Snap 3D - 3D Lenticular Prints and Cameras

2 Image 3D Stereo into Lenticulars Tutorial

We need your 2 image slide, old stereoview card, computer 3D or what have you made into a digital file through scanning into a computer. Once in the computer it has to be formatted and sized to our specifications and then sent to us over the internet for printing into 3D lenticulars.(See "Send us Finished Files")

Template
Your scanned 2 image 3D picture has to be prepared and placed into a template box for us to make into a film negative for our 3D print machine. We provide you a choice of 3 templates (Download Template) for you to paste your 3D images into. Which template you use depends on what size your finished print is. The 3R template is for 3.5”W prints, 4R template is for 4”W templates, 5R template is for 5”W prints. For in between widths use the next bigger template.

We suggest that you have Adobe Photoshop Version 3+ to use layers to put your images into the Template. If you don’t have Photoshop 3+ or greater you can purchase it from Adobe or used or new versions on ebay which run from $30 and up.

How to prepare the 2 Image 3D picture

This tutorial presupposes having Adobe Photoshop or another suitable imaging program and the knowledge to perform the functions needed to prepare the files to these instructions.

Download our templates from our website. See (Download 2 Image Digital 3D Templates). You have the option of 3R, 4R or 5R templates to choose from depending what size you want the finished 3D lenticular print.

Load the scanned left and right images from your 2 image 3D source into your computer.

Open Photoshop and load your left and right pictures. You are going to make a layered PSD file with the left and right as separate layers one on top of the other. The right layer will be labeled “ name-R” and the left layer named “name-L”. The file will be called “name-layer” and saved.

You then are going to manipulate the layers so that there is no rotation or sizing error, colour or contrast difference etc. between the left and the right. You are going to have the layers vertically aligned so that neither layer is higher or lower than the other layer. Depending on the quality and alignment of the originals this could be a quick or slow process to make all these adjustments. Once the images are as good as they are going to get, save the PSD file as “name-layer-fixed.

You are now going to choose the stereo window. You are going to choose the top layer and move it horizontally until a chosen object overlaps exactly on the equivilant object on the other layer. That is now the frame of the stereo window. All objects in front of the window will appear as if they are coming out of the frame toward you. All objects behind the window will appear as they are retreating behind the frame toward the background. This window is adjustable and subjective. In general it is not desirable to have objects coming through the window touch the sides of the finished picture and to a lessor extent the top and bottom. If so this creates the illusion that the object has been “cut off” in a strange way. If in doubt or confused where to place the window (overlap point), place the window about 1/3 into the scene. If the window doesn’t look right in the finished print it can be adjusted and re-done. It usually looks OK however.

Once the window has been chosen, trim the whole layered file so that the sides of each layer has picture information that exist in both layers. You can also crop more severely to suit your taste as long as the sides are always trimmed and bad edges cleaned up. The top and bottom should not need any cleanups but if so do it at this time.

Now you are going to size the trimmed and cropped file to fit our various templates. If you want a 3R print you will make your image 1772 pixels wide, a 4R is 1636 W, a 5R is 1658 W. The height is irrelevant as long as it does not exceed 2272 H for 3R, 2454 H for 4R, 2318 H for 5R. After cropping and sizing, label your file “name-3R (or other size)-layer-final” If your image height does not make the listed maximum heights then your 3D print will not fill the entire card and there will be some excess unprinted area that can be trimmed off with scissors if desired.

If your image is landscape mode to the extent of 1772 W X 1136 H for 3R, 1636 W X 1227 H for 4R, 1658 W X 1159 H for 5R when sized, you can put them 2 up on the lenticular card and get 2 pictures for the price of one. You put 2 copies one on top of each other in each image box.

After your image is sized accordingly, you can add a text layer if you wish at this time. The text will automatically be at the stereo window when made as a seperate layer. This is good because the text will be very clear to read. You should make sure that your text is over the part of the picture that is behind the window. This will allow the text to “float” over the picture which is pleasing. If you put text over a part of the picture that is in front of the stereo window it will “bury” itself into the image and look awkward. Previewing your 3D image on your computer will let you see any problems that the text may have before you get your print made and you can make any appropriate corrections. You can preview a 3D image on a computer monitor by making side by side pairs and using a viewer or freeviewing. You can also make an anaglyph and look at it with red and blue glasses.

Once you are happy with your 3D picture, you now are going to paste your left and right layers into the template. You presize the image to the template that you want to use. (See Paragraph 7 or 8) You bring up the appropriate template. Each template can accept the 2 frames. All the templates have the word “Left” above the left box and “Right” above the right box. Open the presized file (“name-3R (or other size)-layer-final”). You take layer “name-L” from the file and paste it into the left box. Because it has been sized properly it will fit exactly. If you have a size that is a different aspect ratio, make it fit into the bottom left corner. Then take layer “name-R”and paste it into the right hand box also into the bottom left corner of it’s box if needed. Flatten the image and save as a tiff file as name- 3R (or whatever the template was) “name-3R-final”. This is now sent to us (See “Send us finished file” Tutorial) for making into a negative and then printed.