SITS (Single Image Text Stereogram) - EXAMPLES

Example n.1 - build a SITS using your name.

If you look at the example here below using the relaxed eye method, you will see the name "Gianni" (oh yes, it's me!) popping out from the monitor, while "Maiani" (still me!) should fall in a deeper plane "inside" the monitor. Viewing the same SITS with the crossed viewing method, the result is just the opposite.

Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     
Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani
Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     
Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani
Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     
Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani
Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     Gianni     
Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani      Maiani

What is going on? When eyes assume a relaxed position they focus a point that is located deeper than the plane where the words are materially located (the screen in this case). The process of focusing an imaginary plane during the observation of a SIS may be not so easy at the beginning. We already know that is due to the natural tendency of the eyes to converge on the surface of the objects. The repetition of a texture (which in SITS is represented by group of characters) is the key in allowing eyes to override their natural instinct. If you observe carefully the above sample, you'll notice that the distance between 2 consecutive "Gianni" is slightly different from the one that separates 2 consecutive "Maiani". The image on the left is almost self-explanatory and shows why the 2 names end to fall onto two imaginary planes positioned at different depths.

Example n.2 - use any text editor to build as many SITS as your want.

Once you are able to view stereograms with either the relaxed or crossed methods, and once you have understood the simple example explained above, you can build as many SITS you want using a simple text editor. The basic rule to remember is that greater distances between a group of characters will bring the imaginary plane at greater depths (relaxed viewing method).
In the example below, they were defined 5 different layers.

     |   O    /\     |    O   /\    |      O  /\   |        O /\  |
    / \   /\/  \   / \    /\/  \  / \     /\/  \ / \      /\/  \/ \
  __|O|__/  \   \__|O|__ /  \   \_|O|__  /  \  _\|O|__   /  \ __|O|__
-/__|A|__\______/__|A|__\______/__|A|__\______/__|A|__\______/__|A|__\
XXXX--oooo--XXXXX--oooo--XXXXX--oooo--XXXXX--oooo--XXXXX--oooo--XXX
---XXX-oo-XXX---XXX-oo-XXX---XXX-oo-XXX---XXX-oo-XXX---XXX-oo-XXX---XX
    OXX--XX     O XX--XX    O  XX--XX   O   XX--XX  O    XX--XX O
   /T\ XX      /T\  XX     /T\   XX    /T\    XX   /T\     XX  /T\
  / | \XX     / | \ XX    / | \  XX   / | \   XX  / | \    XX / | \
   / \ XX      / \  XX     / \   XX    / \    XX   / \     XX  / \
  /   \XX     /   \ XX    /   \  XX   /   \   XX  /   \    XX /    \

Example n.3 - ready for something more complex?

Once you get familiar with SITS, then you're ready for something more complex to try. Let try to build a SIS using a graphic texture repeated horizontally. The example here below is the equivalent of the previous, except graphic elements replaced the characters.