How 3D Photo Crystals Are Made: Subsurface Laser Engraving Explained

People pick up a 3D photo crystal and the first question is almost always the same: "How did you get the picture inside?" The surface is perfectly smooth, yet there's a detailed 3D image floating in the middle. The answer is a process called subsurface laser engraving.

What is subsurface laser engraving?

Subsurface engraving (also called 3D crystal engraving or inner engraving) focuses a laser beam at a precise point inside clear crystal or glass. At that focal point, the laser creates a tiny mark. Repeat that thousands of times at different depths, and those points come together to form an image you can see from multiple angles. Because the laser passes through the surface without marking it, the outside stays completely smooth.

How a photo becomes a 3D crystal

1. Choose the photo. Portraits, pets, wedding photos and memorial pictures are the most popular.
2. Prepare the image. The photo is cleaned up and converted into a 3D point map that tells the laser where to fire inside the crystal.
3. Preview it. Before anything is engraved, you get a free 3D preview so you can see how it will look.
4. Engrave. In my shop, this step happens on the xTool F2 Ultra UV, which uses a cold 355nm UV laser and can engrave 3D images up to 2.8" × 2.8" inside the crystal.
5. Finish and display. Add engraved text if you'd like, and an optional lighted base makes the image glow.

Tips for choosing a great photo

• Clear and in focus. Sharp photos make the sharpest crystals.
• Good contrast. Subjects that stand out from the background engrave best.
• Faces close up. Head-and-shoulders shots usually look better than full-body photos taken from far away.
• Not sure? Send it over. The free 3D preview lets you see the result before it's made.

Popular uses

Wedding and anniversary gifts, pet memorials, family portraits, graduation and sports keepsakes, and memorial pieces for loved ones. Shapes in my shop include the 3D Crystal Rectangle, the 3D Crystal Heart and the Cut Corner Diamond.

Shop 3D photo crystals →

See it for yourself in Muskego

Reading specs only gets you so far. As an xTool Squad host, I run these machines every day in my Muskego, Wisconsin shop, and you can see them work in person or on a live video call. Bring your own material and we'll test it. If you're thinking about getting into 3D crystals yourself, you can watch one being engraved on the F2 Ultra UV.

Book a demo or training session → or browse all the machines I demo.