Here we are going to convert a 2D image to a 3D stereocopic image using a Grayscale imaginary. We will be painting out a Black & White image, which will be "Displaced" onto a 3D card inside Nuke and will be rendered out Left and Right.

Here are few snapshots from the scratch to the final output.

Let's start. Please download the 2D image here. This image was taken from my.opera.com.

Open NukeX. First we will set up the "Project Settings" in Nuke (Edit > Project Settings). Under 'Views' tab, click "Set up views for Stereo" and check ON "Use Colors in UI?"

Step1: Import (Read) the downloaded image "Rose.jpg" into NukeX.

Step2: Add a "ColorCorrect" Node and Desaturate the image. This will be a good start to generate our Black & White image.

Step3: Paint the Grey scale image like below. This is very much a creative process, were you have to paint according to the pixels which needs to be pushed back (black) and pixels which needs to be pushed forward (white). You can use Photoshop to paint out this, but i prefer Nuke since it has a amazing "RotoPaint" feature. Please find below the number of nodes laid out to achieve this image. I had done Ramping and Blurring. You can download my Nuke script at this stage.

Step4: Add a "3D > Geometry > Card" and connect to the image. View it on the Viewport like below.

Step5: Add a "3D > Modify > Displace Geo". Pipe 'displace' to the'Blur1' and pipe other to 'Card1'. Change the following settings.

Now your script should match similar to below snapshot. Basically we had increased the rows/colums of the 3D card so that we get a smooth 3D model. You can see that now we had successfully converted a 2D image into a 3D model.

Step6: Add 2 cameras, "3D > Camera" and rename them to "Left" and "Right".

Step7: Add "3D > Scene" node

Step8: Add 2 "3D > Scanline Render" nodes.

Step9: Add "Views > Join Views" node

Step10: Add "Views > Stereo > Anaglyph" node. Connect all the nodes as in the following snapshot

Step11: Adjust values as seen in the following snapshot

Your viewport should look like this. Now view 'Anaglyph' node on the viewport and change the viewport from 3D to 2D (Tab key toggle)

That's it, we are done. Here is an Anaglyph image. Since anaglyph filters Red/Cyan colors, it is best to view it Desaturated.

and here is Left and Right image.

 

You can download my final Nuke Script

Hope you find this tutorial helpful... enjoy.....

Author: Prashanth VS
Website: www.prashanthvfx.com
Suggestions and feedbacks can be mailed to contact@prashanthvfx.com