Image to 3MF

Image to 3MF converter for multi-color 3D printing

Upload a drawing, a logo or a photo and get a 3MF your slicer opens with the colors already split into parts, one per filament. Built for AMS and other color changers, with STL and SVG as alternatives.

Create an account and convert Open the editor

The converter is part of the ornament maker in Printara Studio. Converting with color layers or photo mosaic and exporting the 3MF use no credits; you need a Printara account, no card required. See what costs credits.

A multi-color 3MF made from an image of Saint-Émilion, open in a slicer with its filament list — A 3MF made from an image, opened in a slicer: each color region is its own part with its own filament.

Before and after: from an image to a 3MF

One image, four stages, taken from the Academy lesson Create a 3D souvenir with Ornament Studio. This example uses the 3D relief, the path for photos and illustrations with depth.

Before: an illustrated image of Saint-Émilion on a plaque — Before: the input image.

The image turned into a relief with a limited filament palette — The relief with a filament palette, previewed in the editor.

The relief geometry in clay view without colors — The geometry alone, in clay view.

After: the exported multi-color 3MF in a slicer — After: the exported 3MF in a slicer.

How an image becomes a 3MF

A 3MF file can hold several solid parts and say which filament each one uses. The converter's job is to turn the colors of your image into those parts. It offers four ways to do that, and the right one depends on the image:

Color layers

For logos, stickers and drawings with a few flat colors. Each color region becomes its own part. Merge the colors you do not need and check small regions at the final size. No credits.

Photo mosaic

For photos. The image becomes a fine grid in a small set of filament colors, so details and small text survive. Instant, no credits.

3D relief

For photos and illustrations that should have depth. The relief is sculpted from the image and colored with a palette of 4, 8, 12 or 16 filaments. 30 credits per relief; recoloring and exports after that use none.

Trace image

For a single-color silhouette. It produces closed outlines for STL or a laser SVG rather than a multi-color 3MF.

More 3MF files made from images

Renders of 3MF files exported from the same editor and listed on the Printara marketplace. Some are flat layered designs, others are 3D reliefs.

Flat four-color cartoon battery design — Flat layered design, 4 colors.

Flat four-color ramen bowl magnet design — Noodle Mood magnet, 4 colors.

Round multi-color panel of Prague Castle and the river — Prague wall art panel, 16 colors.

Personalized family Christmas ornament relief — Family Christmas ornament, 4 colors.

Convert an image to 3MF in six steps

Open the editor in Printara Studio, Ornament tab, and choose the 2D Editor for flat artwork or 3D Ornament for a relief.
Upload your image. Use the largest clean version you have; a blurry or tiny image gives ragged edges.
Pick the method: color layers for flat artwork, photo mosaic for a photo, 3D relief for depth.
Set the real size and the colors. Merge similar colors so the count matches the filaments you have.
Export the multi-color 3MF and open it in your slicer. Check the units, the part count and the filament mapping.
Slice and print a small test before a large piece.

Which images convert well

Good candidates

Logos, stickers, cartoons and illustrations with flat colors and clear outlines. Three to eight colors is a comfortable range for most printers. For a relief: a clear subject, readable lettering and a plain background.

Harder cases

Soft gradients, fine texture and tiny text. A typical 0.4 mm nozzle cannot print details much finer than that, so small lettering needs a larger final size. For photos, use photo mosaic or a relief instead of color layers.

3MF, STL or SVG?

3MF for model structure and colors

A 3MF can contain meshes, colored parts and material assignments. It is the file to use with a color changer. It is not a promise that every slicer will reproduce every material assignment, so check the import.

STL or SVG for a different job

STL stores geometry without colors: use it for one color or to paint by hand. SVG stores 2D artwork for a laser; a photo engraving can include a raster image. Neither replaces checking the model in a slicer.

What it costs

Most conversions cost nothing but a Printara account. New accounts start with 0 credits, which is enough for color layers, photo mosaic and every export. Only the AI clean-up and the 3D relief use credits, shown on their buttons; see current pricing for packs and plans.

What you do	Credits
Printara account	No charge
Convert with color layers or photo mosaic	0
Trace an outline for STL or SVG	0
Merge and recolor the palette	0
Export the multi-color 3MF, STL or SVG	0
AI clean-up of a photo or a rough image	10 per image
3D relief conversion, any palette size	30 per relief

Image to 3MF FAQ

Is the image to 3MF converter free?

Converting with color layers or photo mosaic uses no credits, and neither does exporting the 3MF, STL or SVG. You need a Printara account, which costs nothing and needs no card. Optional steps use credits: 10 for an AI clean-up of your image and 30 for a 3D relief from a photo. New accounts start with 0 credits.

Which image formats can I upload?

Upload a PNG or JPG image, or an SVG for tracing. The 3D relief takes a JPG or PNG photo of up to 20 MB. Flat artwork with clear edges and a few colors gives the cleanest result.

How many colors can the 3MF have?

A 3D relief can switch between palettes of 4, 8, 12 or 16 filament colors at any time. A flat design has as many colors as the color layers you keep. The practical limit is how many filaments your printer can load or how many swaps you accept.

Is an image converted directly into a printer program?

No. The editor creates model geometry with color parts first. A slicer still has to generate the printer instructions for your machine and material.

Which slicers open the 3MF?

The multi-color 3MF is made for AMS-style color changers and opens in Bambu Studio and OrcaSlicer with the colors assigned. In other slicers, check that every part is mapped to the right filament before you print.

Why is 3MF not available for my image?

A raster-only photo engraving is 2D artwork for a laser, not a solid model. Choose color layers, photo mosaic or a 3D relief when you need a printed part.

Will all small details survive?

Not always. The source image, the tracing options, the final size and your nozzle all matter. Compare the result with the original at the real size and inspect thin regions before printing.

Turn your image into a 3MF

Create an account, upload an image and export a multi-color 3MF. Color layers, photo mosaic and exports use no credits.

Create an account Open the editor