Stereograms

[Qapla]

Can you see them?

 

Some years ago I had seen them around but did not now what they were. I was told they were a "picture inside a picture", but none of them looked like it to me.

 

I was told that to see the picture you had to stare at it. OK. I stood in front of a couple and stared .... looked at various parts of it up close and still could not see any "second picture".

 

Then, one of my daughters did a science project about them. After learning what they are and how they work ... I discovered that you had to look at the entire picture "all at once" to see the second image. Also, I learned that the second image was really not another "picture" more like a shape that will become visible as part of the original picture.

 

Of course, you do need to stare at it for it to take shape ... kind of a "blank stare" without focusing on a particular spot on the picture but staring at the entire picture all at once.

 

Here is an example - can you see the hidden image?

[Nobody]

My eyes keep crossing. WARNING DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT ONE IN THE MORNING!!!!

[SUNRAY]

It looks like stacks of books ...

[witness]

It just looks like rows of grocery carts to me, lol

[Josie]

I can get "into" the picture, but am not exactly sure what I'm seeing .... it looks sort of like a branch with a leafbud on the right hand side.

[bohemian]

I think I see a line of soldiers (?) marching, but it isn't 'clicking' into place for me.

[Qapla]

I would say "close but no banana" if you were actually that close ..... but there are no soldiers in this image.

 

Getting "into" the image is the first step. Here is a description of this type of stereogram and how to see it .... see if this helps.

Autostereograms  produce an illusion of depth using only a single image. The image is usually generated by computer by repeating a narrow pattern from left to right. By decoupling eye convergence from focusing operations, a viewer is able to trick the brain into seeing a 3D scene. An autostereogram can be observed by allowing the eyes to focus behind the image (diverge), or, less often, in front of it (converge). These two methods are also known as wall-eyed and cross-eyed, respectively. The slight differences in vertical repetitions of figures or random dots create the illusion of depth in the 2D  image, just as the slight difference in perspective between one's eyes creates the perception of depth on 3D objects and scenes.

According to Magic Eye, a maker of autostereograms, "most people prefer the diverging method". However, with normal stereograms, this imposes a limit on the size of the image, since there is a limit to how much the eyes diverge; images created for the cross-eyed method can be larger. If a stereogram is viewed with the wrong method, the depth information is seen 'reversed'; points intended to be in the background appear in the foreground and vice versa

 

When someone gives the right answer I WILL acknowledge it.

[trottigy]

I think it is a word - Awake!

[Qapla]

We have a winner!

[trottigy]

We have a winner!

John, did you make it?

Note: it was hard to make out even after it "popped". The letters go in instead of out. So my eyes would adjust in front of the picture i held my Mountain Dew can in front to focus on - then POW (and then the can was empty )

Edited December 3, 2013 by trottigy

[Qapla]

Yes .. I used a free stereogram maker on the internet.

[trottigy]

Yes .. I used a free stereogram maker on the internet.

Cool - can you post a link? How about making the letters go out instead?

[Qapla]

This is the one I used for this image. There are others available.

[trottigy]

I used to love those seeing eye books with these in them.

My favorite was an orange colored one and it had a big eagle and pine trees in it.

Edited December 3, 2013 by trottigy

[LeslieDean]

I'm waiting for you to say only low IQ's can not see it. Even knowing it is suppose to say AWAKE I can not see it!

[SUNRAY]

Neither can I...just lots of books!

[Miss Bea]

My eyes keep crossing. WARNING DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT ONE IN THE MORNING!!!!

But that is almost exactly what you need to do. Cross your eyes!

[Miss Bea]

I'm waiting for you to say only low IQ's can not see it. Even knowing it is suppose to say AWAKE I can not see it!

I read the explanation of this process. Even then....but I sort of crossed my eyes, and stared at a specific area in the, I want to say, "thing". But although I did see it, sort of an uncomfortable experience. Had to, almost pull free of the mind set that let me see it. Things our brain can do....

[Qapla]

Not to confuse things, but, since I have NO difficulty seeing the stereograms, I have also found that I can "blank stare" at the computer screen and cause it to look 3D with the text floating above the background .... knida neat!

[bagwell1987]

I think you're fibbing John. I took my reading glasses off, put them on, looked sideways then the other side, crossed my eyes, enlarged it, shrunk it, stepped back.....all to no avail.

 

Is there any hope?

[LeslieDean]

Cheryl--I think you and I are like the old children's story--The Emperor's New Clothes.  The Emperor was really naked but everyone was afraid that if they did not see them they were stupid.  Well. who's stupid now? LOL

[bagwell1987]

I can" see.....I can't seeee!

 

I even went to a web site to teach me how to see it and still I failed!!

[Friends just call me Ross]

We haven't looked at any of these in awhile, so here are a few more eye-crossers:

Spoiler

Star-shaped donuts

:

 

Spoiler

An M&M candy guy with his arms raised

 

Spoiler

An old desk phone

 

[Friends just call me Ross]

 

Spoiler

A deep cavern

 

[bagwell1987]

Ross, I honestly believe you're pulling my leg. It's been 4 years since the first one and there's still nothing there, try as hard as I might.