Five ways to build a relief.
Two are local and free, one is a hybrid, one calls a real depth-estimation model in the cloud, and one generates a relief from nothing but a text prompt. Pick by source material, not by habit.
| Engine | Best for | Reads | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Logos, crests, flat line art | Silhouette / distance transform | Free |
| Photo | Photographs, tonal images | Grayscale luminance | Free |
| Blend | Mixed subjects | Shape + Photo mixed together | Free |
| AI Depth | Portraits, photorealistic subjects | Cloud depth-estimation model | 1 credit |
| AI Depth + Detail | AI Depth output plus fine surface texture | Cloud model + local texture layer | 1 credit |
| Relief Generator | No source image — describe the subject | Text-to-relief diffusion model | 4 credits |
Shape
Distance-transform relief built for flat 2D illustrations — carves outward from the silhouette edge rather than reading grayscale tone. Ideal for logos, crests, and clean vector-style artwork.
Details →Photo
Luminance-based depth for photographs and tonal images, with Detail Strength, Denoise, and a Luminance Curve to shape how brightness maps to height.
Details →Blend
Mixes the Shape and Photo reads together — useful for artwork that's part flat graphic, part photographic tone.
Details →AI Depth
Sends your image to a real AI depth-estimation model for photorealistic, anatomy-aware depth. AI Depth + Detail adds an optional Surface Detail texture layer on top of the same cloud result.
1 credit / generationRelief Generator
No source artwork required. Describe a subject and Depth2Beam's diffusion + relief-style model carves a sculpted medallion depth map straight from the prompt.
4 credits / generationNot sure which engine to use?
Auto Prep asks what kind of image you have and picks a sensible starting engine for you.
Choosing an Engine →