Would you like to create stunning 3D photos online for free, in minutes? This is the only post you will ever need to start creating professionally done 3D pictures, at your own comfort.
With your computer, tablet or smartphone, you can easily create stunning 3D photos. Photography is easier than you think.
If you are an artist or photographer looking for easy ways to create beautiful 3D images without having to do a lot of drawing and sketching, I’m about to show you simple ways that you too, can start creating cool 3D photos now.
LucidPix – 3D Photo Creator
LucidPix is a relatively recent app for creating 3D photos. But it has become increasingly popular with photographers. The 3D photos LucidPix creates are unique in the fact that it was designed so that you do not need to hold your phone in a specific manner to capture an image, nor does it require any special add-ons, or even a multi-camera phone, to capture and view them.
You simply have to take a photo as you normally would, and LucidPix will use advanced artificial intelligence to transform the two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional image.
About LucidPix
The options available for capturing an image in LucidPix are numerous. One of the easiest ways to take photos is by using the built-in camera app on your phone in the same way that you normally do. You could however use any camera app to capture the image, and then apply filters to create the image that you’re after. To get started with LucidPix, you must first download the app from the Android or Apple PlayStore. You then create a free account with either your Facebook or Google account. Next, you login and select the picture you want to edit.
As soon as you have found a picture that you think would look great in 3D, open the LucidPix app and select 3D Conversion from the menu. You can also choose the picture from your camera roll.
As an alternative, you can capture a photo directly from within the app with a simple point and shoot setup. Moreover, there is no need for you to move your camera around to capture the scene because you don’t have to do so. All you have to do is point and shoot.
For example, the resulting 3D Photo is available after a short processing wait. In our case, it worked best for making the photo appear three dimensional on your phone. The moving picture is clear, the movement really adds a 3D effect, and it is actually something that you’d want to share with friends on social media.
No other 3D photo app, including those that use specialized cameras or depth sensors, has been able to produce such a high-quality output. 3D Photos you create on LucidPix can be exported as native Facebook 3D Photos, animated GIFs, and MP4 videos.
Besides, LucidPix does not include ads or track users through GPS, nor does it use embedded ads. It only requests permission to access your camera roll, which most apps would do. I would say that it is one of the most impressive 3D photo apps out there.
Vectary
Vectary is a web-based 3D drawing program that runs in the browser. The program is extremely handy and it is used by many professionals. You do not need to be an expert to use this tool. It comes with a bunch of ready-to-use 3D images and layouts. Each image renders in a matter of seconds and only requires one click.
In addition, each design is generated in 3D and is totally customizable to fit your needs. Vectary can even help you if you get yourself stuck and you can get free support from the people there. Using Vectary’s automated system, upload your photograph and watch it transform instantly into a 3D version right in front of your eyes.
Features
- On Vectary, you can create custom 3D experiences for exploring and personalizing, all possible with a 3D configurator.
- You can add descriptions and labels.
- You can switch between materials.
- You can change colors, or parts of a 3D model.
Platform: This 2D to 3D converter is a web application.
3D Face Reconstruction
3D Face Reconstruction is a 3D software that makes use of artificial intelligence to assist in reconstructing a face in 3D space. It is able to convert photos into 3D models for free. The AI 3D program works by taking a single image and multiplying it so that a 3D model of the image is generated.
And the software then performs a direct Volumetric CNN regression directly on a 2D image in order to create a 3D facial model from that image. This is done using a simple convolutional neural network. Without a frontal image or close-up image of the face, the AI face detector cannot detect the face to reconstruct it in a 3D model.
- Pricing: Free.
- Platform: Online.
Selva 3D
You can convert images, drawings, logos or anything you can imagine into 3D STL files for 3D printing or CNCing with Selva 3D.
It is a web-based program that allows you to make 3D images for free. It is another application used by industry professionals for converting images to 3D online. To use this online application and convert a 2D image to 3D, you must create a Selva account. The application produces STL files that have a very high level of quality.
Moreover, there is no restriction on where you can use that 3D file. However, it is not free to use Selva 3D’s service. It is possible that you might be required to pay a fee to obtain your 3D image. But the conversion from 2D to 3D is well worth the effort. You can use this online 3D image builder to upload a 2D image file and generate a high-resolution 3D image from that. In the event that you are working on a significant or complex project, it is preferable to have a high-quality image.
- Platform: Web-based.
Blender
Blender is a free and open source 3D creation tool. There is a vast array of features available within the system-modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, even video editing and game creation. Users with advanced skills can use Blender’s Python scripting API to customize the application and to write specialized tools that will be released as part of future releases. Blender is ideal for individuals and small studios, which can benefit from a unified pipeline and a responsive development process. You can see examples of many Blender-based projects on their showcase page.
Blender is a free photo retouching and editing program for professionals. It’s widely used in the film industry as a tool for 3D video editing and computer graphics imaging; and it is also used by 3D architects all around the world.
In the last few years, it has gained popularity among filmmakers and VFX artists. With this 3D program, you can either create 3D models from scratch or convert 2D photos into 3D images. It is compatible with Linux, Windows, and Mac OS.
Now, if you are looking to do heavy 3D video and animation editing, you should consider using Blender as a unique tool to bring your vision to life.
Pic3D
The Pic3D product comes in the form of a thin plastic sheet that you can attach to a 2D display to make it capable of displaying stereoscopic 3D content (no 3D glasses are required); however, you will need a special software player to access the content in 3D. Pic3D was developed by a Japanese company called Global Wave. Pic3D comes in the form of lenticular sheets for different devices and screen sizes that when applied turns ordinary 2D displays into autostereoscopic 3D ones.
Pic3D converts any image into a three-dimensional image online. No installation is necessary. Pic3D is among the most useful free online tools for converting images to 3D. You can transform a whole website into a 3D image by dragging and dropping it onto a webpage. You do not have to worry about registering or creating an account to use Pic3D. To use Pic3D, you just go to their website and use the service.
But if you want to, you can also download the free Android app. This smartphone app allows users to convert jpgs into 3D images online. Additionally, you can use your camera to quickly take a picture and convert it into a 3D image. And it is completely free to use.
- Platform: Web-based Android app.
Insight3d
Insight3D lets you convert images into 3D online for free. It is a desktop application, and you do not have to create an account to use it. Using it, you can transform any two-dimensional space into three-dimensional space.
Moreover, it can convert a camera’s image into a 3D optical parameter that is 100 percent accurate. You can produce 3D artifacts and edit photos with this 3D software design.
Despite being a free tool, it hasn’t been updated for quite some time. Thus, it may not be compatible with all recent Windows versions. Additionally, it is incapable of producing high-resolution 3D images. For this reason, professionals avoid using it.
- Platform: Windows and Linux.
Convert image
Convert Picture is a free program for converting images to 3D online, that also includes CAD tools. By using this free converter, you can add a 3D effect to your 2D image. A simple method for converting a picture to 3D online is available at no cost. With this free 3D converter website, you can turn your photograph into 3D images. It’s a free web-based utility.
- Platform: Web browser.
Shade 3D
Shade 3D is a great tool for achieving quasi-3D rendering. This tool uses unique algorithms to calculate color intensities in the image and create a false-height relief with an accurate perspective.
To illustrate the application’s simple user interface, it also contains enough information to explain how you can create 3D pictures from scratch. This application can, however, only be used with files in the BMP and JPG formats.
Pros
- It is a lightweight app with easy-to-use features.
- It has a variety of editing options before processing.
- It supports uninterrupted full-screen viewing.
Cons
- It doesn’t support PNG files.
- It sometimes only displays portions of the original file.
Price: Free
Platform: Windows
MakeSweet Logo
If you are looking for the easiest way to make 3D logos, this is the right tool for you. MakeSweet logo allows you to customize the color, shading, and view of your creation.
Pros
- Ideal for making 3D logos.
- It is fast and accurate.
- It supports 3D text conversion.
Cons
- Works only with black and white images less than 1 MB in size
Price: Free.
Platform: Web-based.
Image to Lithophane
A lithophane is a photograph carved into thin translucent porcelain (ceramic material), when backlit the image appears. People have used lithophanes since the 1800s, even though they haven’t always been 3D printed.
Specifically, this tool allows you to convert any image into a lithophane. You can choose from six different shapes and view (zoom and rotate in any direction) the model before downloading the final STL file.
Pros
- The tool works offline.
- It offers image, model, and cache settings.
- It uses the generated models for commercial projects.
Cons
- It cannot preserve fine details in the picture.
Price: Free
Platform: Web-based
ZW3D
ZW3D is a CAD-CAM application for 3D modeling, machining, and mold design. The application is aimed at helping mechanical engineers optimize their design workflow in Microsoft interfaces and create efficient 2D and 3D models.
It is a lightweight tool that will enable you to load BIG models with a minimum of performance degradation. A comprehensive set of algorithms is included with it that enables faster panning, rotating, and zooming of your design.
Additionally, the application operates relatively faster than similar applications; for example, I was able to pattern 4480 shapes with 98560 faces in only one minute.
Pros
- It features intelligent design tools
- It contains more than 80 default post-processors
- It is a specialized tool for Mold Design.
- Available for both 32-bit and 64-bit systems.
Cons
- It is an advanced editing tool, but very expensive.
- Not available for Mac users.
Platform: Windows OS.
Conclusion
Creating a 3D model of a picture is an interesting and fun activity that you can carry out. The idea of this type of project is to take a 2D image, and add 3D effects to make it look like a real object. There are different ways to achieve this, but you must have a reliable photo editor that is capable of handling these types of operations. Photoshop used to be a tool that did all these things, but now it is not the same.
But even at that, there are still plenty of tools that you can use to create stunning 3D images for free. You don’t have to worry about looking for what tools to use. You just have to start creating.