Lenticular

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Lenticular (disambiguation).

A lenticular lens is a single convex lens that magnifies light through a prism effect. See also, lenticular lens and Lens (optics).

The term lenticular often refers to a printed image that shows depth or motion as the viewing angle changes. But in general lenticular is a term for the lens effect that creates a convex perspective of multiple images or light sources, but not necessarily a physical printed image. This lenticular technology can be used to create a lenticular image through the process of lenticular printing.

Examples of lenticular printing include flip and animation effects such as the winking eyes that were given as the prize in Cracker Jack snack boxes to modern airport advertising graphics that change their message depending on the viewing angle. This technology was created in the 1940s but has evolved in recent years to show more motion and increased depth. Originally used mostly in novelty items, lenticular prints are now being used as a marketing tool to show products in motion. Recent advances in large format presses have allowed for oversized lenses to be used in lithographic lenticular printing [1].

1 Lenticular screens
2 History of Lenticular Image Technology
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Lenticular screens

The key that makes a lenticular work is the plastic sheet that overlays the printed image. The sheet is molded to have the form of dozens of tiny lenses or prisms per inch. There are actually two methods for printing the image. The first is printing the image on some material and then have the plastic lens properly overlaid. (Getting the lenticular lens lined up properly is referred to as "registration.") The second method is to print the image directly to the back of the lens itself.

The same sort of molded sheet is frequently used with projection television systems. In this case, the purpose of the lenses is to focus more of the light into a horizontal beam and allow less of the light to escape above and below the Plane of the viewer. In this way, the apparent brightness of the image is increased.

Ordinary front-projection screens can also be described as lenticular. In this case, rather than transparent lenses, the shapes formed are tiny curved reflectors (albeit in a "lens" shape).

[edit] History of Lenticular Image Technology

The concept of 3D effects and images goes back to at least 1692 when Gois-Clair, a French painter, discovered that he could achieve a dimensional effect on canvas by interposing a grid between the viewer and the painting. Gois-Clair painted two distinct pictures on a plane surface, over which he affixed a grid of vertical laths. These laths were arranged perpendicular to the plane and attached to it at right angles. By looking at the painting from the left side, you would see one distinct painting, while if you looked from the right side, you would see another distinct painting, while if you looked straight on, you would see a blending of the two together. Examples of his work can be seen at the Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen. The Brussels Museum of Arts has a similar example, but using three distinct images.

The term "Lenticular" was used in the patent to describe linear lenses. Informally, lenticulars had been produced since the 1930s. The technology was not widely used until recent years as the cost of plastics (PVC) decreased and the new material PETG emerged. The advancement of output, proofing and commercial printing also contribute to the mass production of lenticular products.