3D Yearbook Cover

The yearbook budget didn’t allow for creative finishing techniques like spot varnish, custom die cuts, or premium materials. As the sponsor, I decided to help make up for that by adding a little something special to the artwork itself.

I used After Effects to place the different photos into virtual space and then rendered two slightly different camera angles to generate a stereo pair. In doing so, laying the book out flat and viewing the front and back covers side by side, the two images would work much like the old Magic Eye posters.

The first photo in the stack actually has depth as well, like a cakebox effect, or an old 3D Viewmaster image. Since the title of the yearbook was The Pinecone, I photographed one on the property and shifted my camera slightly to achieve the same effect with a real-world object. The effect is quite compelling. Not only do the photos appear to go off into the distance, but the pinecone image feels like you could reach out and touch it!

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