Magic-Eye pictures (stereograms) are fascinating. From a flat 2-D image, the viewer is rewarded as a clear 3-D image seems to rise out of the page towards them, or fall-away into the distance. But how is it possible? The first stereograms date back to 1838, but a device using prisms and mirrors was required to view them. The first random-dot stereograms were created by Christopher Tyler in 1979, and the well-known Magic-Eye books followed in the 1990s and caused a world-wide publishing sensation. Over 20 million Magic-Eye books have been sold, and the books were on the NY Times Bestseller List for an amazing 34 weeks, breaking sales records around the world. So how do they work? Well, it is a clever optical illusion. The brain perceives depth because the point of convergence of the two eyes lies beyond (behind) the surface of the picture. SO LET'S SEE SOME MAGIC-EYE PICTURES! First you need to practice seeing them, unless you can already. Here are two dots. • • Try looking through them into the distance until you can see three dots. (it's called parallel vision – a little like going
cross-eyed, but there is no discomfort required). You may see four dots at first. But keep trying until you can see three. That's exactly how you look at magic-eye pictures to see the hidden image. Here's a magic-eye picture I created, called Through the Looking Glass. I deliberately made it black-and-white and of low image quality to show how amazing they are even like this, and how easily they can be printed in a standard paperback book, requiring no special print effects. Again, look at the two dots inside the picture till you can see three dots. When you can see the three dots, you should start to see the image, which is like looking through one square after another, each one getting smaller to the centre. Like looking through two parallel mirrors. It's amazing when you do see it, with something of the crystal clarity of mirrors. Through the Looking Glass  AMAZING isn't it? But if you can't see it, here is what the image looks like:  Try it again now you know what you're looking for (above). If you still can't see it, scroll below for more help. If you can see it, here is the image without the practice dots. See if you can do it without the dots:  I hope you managed to see the image. Don't worry if not, it can take ages before people see their first magic-eye picture – that's part of the fun of it. If you didn't see it, click here to go to a website which will help you to see them (viewing magic-eye pictures is actually good for your eyes!) There are also some other links below to some great magic-eye images you will enjoy, and if you are into the amazing science of magic-eye pictures, there is also a link to a detailed explanation of how we see them. |
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ABOUT MAGIC EYE PICTURES |