What is lenticular ?
Imagine that you are shopping and you see such an image in front if you:
How long will you look at this poster? Probably 1 second…
Now imagine that the poster would look like this:
How long will you look at this image? Much more… up to 30 seconds !
If you understand this, you understand the secret of lenticular imaging and you’ll know how to increase tremendously the effectiveness of your next advertising campaign!
Click here to see dozens of samples showing how lenticular is bringing success to great marketing ideas.
About lenticular imaging
The first autostereoscopic image appeared in Europe in the 17th century (Gaspar Antoine de Bois-Clair).
After a great deal of evolution, we can say that lenticular imaging was discovered around 1940 by Maurice Bonnet. You will find an interesting article on “Lenticular History” at LenticularTechnology.com.
Lenticular is an auto stereoscopic solution – it allows the viewing of a 3D image without the need for special 3D glasses.
It is based on a technology in which a lenticular lens is used to separate the left and right eye images, creating the perception of depth in printed images without special glasses. This lenticular effect is activated by moving the image and viewing it from different angles. A lenticular lens is in fact an array of lenses that act like tiny looking glasses.
Lenticular prints are made from at least two images, combined (usually called “interlaced”) into a lenticular image. This lenticular process is used to create various frames of animation or to show a set of images that appear to flow into each other. The lenticular interlacing technique used to create these images is now readily available in lenticular software.
Modern lenticular technology
The most widespread technique for printing on thermoplastic materials is lithographic or offset printing. Offset presses are capable of adjusting the printed image with very high precision, guaranteeing good quality results. The recent technical developments in small format digital printing as with large format and flatbed digital printing have led to tremendous quality improvements. This technology is also now capable of achieving great lenticular prints. The technology improvements are also allowing to print lenticular on flexographic presses.
During the last 20 years, lenticular marketing became more and more important, in Europe, USA and the rest of the world. Next to lenticular playing cards or business cards, lenticular rulers and lenticular postcards, also lenticular posters, lenticular billboards or lenticular magazine covers are being used now. Lenticular magazine covers are being used along with lenticular DVD and Blu-ray packaging and posters promoting the great new developments in 3D movies and TV. The improvements in flexographic printing are now also bringing possibilities to produce lenticular labels.
More pragmatic uses include lenticular conversion cards, promotion cards and attractive lenticular packaging. Lenticular lenses are delivered as lenticular plastic sheets or lenticular plastic rolls which come in many sizes and different gauges. Besides the printing market, we are supplying more and more high quality lenticular plastic to the lighting industry.
Browse our site to find out what lenticular products we have available for you, in Europe, MEA and India.