Mirage 3D Imaging Works
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4.1 Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Is 3D a lenticular?
    2. Often we received inquiries asking for 3D. However, it is the flip effect that they are looking for. Many people may know the product if they sees it however they do not know the name of the product. They use the word '3D' interchangeably with lenticular. Lenticular is the medium to showcase the different effects on a flat and static print. Various effects such as 3D, flip, animation, morph, zoom can be achieved using the lenticular display medium.
  1. Are lenticulars and hologram the same? What about anaglyph?
    2. No. Lenticulars are often confused with holograms. Even though both types of technology create depth to 2D images, they look different and work differently. Holograms are made using special laser equipment which is usually monochromatic (1 colour). The images are restricted to what you can put in front of the laser and they can only have 1 flip image. They need to lit perfectly in order to be seen.

    Lenticular can be viewed as you would from any photo. Lenticular images have the full colour range and do not rely on the use of special glass or lighting to achieve its effects. The images are actually static but appear to move as you pass the display.

    Anaglyphs are stereo pairs of images in which each image is shown using a different colour. The two images are overlapped and then viewed using red/green or red/blue glasses (depending on the colours used) which reveals a perception of 3D scene or composition. Anaglyphs combine stereo pairs of images from slightly different viewpoints into a single image. Commonly used in 3D movies.

  1. How many types of effects can be achieved by lenticular printing?
    2. It can be classified into 5 basic types:
    • flip - one image changes to another image; mainly 2-3 views.
    • animation - multiple frames that mimic motion.
    • zoom - images appear bigger or smaller in a series of frames.
    • morph - one image transforms gradually to another image.
    • 3 dimensional (with depth illusion) - further subdivided into:
      • layered 3D (rounding / volumetric effect) - flat 2D objects are converted to 3D objects with appearance of contours and mass; more time, effort and cost required for the production.
      • photographic 3D - the 3D effect gives a continuous and realistic 3D similar to real life environment that has the 'look around' effect.
  1. Can we combine the effects?
    2. Yes. You can combine the various effects to give you a distinctive result. It is best not to combine too many effects for you lenticular poster. The most effective lenticular posters are those which achieve the desired effect with the simplest method.
  1. How many images can be animated?
    2. It varies from project to project depending on the types of images, size of the lenticular graphic, how they are animated and where the lenticular will be used. We would recommend suitable types of lens and thickness for the particular job. You should use the least amount of images to achieve your desired effect.

    Animation is dependent on the direction your print is moved. Generally, it animates better up/down than left/right as you get less ghosting and sharper result. Some images animate better one way than the other. Some applications like bus stop posters or trade booth displays would require a left/right viewing so that viewers can see the effects when they walk pass.

  1. Do lenticular graphics need special artwork?
    For optimum results and incurring only minimal set-up charges, layered Photoshop native PSD files are preferred. You may also send in multiple TIFF's for Flip jobs. All files must be submitted at actual size at 300 dpi with no compression. The bigger the lenticular image you want, the bigger the original artwork you need to prepare. All images should be originated or scanned at the actual size and not enlarged afterwards. Please contact us for more information on the artwork preparation.
  1. What information do we need to produce a quote?
    2. To give the best advice and to produce a quote we need the following information:
    • Size of the lenticular piece.
    • Orientation of the lenticular piece. Portrait or landscape?
    • What is the required quantity?
    • How the lenticular piece will be used? Backlit, hang on wall etc?
    • How far away will you be viewing the lenticular piece?
    • Effects required. Flip, 3D, morph, zoom or animation?
    • Sight of artwork (if available, will help us give the best advice).
  1. What is the production lead-time?
    2. In general, a lenticular project is slightly longer than a traditional print project. It takes about one to two weeks from artwork and colour proof approval to delivery of large format lenticular prints.
  1. Why lenticular?
    2. We see many promotional posters every day but notice only a small part of them. Lenticular posters however are noticed by everyone because it lets you stand apart from traditional flat static posters. An image that has depth or changes from one image to another is certain to capture more attention. The process lets you achieve drama, surprise and character in a printed piece. Since people are more likely to stare at one of these images at every angle, they are more likely to retain the message/product associated with the poster. Marketers and brand managers always wanted something new and innovative. Lenticular allows you to have moving images without the need for plasma screens or videos.
  1. What are the potential marketing benefits?
    • Maximize your advertising impact.
    • Use less space to communicate more information with lenticular graphics.
    • Raise brand or product awareness.
    • Offers variety of promotional opportunities.
    • Increase memory retention.
    • Increase stopping power.
    • Give a sense of participation to the viewer because as people look at lenticular graphics they move around to watch its animation. If the objects floats in space, the temptation to reach out and feel the object even they know it does not exist.