How Lenticular Printing Works By Jason Mohn At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Lenticular prints are the result of specially prepared graphics combined with a lenticular lens that allows the viewer to see different images depending on their viewing angle.

The magic behind lenticular printing is the lens—an extruded plastic sheet that is embossed with columns of tiny corrugations called lenticules, hence the name "lenticular" in lenticular extruded lens. The lenticules are all the same size and are spaced equally across the sheet. The other side of the sheet remains smooth in order to be printed upon. Although these lenticules are very small and can be difficult to see, you can feel them by dragging your finger or fingernail across the lens.

The lenticular print starts by “interlacing” two or more images together. Interlacing is a process that involves slicing images into extremely narrow strips and splicing them together. The strips are spaced so that a small part of each image fits within the space of one lenticule. Each individual lenticule magnifies a small portion of the image underneath it. As the viewing angle changes, the portion of the image that is magnified changes. Many lenticules work together in harmony, the end result is a complete image that changes as the viewing angle changes.

Traditionally, lenticular graphics were printed on paper and then laminated to the lens. This made large production runs expensive, and if the image was not perfectly laminated to the lens, errors could be introduced that would ruin the intended effect. Today thanks to newly created resin formulations, precise extrusion of the lenticular lens, and more precise printing processes, printers are able to print directly on the back side of the lens creating spectacular image clarity while simultaneously making large print runs of lenticular much more affordable.

Lenticular lens manufacturers are also developing lenses that are appropriate for Very Large Format applications, such as large posters for Point-of-Purchase displays, bus shelters, etc. This will greatly expand the opportunities for lenticular graphics.

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