[DIS]making hidden ascii stereograms

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A Method of creating Hidden Ascii Stereograms
.............................................

 Ohex@   X   Ohex@   X   Ohex@   X   Ohex@   X   Ohex@   X   Ohex@
   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O
 O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @
    O  @   X    O  @   X    O  @   X  O    @   X  O    @   X  O
 X  O  @     X  O  @     X  O  @   X  O  @     X  O  @     X  O  @
X   O    @  X   O    @  X   O  @   X  O   @  X    O   @  X    O   @
X     O @   X     O @   X   O  @   X  O   @   X O     @   X O     @
  X  O  @     X  O  @   X   O  @   X  O   @   X  O  @     X  O  @
  X   O @     X   O @   X   O  @   X  O   @   X O   @     X O   @
  X  O   @    X  O   @  X   O  @   X  O   @  X   O  @    X   O  @
  X  O   @    X  O   @  X   O   @ X   O   @  X   O  @    X   O  @
  X  O   @    X  O   @  X   O   @ X   O   @  X   O  @    X   O  @
  X  O   @    X  O   @  X   O  @   X  O   @  X   O  @    X   O  @
  X   O @     X   O @   X   O  @   X  O   @   X O   @     X O   @
  X  O  @     X  O  @   X   O  @   X  O   @   X  O  @     X  O  @
X     O @   X     O @   X   O  @   X  O   @   X O     @   X O     @
X   O    @  X   O    @  X   O  @   X  O   @  X    O   @  X    O   @
 X  O  @     X  O  @     X  O  @   X  O  @     X  O  @     X  O  @
    O  @   X    O  @   X    O  @   X  O    @   X  O    @   X  O
 X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O
   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O   @   X   O
 XmjlO   @   XmjlO   @   XmjlO   @   XmjlO   @   XmjlO   @   XmjlO


-----------------------------------------------------------------

The first step is to create a template. I use 3 distinct characters
each separated by 3 spaces:

g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m
g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m
g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m


From here we can either raise characters against the background, or
cause them to recede. I will describe how to make them

raise.
-----------------------------------------------------------------


To bring a group of 3 adjacent characters forward is easy. It is just
a case of removing a space in the required place:

I have inserted a '<' where the space will be deleted:
                                   
                    x   *   @   x   *   @
g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e < m   g   e   m   g   e   m

The result:  
                    x   *   @  x   *   @
g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e  m   g   e   m   g   e   m 


This should make the letters m, g and e move forward when viewed
stereoscopically. The symbols above the letters help to make

this clearer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------


The next step is to raise single characters. There is a technique for
doing this. I will show 2 methods (which are basically

the same) - method A and method B. First is method A.

Start with the template:

                *           *
g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m


I want to raise  the letters marked  '*' by bringing them closer
together. The result we are trying to achieve is this:

                *          *
g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e    m   g  e    m   g  e    m


In the following examples '<' will indicate deleting a space and '+'
will indicate adding a space:

Again.., starting with the template:

     g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m

next..

1)   g   e   m   g   e   m   g < e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m
#)   g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m

2)   g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e + m   g   e   m   g   e   m
#)   g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e    m   g   e   m   g   e   m

Notice that step 2 creates a receding "shadow 'e' " (3 places to the
right of the raised one). We need to fix it:

3)   g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e    m   g < e + m   g   e   m
#)   g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e    m   g  e    m   g   e   m

The offending shadow has moved along another 3 places.. So repeat the
process until it disappears:

4)   g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e    m   g  e    m   g < e + m
#)   g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e    m   g  e    m   g  e    m


Giving the result shown at the beginning of this example.
-----------------------------------------------------------------


There is another way of getting much the same result - by moving in
the opposite direction. This is method B...

g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m
              +   <

g   e   m   g    e  m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m
  +   <

g    e  m   g    e  m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m


Like so. Now to compare the 2 results:
                           *           *
           g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m
method A:  g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e    m   g  e    m   g  e    m
method B:  g    e  m   g    e  m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m


Notice that the 'e's are not quite in the same position. Method B has
given a raised 'e' slightly further to the right. This

can be fixed by simply removing a character....


method B:  g    e  m   g    e  m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m
           <
method B:      e  m   g    e  m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m
method A:  g   e   m   g   e   m   g  e    m   g  e    m   g  e    m

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Using methods A and B in conjunction ( e.g. alternating between the
two) can help in creating more balanced or symmetrical

stereograms. 

To make characters recede is the same methods but in reverse..

Have fun :)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

     /|\        /|\         /|\        /|\         /|\        /|\
   Michael    Michael     Michael    Michael     Michael    Michael
  <  002  >  <  002  >   <  002  >  <  002  >   <  002  >  <  002  >
   Michael    Michael     Michael    Michael     Michael    Michael
     \|/        \|/         \|/        \|/         \|/        \|/
e    m  g   e    m  g   e    m  g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g
 e   m  g    e   m  g    e   m  g   e   m  g    e   m  g    e   m  g
 e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m  g   e   m  g   e    m  g   e    m  g
 e    m  g   e    m  g   e   m  g   e   m  g   e   m   g   e   m   g
 e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m  g   e   m  g   e    m  g   e    m  g
 e   m  g    e   m  g    e   m  g   e   m  g    e   m  g    e   m  g
e    m  g   e    m  g   e    m  g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g
e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g   e   m   g

   magic3d    magic3d     magic3d    magic3d     magic3d    magic3d

mik...@yahoo.com (Michael) writes:
> A Method of creating Hidden Ascii Stereograms

Very cool.  Now you just need to get together with bug or one of our
other resident artists and create something a little more interesting
than geometric shapes.  Definite potential here though, I'd say! :)

Brian.

Brian Edmonds <bri...@gweep.ca> wrote in message news:<m37...@yuri.aq2.gweep.ca>...
> mik...@yahoo.com (Michael) writes:
> > A Method of creating Hidden Ascii Stereograms
> 
> Very cool.  Now you just need to get together with bug or one of our
> other resident artists and create something a little more interesting
> than geometric shapes.  Definite potential here though, I'd say! :)
> 
> Brian.

I think that may be difficult because of a lack of definition. To make
things like a very crude cat or tree would be possible, but more
complex objects become difficult due to distortion.  The trick is to
try to make use of the distortion.  But really I think they are
interesting as demonstrations of real stereograms - but at a very
basic, low definition level. There is another method of creating
hidden stereograms using plain text, but they have less clarity due to
overlapping of characters; which tends to create shadowy images.
However that method does allow for more complex shapes and higher
definition.

Brian Edmonds <bri...@gweep.ca> wrote in message news:<m37...@yuri.aq2.gweep.ca>...
> mik...@yahoo.com (Michael) writes:
> > A Method of creating Hidden Ascii Stereograms
> 
> Very cool.  Now you just need to get together with bug or one of our
> other resident artists and create something a little more interesting
> than geometric shapes.  Definite potential here though, I'd say! :)
> 
> Brian.

Oh - and thanks for the comments :-)  I appreciate the feedback. 
Maybe some of the artists on this group can do something interesting
with it?  I am in awe of alot of the ascii art I have seen on this
group. That is real art..

Michael Lowe