2SCAD/) includes a list of available tools. I probably used one of these, as I could easily convert my particular depth map to a PNG or other image file.

Once the file is in STL format, you can choose how best to print it for your printer.


---

