1. Choose an image with readable shapes
For a portrait plaque, a face that occupies a good portion of the frame is easier to inspect than a tiny face in a busy scene. Look for visible eyes, nose, mouth, hairline, and jaw. A front or three-quarter view usually gives the image more facial detail than a distant profile.
For an object or ornament, prefer a clear outline and visible separation between the subject and its background. If two important forms overlap in the photo, the generated depth may merge them. Try a different angle or crop if the overlap hides the contours you need to carve.
2. Check light, focus, and background
- Use a sharp image; motion blur and heavy compression hide edges.
- Prefer even light with visible midtone detail. Harsh glare can erase surface information, while deep shadows can look like false valleys.
- Keep the subject distinct from the background. A plain background is often easier to evaluate than a textured wall or cluttered workshop.
- Avoid filters that add strong edge halos, posterization, or artificial sharpening.
Practical check: View the photo at the size of the intended plaque on screen. If key details disappear at that size, they are unlikely to become clearer in the relief.
3. Crop for the final object
Decide the plaque proportions before generation: square, portrait, or landscape. Leave some margin around the subject so the outer edge does not cut into hair, ears, a tool, or another feature. Cropping also helps decide what belongs on the finished carving and what should be left out.
If you plan to add a border or text in your CAM software, reserve space for it in the composition. Keep important facial features away from the perimeter because a frame, bevel, or finishing pass can reduce usable detail near the edge.
4. Generate and judge the preview
Upload the prepared image to the CNC Point Tools relief generator and inspect the generated preview before downloading. Check whether the nose, cheeks, eyes, and background separate in a way that makes sense for the design. A visually attractive preview is still only a starting point: AI estimation cannot recover depth that was never visible in a single photograph.
If a feature is missing, first try a clearer source image or crop. For a decorative object, a photo with more directional light may reveal shape; for a face, soft light often retains detail without crushing shadows. Keep the original so you can compare results across attempts.
5. Keep rights and consent in mind
Only upload images you have the right to use. If a photo identifies another person, get their permission before processing or sharing it. Review the privacy policy for information about how uploads and generated files are handled.
Next step: turn the map into a toolpath
After generation, use the depth-map download or the 3D relief export that fits your workflow. Then follow the depth-map-to-CAM checklist and preview the toolpath before cutting.