How do those puzzles work, where you stare it for a long time and all of a sudden you SEE A PICTURE?

Question

it's actually a picture that looks like abstract art but then if you stare, it becomes one big picture

Answer 1

Here is my gleaned version of a technical answer:

What you are referring to are called "magic eye" autostereograms. The term magic "eye" is sort of misleading because it is not a trick of your eyes, but a trick of the brain. See the cognitive and neuro science section here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_dot_stereogram

An autostereogram is a single-image stereogram, designed to trick the human brain into perceiving a three-dimensional (3D) scene in a two-dimensional image. In order to perceive 3D shapes in these autostereograms, the brain must overcome the normally automatic coordination between focusing and convergence.

Magic Eye features a random dot autostereogram in which every pixel in the image is computed from a pattern strip and a depth map. Usually, a hidden 3D scene emerges when the image is viewed with proper viewing technique.

Magic Eye (background information on the series):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Eye

Autostereograms (includes some very technical information on how they are made): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autostereogram

Answer 2

Actually, it's not a puzzle, it's just a 3D picture. If you blur or cross your eyes for a few seconds, or like you said, stare at it but that takes longer for the picture to develop. How it works is a mystery to me too but I still think it's pretty cool. But you can't do it alot because it can trigger bad headaches. It amazes me that one person could go through all that trouble just to make a picture you can pick up in the store for only 20 bucks. Too much time on his hands I guess.

Answer 3

do you remember the first time one of those worked for you an you seen the 3d image? lol i do. i had looked at so many of them an was so frustrated an thought it might be a joke after a while, then one day i picked one up an boom it was 3d i was in awe an shocked at the same time that it just happend like that. its made with a computer like on the mad magazines on that page you put the two sides of the page together an it makes one image? its kinda like a glorified computer version of that, by themselves your eyes cant do it but when you look at it so long you get cross eyed an it appeares lol.

Answer 4

just cross your eyes while looking at the center of the picture. to cross your eyes, hold your finger in front of your face and look at it with both eyes, you should see 2 fingers.

Answer 5

hold the pifture close to your face, don't blink, and slowly move the image away from you. Don't move your eyes or blink, sooner or later the 3d image will appear.

Answer 6

I guess if you keep staring at it it will evantually come out. I can't figure those puzzles out myself.