The word “magical” is often used in describing stereograms. There is, of course, no magic involved. Stereograms use the very same physiological process as regular vision. Nevertheless, it can be quite startling to discover there is an entirely different way to use your eyes than familiar everyday vision. Suddenly, objects or meaningless patterns on a 2D page appear to pop in or out in full 3D. Objects that are entirely invisible emerge as clearly defined 3D images. Flat object arrays that seem perfectly obvious suddenly erupt with hidden dimensions.
Stereograms were popularized in the mid 1990s in a mania of books, posters, and mass media. The stereogram craze passed, but as the world continues to shrink through digital communication, their magical appeal is pulling in more viewers than ever. It’s wondrous to think it was not that long ago mankind believed in only one way to use their vision.
The word stereogram may not be readily associated with these addictive 3D illusions, but artists and authors Gene Levine and Gary Priester are. As the best-known stereogram artists in the world, these two artists have covered the globe in 3D through their publications and respective Internet sites, raising stereograms from the visual curiosity of the 1990s to a 21st-century art form.
Commercial uses take their stereogram art even further: advertising and promotions, book and album covers, greetings, and logos to name just a few. Self-improvement, from meditation to eye-exercise therapies, has also broadened the uses for stereograms.
Enjoy!
—Brad Honeycutt, Creative Advisor
Copyright © 2012 by Gene Levine (Author); Gary Priester (Author). All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
