WHAT IS LENTICULAR PRINTING?

The Science Behind the Magic

Lenticular printing works by layering two distinct technologies: an optical lens sheet and a specially prepared image. The lens sheet contains hundreds of parallel cylindrical lenses - lenticules - each directing light from specific image strips to your eyes based on viewing angle. When you move, different strips become visible through each lens, creating the illusion of dimension or motion.

The process starts with taking multiple images or frames and slicing them into thin vertical strips. These strips are then interlaced - woven together in precise sequence - and printed at exact resolution to match the lens sheet above. The alignment must be perfect: each lenticule corresponds to a specific set of image strips beneath it. Move your head slightly, and the angle of light refraction changes, revealing the next strip in the sequence.

Lenticular is purely mechanical, requiring no power source or digital components. While it has a uniquely modern appeal, it relies on simple principles developed in the 20th century: controlled light refraction through engineered optical surfaces. This elegant system transforms static prints through nothing more than the physics of bent light and the precision of mechanical printing. The result is an analog technology that creates digital-like effects. See our HOW-TO section for a complete guide on preparing your own lenticular images!

History of Lenticular Printing

Lenticular printing has roots reaching back into the early 20th century, but the technology truly began to gain traction in the 1950s. It initially captured the public's imagination through mass-produced novelty items - collectible pins, postcards, and promotional giveaways featuring simple flip effects or basic animations. As the technology matured, commercial producers expanded into 3D pin-up imagery and religious-themed posters that became staples of truck stops and devotional shops. While technically more sophisticated than earlier novelties, these applications remained firmly within the realm of kitsch and commercial reproduction.

It wasn't until Israeli-French kinetic artist Yaacov Agam began incorporating lenticular processes into his work in the late 1950s that the medium saw its first serious artistic exploration. Agam recognized lenticular's potential for creating transformative, participatory artwork that shifted with viewer movement—a pivotal moment when the technology transcended its novelty origins.

The period of mass adoption, both commercially and artistically, arrived with the digital revolution of the 1990s. The introduction of large format inkjet printers, combined with manufacturing capabilities from companies like Microlens and Topan, suddenly made large-scale lenticular sheets both feasible and affordable. This convergence of technology opened doors for advertisers seeking dynamic campaigns and artists exploring new forms of visual expression.

The music industry has embraced the medium since the Rolling Stones pioneered the lenticular album cover with Their Satanic Majesties Request in 1967, a tradition continued today by artists seeking to create special editions and collector's items, like our recent project with the Osees.

LENTICULAR IN THE ARTS

Artists have also taken to lenticular to explore the unique properties of the medium. Notable projects by people like Jeff Robb, Chris Dean, Stefan Sagmeister, Nick Cave, Areca Rowe, Margeaux Walter and Mungo Thompson show some of the possibility of lenticular used in non commercial ways. These artists have carved out distinctive ways of working, each exploring particular aspects of lenticular's unique visual language - from its ability to compress time into a single surface to its capacity for revealing hidden narratives through motion.

LENTICULAR INTERLACING

If the lenticular lens is the jelly of the sandwich then the interlace is the peanut butter (or Nutella if you prefer). The two working together are what creates a lenticular print. A lenticular interlace, whether for 3D or motion based print, is a composite image made of 2 or more individual source images. While the mechanics of the process are digestible enough to produce in a program like photoshop, contemporary software uses advanced algorithms and registration tools that offer unique advantages. The interlace has a direct relationship with the lenticular lens sheet because the width of each slice must correspond to the measured pitch of the lenticular lens sheet - at a particular viewing distance. Because things like temperature, humidity and variances in production all effect the resolution of the lenticular sheets the interlace is typically a temporary product, measured and used for a particular sheet at a particular moment in time.

The lenticular sheet

Lenticular’s early materials were composites of glass, plastics and resins and because they often relied on photographic production were limited to smaller size sheets. Todays lenticular materials are exclusively plastic and are produced in very large sizes. It is a manufacturing triumph to produce a 4x8’ lenticular lens sheet of exhibition quality and there are today perhaps only 3 companies supplying the world with quality large format lens products. The lenticular sheet is the fundamental component of the process, everything that follows stands on the quality found in the lens.

LENTICULAR PLASTICS

Lenticular plastic sheets, commonly referred to simply as “lens,” come in three basic material types, PETG, Acrylic and Polystyrene. The majority of lenticular lens used for animation is PETG, a form of polyester which is very durable and long lasting. It is resistant to impact fractures and cracking and is a great choice for both fine art and commercial lenticular.

Acrylic (PMMA) is a very common everyday sheet plastic and some very high quality lenticular lenses have been made from acrylic resin. Acrylic is known for its clarity, especially when used in thicker sheet products, and can be used outside.

Polystyrene, or PS, is a clear plastic resin suitable for thick sheet products and the most common material for 3D lens. It clarity makes it a good choice for heaver gauge materials though its impact sensitivity requires greater care in handling.

LENTICULES PER INCH (LPI)

Perhaps the best known feature of a lenticular lens is its resolution which is measured in ‘lenticules’ per inch or LPI. The LPI of a lens can be very coarse or fine which is an indication of its intended viewing distance. Large format lenticular typically uses lenses in the 15 LPI - 40 LPI range. LPI represents one of the first tradeoffs that are considered when making a lenticular print. Coarser lenses hide neighboring images better to lessen “ghosting” between frames and offer greater viewing distances with more precision. Finer lenses excel because their surface structure can completely disappear when viewed from several feet, making them a good choice when there is a lot of fine detail. But there are no strict rules with LPI, large pieces are often very effectively printed on fine lenses - it depends on how the artwork is set up and the expectations of the designer.

LENS Thickness

large format lenticular thickness is a range that goes from .033” to .15” and is typically affected by two factors, the LPI and whether the lens is meant for 3D or motion. 3D lenses are always thicker than motion lenses and lower LPI lenses are often thicker than higher LPI lenses. In many cases the thickness is not important to the end user unless the print must fit into an existing fixture that has certain tolerances. As a general rule large format lenticulars require a display support of some kind to prevent sagging.

Viewing Angle

Lenticular sheets are engineered with a particular viewing angle with typical ranges from 25 to 54 degrees. Lenses with narrow viewing angles are usually meant for 3D and wider for motion, but both effects can be achieved with lenses of any viewing angle with varied results. The most apparent result of the viewing angle is how quickly the lenticular flips, with narrow viewing angles producing quick flipping imagery and a wider angle producing slower flips. The viewing angle also determines how many times the image sequence will repeat, for example a 3 image sequence will repeat 4 times using a 45 degree lens but 7 times using a 25 degree lens.

Viewing Distance

Lenticular lens has limits in terms of how effective it is at various distances. In general the same considerations given to LPI apply here, with fine LPI lenses having shorter viewing distances (1-10 ft) and coarser lenses being more suitable for distance viewing (5-30 ft). The effectiveness of a lenticular print beyond 30 ft is variable and the amount of movement required to engage the effect can become a deterrent to lenticulars with exceptionally long viewing distances.

LARGE FORMAT LENTICULAR PRINTING

Large format lenticular prints are made not on specialty machines but instead on printers designed for high quality printing on regular surfaces, whether that is paper, film or directly to the lenticular lens itself. Factors such as resolution, accuracy of ink drop placement and longevity of prints are the considerations that most influence which machines are used. Those making lenticular prints at home or in small production environments often use roll based printers because of the size and practicality while its common to use UV flatbed presses when direct printing to large sheets or volume is required. Because lenticular printing has unique alignment requirements and is prone to artifacts that only become visible when viewed through the lenticular sheet, technicians must adapt general-use machines and software through various modifications and specialized workflows. These customized approaches contribute to the mystique of the process, adding another dimension of complexity to an already unconventional medium.