What Is Multilayer 3D Printed Wall Art? How Our Lord Ram and Jagannath Frames Are Made
Multilayer wall art stacks each colour as a separate printed layer so the design has real depth. Here is how our devotional frames are designed, printed and finished in Mumbai.
People who see our Lord Ram multilayer wall art or Lord Jagannath Puri temple wall art in person usually ask the same question: is that carved? It is not. It is printed in layers, and the technique is what gives the frames their depth. This post explains it.
Flat print versus multilayer
A poster or a printed canvas is one flat surface with colour on it. A multilayer piece is built from several thin printed sheets, one per colour, stacked on top of each other. The bottom layer is the background, the next is the outline, then the body, then the highlights. Each layer sits a fraction of a millimetre higher than the one below, so light catches the edges and casts small shadows. The result reads as a relief, not a picture, and it changes with the light in the room across the day.
Step 1: the design
We start from a line drawing of the deity or scene. For Lord Jagannath we used the Puri temple iconography: Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra with the 16 wheels of the Rath Yatra chariot around them. The drawing is separated into colour regions, and each region becomes one layer in the 3D model. Getting the layer order right matters: a layer that should sit behind another cannot be printed on top of it.
Step 2: printing in PLA
Each layer is printed in PLA, a plant-based plastic made from corn starch. We print colour by colour rather than dyeing or painting afterwards, so the colour goes all the way through the material and does not scratch off. A large frame like the Jagannath takes several hours of print time across its layers.
Step 3: assembly and finishing
The layers are aligned and bonded, edges are cleaned by hand, and the panel is fitted into its frame with a hanger on the back. Every piece is inspected before it is packed. Because the panel is PLA rather than wood or stone, the finished frame is light enough to hang on a single nail or an adhesive hook.
Classic, LED and Sound versions
The Lord Ram frame is available as a Classic panel or with a warm USB-powered LED backlight, which lights the gaps between layers from behind and makes the depth more visible in the evening. Check the product page for the variants and prices currently offered.
Where people hang them
- Above or beside the pooja shelf (the frames are decorative, so placement is flexible)
- Living room feature walls and entrance halls
- Office reception areas and cabins
- As housewarming, Diwali and Rath Yatra gifts; see the Diwali & Festival Gifts collection
Custom deities and portraits
The same technique works for other deities, temple designs and even people. Our Shree Trikamdasji Sadhu portrait was made this way from reference photographs for a family in Kutch. If you have a deity, a temple or a person you want made, send reference images through the contact page. Custom pieces take about 5 to 10 business days plus shipping, and we quote within 24 hours.
Prices and delivery
The Lord Ram multilayer wall art (Rs 1,422) and the Lord Jagannath Puri temple wall art (Rs 1,602) are printed to order in Mumbai and delivered across India in 5 to 7 business days. Orders above Rs 999 ship free and cash on delivery is available up to Rs 5,000.
Browse the whole Hindu Wall Decor collection, and read our care guide for multilayer frames once one is on the wall.
