CrystalMe3D Pro Help Center
This page explains the full CrystalMe3D Pro workflow, from loading an image and removing the background to tuning depth, previewing the crystal, exporting files, saving projects, and managing the license. It is written for users who want a clear, step-by-step guide.
Best starting point: Load your image, remove the background, refine the mask, tune the depth, inspect the previews, then export only after the subject looks centered and dimensional
Overview
CrystalMe3D Pro is a preparation tool for image cleanup, masking, depth-map creation, and crystal engraving previews. It is designed to help you turn a 2D image into a cleaner, more dimensional crystal-ready result before export.
Best for
Preparing portrait-style images and cleaned artwork for 3D crystal engraving previews and export.
Main strengths
Background cleanup, editable masking, depth tuning, dither control, and crystal preview in one workflow.
Built-in help
The program already includes a Getting Started guide, keyboard shortcut help, About information, licensing, and update checks.
Quick Start
Load an image. Start with a clean image that has a clearly defined subject.
Remove the background. Use the standard threshold/feather method or the background removal option for more difficult images.
Edit the mask. Refine the cutout manually with the brush tool to erase or restore parts of the subject.
Tune the depth. Adjust depth strength, gamma, curves, clipping, and smoothing until the subject reads well in the crystal preview.
Inspect the previews. Use the 2D preview and 3D crystal preview to check placement, clipping, and overall balance before export.
Export your output. Export the model once the preview looks correct. Save a project first if you may want to revisit it later.
WorkSpace Layout
The application is centered around side-by-side previews and grouped controls. The two main preview panes support fit-to-view, 1:1 view, zooming, and panning. The 3D preview is used to inspect the crystal result from multiple angles before export.
| Area | What it does |
|---|---|
| Left preview | Primary image / mask editing workspace with zoom, pan, and interactive tools. |
| Right preview | Processed preview for checking how tone and depth changes affect the output. |
| 3D preview | Used to inspect the crystal appearance from multiple angles. Helpful for spotting clipping and overall depth balance. |
| Status and dialogs | Used for licensing, updates, project save/load, shortcuts, and workflow guidance. |
Load, Crop, and Save Projects
Load an image
Begin by loading the source image you want to prepare. Clean, high-contrast images with a clearly defined subject are usually the easiest to work with.
Crop the subject
Use cropping tools to tighten the composition before doing detailed masking and depth work. Cropping first can make the rest of the workflow faster and cleaner.
Save your project
The app supports saving and loading project files so you can stop and continue later. Project save/load uses CrystalMe3D project formats ending in .cme3d
Tip: Save a project before final export if you expect to revisit the image later or want to keep a safe restore point before major mask edits.
Background Removal
CrystalMe3D Pro supports a simple background removal approach.
Background removal
This method uses threshold and feather controls and works best for portraits, pets, and more complex images.
Common controls
- Threshold: Controls how aggressively the program separates the subject from the background.
- Feather: Softens the edge of the mask to reduce harsh cut lines.
- Invert mask: Useful if the selection is backwards.
Best practice: Use the background removal for difficult edges, then switch to manual mask editing for cleanup. That usually gives the most polished result.
Mask Editing
After background removal, refine the mask with the built-in paint tools. Brush editing is intended to clean up small edge problems and restore missing details after automatic masking.
How to use it
- Turn on mask edit mode.
- Choose the brush size that fits the detail you are working on.
- Use Erase to remove unwanted background remnants.
- Use Restore to bring back parts of the subject that were cut away too aggressively.
- Use undo/redo while refining edges.
Good habit: Clean the edges before depth tuning. A messy mask can make the depth preview look wrong even when your depth settings are fine.
Depth Controls
The program includes a large set of user-facing depth controls intended to shape the 3D crystal appearance.
| Control | What it affects |
|---|---|
| Max depth | Overall strength of the depth effect. |
| Depth gamma / curve | How quickly depth transitions build from dark to light regions. |
| Low / high range | Clips weak or extreme depth data so the useful range stands out more. |
| Smoothing | Reduces rough or noisy depth transitions. |
| Contrast / bias / detail | Fine-tunes shape definition and how strongly details stand out. |
| Invert depth | Reverses near/far interpretation when needed. |
| Depth Scale | Applies scaling along the Y-Axis giving the model more depth. |
| Depth Round | Applies a round curvature proportional falloff to the image. |
| Front/back clipping | Limits how much of the model appears near the front or back of the crystal. |
Practical advice: Start with gentle depth, then increase detail gradually. Extreme values can make the crystal look noisy, hollow, or overly harsh.
Dithering and Tone Controls
The program includes grayscale/tone adjustment controls plus multiple dither modes.
What to adjust first
- Set brightness and contrast so the subject is clear.
- Use gamma to shift the tonal emphasis.
- Adjust threshold if you want stronger or lighter dither density.
- Try different dither modes if the texture feels too coarse or too noisy.
Important: Tone controls and dither settings can dramatically change the perceived detail. Always re-check the preview after changing them.
Volumetric Tone Mode
The program includes a Volumetric Tone Mode along with controls for additional adjustments. When the Volumetric Tone Mode checkbox is checked, it will take the place of Dither Mode.
| Control | What it affects |
|---|---|
| Max Stacks / Pixels | Maximum number of points generated per image pixel in bright areas. Higher values create a denser cloud. |
| Stack Spacing | Depth thickness unit for volumetric population. Lower values create a tighter, denser solid look while higher values spread the volume farther back. |
| Tone Cutoff | Brightness threshold before a pixel begins generating volumetric points. Raise it to clean out weak/background tones. |
| Tone Response | Shapes how strongly midtones multiply into more points. Lower values favor more points in midtones while higher values reserve density for brighter areas. |
| XY Jitter (mm) | Randomized XY spread applied to volumetric points to break up the regular pixel grid. Increase this if you still see raster patterns. |
| Face Detail Boost | Adds extra face-region density in Volumetric Tone mode. |
TIP: Start with small adjustments first and increase if necessary. Use the Auto Tune feature as a starting point guide.
Auto Tune
The program provides an Auto Tune feature which should only be used as a starting point. Because every image is different, it may be necessary to make additional adjustments under Image Adjustments, Volumetric Tone Mode, or Depth Controls.
How To Use
- Load the image first
- Apply any background removal or masking
- Click the Auto Tune button.
- Make additional adjustments to the control sliders if necesary.
2D and 3D Preview
The program is built around previewing before export. The left and right image panes support zoom and pan, while the 3D preview helps you inspect the crystal from multiple angles.
What to look for
- Missing pieces around the edges of the subject
- Unwanted background leftovers
- Depth that is too flat or too exaggerated
- Clipping near the front or back of the crystal
- Poor centering or weak overall balance
Before exporting: View the result from more than one angle. A crystal that looks fine from the front can still look unbalanced from the side.
Export Options
The application supports exporting model data and related outputs after preview in various formats including .STL, .OBJ, .DXF, .XYZ, .PLY, and .CAD (OpenSCAD)
Before you export
- Save the project first.
- Inspect both 2D and 3D previews one last time.
- Confirm the mask is clean and the subject reads well.
- Double-check depth clipping and overall proportions.
Tip: You can export the Dither PNG, Depth PNG, or Mask PNG by clicking on the File Menu tab.
Licensing
CrystalMe3D Pro uses licensing that requires periodic online revalidation.
What users should expect
- You must activate the license with a valid email and license key.
- The program can continue working temporarily if the server is unreachable.
- If a subscription is cancelled, the program can continue until the paid period ends.
- After the license key is revoked and the program revalidates, the License Manager will prompt again.
Normal behavior: If the license is no longer valid, the program may show the License Manager instead of opening normally. That is expected.
Check for Updates
The program includes a manual update checker in the Help menu.
- Open the Help menu.
- Select Check for Updates.
- If you are up to date, the app will tell you.
- If a newer version exists, the app will provide the update result and download location.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y | Undo / redo during mask editing |
[ / ] | Brush size down / up |
X | Toggle brush mode between Erase and Restore |
Ctrl+E | Export OBJ |
Q and P | Switch between Quads and Points in the 3D Preview window |
Troubleshooting
The subject edges look rough
Use feathering first, then refine with the mask brush. Background removal plus manual cleanup usually produces the best edges.
The crystal looks too flat
Increase maximum depth gradually, then fine-tune gamma, curve, detail, and clipping instead of making one extreme change.
The preview looks too harsh or noisy
Reduce contrast or threshold slightly, add some smoothing, and test another dither mode.
The license dialog appears when opening the app
This usually means the license needs to be activated again, the subscription has ended, or the app reached a point where it needed to revalidate and could not confirm the license.
Project will not save
You must load an image first before saving a project.
Support tip: If you need additional help, feel free to contact us. We will do our best to respond as quickly as possible.
CrystalMe3D Pro Help Center page.