# 3D Letters Generator

> A 3D letters generator is a tool that turns typed letters into printable 3D shapes with real depth. Kenerate's free generator runs in your browser: download a word as one STL, or A–Z and 0–9 as separate STLs in one ZIP. For free-standing letters, make the depth about a third of the height.

URL: https://kenerateai.com/3d-letters
Publisher: Kenerate AI (https://kenerateai.com)
Last updated: 2026-10-01

## Key facts
- Price: Free, no account
- Alphabet pack: A–Z + 0–9 as 36 separate STL files in a ZIP
- Fonts: 18 open-licence fonts + your own TTF/OTF
- Size: 5–120 mm letters, 0.6–40 mm deep
- Free-standing: Depth ≈ ⅓ of letter height, bold fonts
- Output: STL, 3MF, OBJ, GLB · PNG screenshot from the 3D view
- Whole alphabet in one click: Every capital letter and digit as its own STL, same font and size — print a set for spelling games, signs or a letter board.
- Free-standing letters: Bold fonts with enough depth stand on a shelf without a base.
- Wall letters: Large letters with shallow depth (4–6 mm) to mount on a wall or door.
- 3D letter images: Rotate the letters, switch off the grid and save a PNG screenshot for a design or a slide.
- Load the font: Glyph outlines are read from the TTF/OTF file.
- Shape each letter: Each letter is centred and scaled to your height in mm.
- Extrude: The outline is extruded to your depth, with optional rounded edges.
- Save: One STL for your word, or 36 STLs zipped for the alphabet.
- STL (Stereolithography): Triangle mesh (binary or ASCII); by 3D Systems, 1987. Holds: Triangle surfaces, Facet normals. Lacks: Colour and textures, Units, Materials. Best for: 3D printing — every slicer opens it. Opens in: Cura, PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer, Blender.
- 3MF (3D Manufacturing Format): ZIP package with XML; by 3MF Consortium, 2015. Holds: Meshes with units (millimetres), Colours and materials, Several objects and build plates. Lacks: Animation. Best for: Modern 3D printing and multi-colour prints. Opens in: Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, OrcaSlicer, Cura, Windows 3D Builder.

## Steps
1. Pick a font — Bold fonts like Luckiest Guy, Archivo Black or Bebas Neue stand and print best.
2. Set height and depth — For free-standing letters, make the depth about a third of the height.
3. Choose word or alphabet — Type a word and download it, or use “Download A–Z + 0–9” for the full set.
4. Print — Print letters flat on their back with no supports.

## In depth

### Proportions that stand
A letter stands when its footprint is wide enough for its height. Depth of about a third of the height works for bold fonts; letters like I, J or T benefit from extra depth or a base. Thin strokes under about 0.9 mm are fragile when printed [11].

### Drawing 3D block letters
The classic method: draw the letter as an outline, repeat it offset diagonally, connect matching corners, then remove the lines that would be hidden and shade the side faces. Keep the offset direction the same for every letter so the word looks consistent.

### Fonts and licences
The fonts here come from Google Fonts under the SIL Open Font License or Apache 2.0 [19], which allow them in printed and sold objects.

References:
[1] Wikipedia — STL (file format): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STL_(file_format)
[2] Wikipedia — Wavefront .obj file: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wavefront_.obj_file
[3] Wikipedia — FBX: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBX
[4] Khronos Group — glTF: https://www.khronos.org/gltf/
[5] 3MF Consortium — 3MF specification: https://3mf.io/specification/
[6] Wikipedia — Universal Scene Description (USD / USDZ): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Scene_Description
[7] Wikipedia — PLY (file format): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PLY_(file_format)
[8] Khronos Group — glTF 2.0 specification: https://registry.khronos.org/glTF/specs/2.0/glTF-2.0.html
[9] Apple — AR Quick Look: https://developer.apple.com/augmented-reality/quick-look/
[10] three.js — documentation: https://threejs.org/docs/
[11] Prusa Knowledge Base — Modeling with 3D printing in mind: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/modeling-with-3d-printing-in-mind_164135
[12] Prusa Blog — lithophanes and filament transparency: https://blog.prusa3d.com/lets-play-with-filament-transparency-how-to-make-amazing-lifelike-color-photos-with-just-a-simple-color-change_104338/
[13] Polymers (2024) 16(20):2862 — FFF parameters and translucency of PLA: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16202862
[14] Wikipedia — Lithophane: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithophane
[15] W3C — CSS Values and Units Level 3 (absolute lengths): https://www.w3.org/TR/css-values-3/
[16] Adobe Substance 3D — OpenGL vs DirectX normal maps: https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/substance-3d/bakers/common-questions/what-is-the-difference-between-the-opengl-and-directx-normal-format
[17] Blender Manual — Normal Map node: https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/render/shader_nodes/displacement/normal_map.html
[18] Wikipedia — Normal mapping: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_mapping
[19] SIL Open Font License: https://openfontlicense.org/

## FAQ
Q: How do I get 3D letters A to Z?
A: Choose a font and size, then click “Download A–Z + 0–9 as separate STLs”. You get a ZIP with 36 files, one per letter and digit.

Q: What size should free-standing letters be?
A: At least about 30 mm tall, with a depth of roughly a third of the height, in a bold font. Thin or script letters need a base.

Q: Which fonts are best for 3D letters?
A: Heavy, simple fonts: Luckiest Guy, Archivo Black, Bebas Neue, Anton, Russo One or Alfa Slab One.

Q: Can I get lowercase letters?
A: Type them into the text box and download. The alphabet pack contains capitals and digits.

Q: How do I draw 3D letters by hand?
A: Write the letter in outline, copy the outline a little up and to the side, join each corner with a short line, then erase the hidden back lines and shade one side. The 3D view here is a handy reference for the angle.

Q: How do I draw 3D letters with shadows?
A: Draw the 3D block letter first, then pick where the light comes from. Shade the side faces that turn away from the light darker than the front, and add a flat cast shadow on the ground offset away from the light. Keep the same light direction for every letter in the word.

Q: Can I sell the letters I print?
A: The bundled fonts are open-licence (OFL / Apache 2.0) and allow use in printed products. For uploaded fonts, check their licence.

Q: Is anything uploaded?
A: No. The letters are built in your browser.

## Related pages
- AI 3D Model Generator: https://kenerateai.com/ai-3d-model-generator
- Image to 3D: https://kenerateai.com/image-to-3d-converter
- AI STL Generator: https://kenerateai.com/ai-3d-printing-model-generator
- Text to 3D: https://kenerateai.com/text-to-3d-generator

## Sources
- Wikipedia — STL (file format): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STL_(file_format)
- Wikipedia — Wavefront .obj file: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wavefront_.obj_file
- Wikipedia — FBX: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBX
- Khronos Group — glTF: https://www.khronos.org/gltf/
- 3MF Consortium — 3MF specification: https://3mf.io/specification/
- Wikipedia — Universal Scene Description (USD / USDZ): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Scene_Description
- Wikipedia — PLY (file format): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PLY_(file_format)
- Khronos Group — glTF 2.0 specification: https://registry.khronos.org/glTF/specs/2.0/glTF-2.0.html
- Apple — AR Quick Look: https://developer.apple.com/augmented-reality/quick-look/
- three.js — documentation: https://threejs.org/docs/
- Prusa Knowledge Base — Modeling with 3D printing in mind: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/modeling-with-3d-printing-in-mind_164135
- Prusa Blog — lithophanes and filament transparency: https://blog.prusa3d.com/lets-play-with-filament-transparency-how-to-make-amazing-lifelike-color-photos-with-just-a-simple-color-change_104338/
- Polymers (2024) 16(20):2862 — FFF parameters and translucency of PLA: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16202862
- Wikipedia — Lithophane: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithophane
- W3C — CSS Values and Units Level 3 (absolute lengths): https://www.w3.org/TR/css-values-3/
- Adobe Substance 3D — OpenGL vs DirectX normal maps: https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/substance-3d/bakers/common-questions/what-is-the-difference-between-the-opengl-and-directx-normal-format
- Blender Manual — Normal Map node: https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/render/shader_nodes/displacement/normal_map.html
- Wikipedia — Normal mapping: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_mapping
- SIL Open Font License: https://openfontlicense.org/