How To Make Sweet Magic Eye Images (Glasses-Free 3D!)

While the Nintendo 3DS may be making waves in the low-cost 3D market, we often forget it's not the only option for cheap 3D. In fact, you can produce a similar effect at home, thanks to random dot autostereograms — or Magic Eye images, as they've become colloquially known. 

We know it's not *quite* the same sort of thing, but that doesn't mean the effect still isn't cool. These images are specially designed to produce the impression of 3D by focusing your eyes on 2D patterns. Given a cursory glance, the images may look insignificant, but a closer look will reveal a simple 3D image beneath.

Sure, it's primitive, but it's also easy to make your own — assuming you can see the image yourself.

The 3D effect produced by autostereogram images can be confusing to identify at first; by design, the image requires a viewer to re-focus their eyes in such a way that they "look past" an image. Subtle changes in the seemingly repetitive pattern produces the appearance of two separate planes, giving the illusion of depth and the perceived 3D effect.

Luckily, everything you need to make your own 3D image can be found right online. Stereogram Paint is a simple, Flash-based web app that makes it easy to create simple 3D designs in your browser. Using the adjustable brush, "paint" your desired image or shape, just as you would in any other graphics application. You can modify the depth and texture of your design too, as well as modify the background texture or pattern. Once rendered, you should see an image with your drawing hidden within.

If you'd like a little more control over your shape or image, you can use another online tool called Stereogram Builder, which will accept custom images or designs. In our case, we used the Tested logo, tweaked and modified in Photoshop. It's not enough to just drop in an image, however — you'll need a simple pattern or shape that's also grayscale in design. Lighter sections will appear closer to the eye, while darker sections farther back.

Drop your design into Stereogram Builder, choose a cool pattern, and render accordingly. It might seem like any other Magic Eye image, but at least you know your original design is hidden within. Now, it's up to you to show us your own!