How to Make 3D Glasses Tutorial

3D glasses are special glasses with lenses of chromatically opposite colors. Usually, the lenses are red and blue, although a red and green combination is also used. Red is almost always used on the left eye, while the right eye is covered with blue, green or cyan. 3D glasses are used to provide a stereoscopic 3D effect while looking at anaglyph images or videos. Many contemporary movies are released in a 3D version, making the experience more vivid and interesting when looking through 3D glasses.

Things You'll Need

• Thick cardboard
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Thick transparent plastic
• Permanent markers
• Glue

Instructions

1. Draw a glasses shape on a thick cardboard with a pencil and a ruler. You can also find a ready-made template on the Internet and simply print it.

2. Cut out the cardboard glasses using sharp scissors. Be careful and precise, following the outline as closely as you can. Then cut the holes for the lenses. First, poke a hole through the cardboard, and then cut around the hole to the outlined edge of the lens. Use smaller scissors for the lens cutting. Repeat to make a second cardboard cutout.

3. Prepare the lenses for the 3D glasses. Either use ready-made blue and red plastic, transparent paper or cellophane, or color a clear sheet of plastic with red and blue permanent markers. Cut the lenses roughly in the shape needed for the glasses. Make the shapes slightly bigger than the holes in the glasses.

4. Glue the lenses on the back of the cardboard glasses, making sure that each lens hole is completely covered with transparent plastic. Apply just a small bead of glue around the lenses, and then press them firmly onto the cardboard back.

5. Cover the back of the cardboard glasses with the other cutout that you made. This will cover the excess lenses around the holes and finish the design as well as make the glasses more firm and sturdy.

Tips & Warnings

• Another way of making 3D glasses is simply poking out the lenses from an old pair of sunglasses and then replacing them with red and blue lenses.

• Use caution when cutting cardboard with sharp scissors.

References

• Wired: Make 3-D Glasses
• 3D Glasses: How Do 3D Glasses Work?