Make Your Own 3D Glasses
No doubt about it, watching movies and viewing pictures in 3D is a lot of fun. The images seem to jump off the screen thanks to a special filming process and the use of 3D glasses.
These special glasses allow each eye to see a slightly different version of the same picture. The brain then takes these two versions of the same image and combines them into one, creating a 3 dimensional effect.
You can buy 3D glasses at the store, but they are really easy and cheap to make on your own as well. The best part of making your own is that you can customize them and decorate them however you want to come up with your own special pair.
This is a great project for kids and can be a lot of fun for adults, too. Here are some instructions on how to make your own 3-D glasses.
Supplies:
- Red & Blue Acetate Sheets (get these at your local craft store)
- Poster Board or Card Stock
- Clear Tape
- Scissors
You can either draw your own pattern or download a free glasses pattern from the NASA website here: http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/img/glasses.pdf
If you download and print the pattern from NASA, cut out the pieces, including the eye holes, and tape the ear pieces to the center piece. This will become your template for cutting out your glasses. If you want you can also vary the shape and make your glasses unique rather than sticking totally to the pattern.
Once you have your pattern put together, set it on your card stock or poster board and trace around it. Cut around the outline you just drew - don’t forget to cut out the eye holes! To cut the eyes out, poke a hole in the middle of the eye with your scissors and then cut outward from there rather than cutting through the outside of your frames.
Next, cut one pieces of red acetate and one piece of blue acetate big enough to cover the eye holes. Make sure that the pieces are slightly larger than the holes so there are no gaps or openings.
Tape the red acetate to one eye hole and the blue acetate to the other, taking care not to let any of the tape cover or show through the eye opening. You want to be able to see clearly through each eye hole without the tape getting in the way.
Finally, decorate your glasses. You can color them with markers or crayons, glue glitter or other decorations on them or just about anything else you can think of. When you are done find a great 3-D movie to rent or check out some fun 3D pictures and games online.
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