You can create 3D images from your 2D images using the 3DJournalDX Software. How? You can read it in this article. We offer you not only information about its basic functionality but some tips and tricks as well.

   (Tip: If you already shoot photos or films in 3D, then you probably will need the 3DJournal Software.)
  
   Let's skip introductions and go directly to the main theme - how to make our photos 3D.
  
   Creating of a basic 3D image (stereoscopic image)
   Choose any image or any photo - and you can convert them to 3D now. Load the image to 3DJournalDX Software using the button located at it's right side. The image then will be shown in its window. 3DJournalDX will quickly prepare a basic (black) 3D mask which will be shown as well there. Press Create 3D image button and the basic 3D image is created. You can see there color ghosts which allow your eyes with glasses to see the image stereoscopically/3D. The basic 3D image should be now visible slightly behind the computer screen. (For almost all the operations mentioned here you can use not only the buttons but the menu as well.)
  
Learn to work with 3DJournalDX easily
   The 2D image is converted to 3D using a 3D mask. The mask is easy to use - and with the mask you can tell the computer how to create a 3D image. The basic 3D mask is black. Try to work with the mask now:
   1) Click to the button with black eye - beside the Open 3D mask button. (We suppose you loaded your 2D image and pressed the Create 3D image button already.) Now you can see your black 3D mask instead of the 3D image. (If you use the same button again you can see the 3D image again.)
   2) Look at the tool buttons under the Create 3D image button. Click to the first left button (with a line). Then click to the mask in the main window. You can see a white dot. Move the mouse and click again. Move and click. You can create lines this way. And you can create figures using the lines.
   Beware: The lines may look like they are not solid. But the spaces between them are not real. The reason is the mask is usually resized (downsized) to the size of the screen.
   3) Create a closed shape using the lines. For example a square. Click to the button next to the first one. It is the fill button. Now click to the square. It will be filled with the color. Beware: If the lines of the square are not properly connected, the color will flow outside of the square.
   4) Pres the button with the brush. You can create dots now. It is useful when making small corrections of the 3D mask.
   5) If you make a mistake you may press the left arrow button for a step back (undo). To return undo press the right arrow button. You may go as far as five steps back.
   6) Under the tools there is a tow bar and arrows for color selection. From the white - number 255 - to the black - number 0. If you want to set a color which was used previously somewhere in the mask then click to the pipette button and then to the appropriate place in the mask.
  
How to create a real 3D image
   On the basic 3D image mentioned above all the parts are shifted a little bit behind the screen of the computer. Let's shift the objects, which should be in front, well, to the front. It is easy. Just mark the places where they are - using a lighter color on the mask. The lighter color the nearer the object will be.
   Example: Just imagine an image, where is a man in the front, a car just behind him and an house in the background. How to convert this scene to 3D:
   1) Press the button with colored eye (just beside the Open 3D Mask button); you can see only your 2D image in the main window now.
   2) Use white lines to encircle the man on the image in the front. Fill him with the same color.
   Beware: You will see no changes during the painting (but you can see some of them in the reduced view of the mask in the right window). This is because you switched to the 2D view. But all the changes are recorded.
   3) Choose a darker color, for example 200. Encircle the car. Fill it.
   4) Use the color eye button to switch to 3D. You can see the 3D image - the man in the front, the car behind him and the rest of the scene in the background.
   Tip: To make even the details 3D you can use slightly different colors for them. For example white color for the nose and the belly of the man and a grey for its hand behind his back.
  
Save the 3D image
   Now you can save the finished 3D image. You can save the whole image or it's part only. And you can resize it as well (more about it you can read below). You can save the image as bmp, jpg, png, jps, pns - simply choose the appropriate extension during choosing of the name of the image file. Special stereoscopic files JPS and PNS are saved with the left image on the right side and the right image on the left side (cross-eyed), for other files the choosen (or default) color coding is used.
   You can save the 3D mask as well. For more complicated changes on the mask you can use a graphis editor and then load the mask to the 3DJournalDX again.
  
Extended functions (Extra button) Use Extra button to open extended functions window of 3DJournalDX software. In this window you can:
   1) Set color coding of the image. The standard coding is anaglyph for red/cyan glasses, but you can set the coding for example for blue/yellow glasses as well.
   2) Set the quality of saved jpg image. We recommend to use higher quality which allow to get a good 3D effect.
   3) Save settings/properties. This function saves for example the color coding, jpg quality, cropping of saved image etc. So you can return to your image editing anytime and use the current parameters. The 3D mask is not saved here.
  
Extended tools (X2 button)
   Use X2 button to open extended tools window of 3DJournalDX software. In this window you can:
   1) Set the final size of the 3D image. It will be resized during saving.
   2) Set the pen width (for the dots and lines).
   3) Set the Fill mode - you can choose a second color for gradient fill, rotation of the gradient and gradient mode (concentric, linear). The gradient is very useful for a surface, where one part is far away and one part is very near. Like, for example, sea going from you (this part should be white on the mask) to the horizon (this part should be black on the mask).
   4) Change the colors - you may choose less colors for a better 3D effect or the Live Colors to get results with better colors.
   5) 3D effect: Set the intensity of 3D effect here. Use the shift to place bigger part of the image behind the screen (255 means all the image is there) or to the front of the screen (for 0 all the objects will be in front of the screen; but it is not reccommended).
   6) 3D correction: If your mask does not fit exactly to the image you may try to use the correction here. If it does not help then you should use the pen to make correction on the mask - to fit.
  
How to crop the image
   Press the scissors button to set how you want to crop the image. It will be cropped during saving. At first you can click to the image for choosing the left-top edge of the image, then the right bottom one.
  
How to use the zoom
   You may use the button with magnifier to see the 3D image in its full size - and the you can precisely paint the mask and set the region for cropping of the image with maximum accuracy. Press the button again to see the image in its standard size. Click to the right part of the image to shift it left, you may similarly click to the left, up or bottom part of the image.
  
Tips and tricks
   1) If you use doubleclick during cropping then you can see rulers which can help you to find the right place to crop.
   2) For spherical objects in the front (like, for example, a ball) use concentric gradient fill. Encircle the object using lines before the fill.
  
More information
   If you want to use the 3DJournalDX Software on a computer with a small display (for example on a Netbook), you can change the size of the user interface using the Menu - Extra - Display Size.
   When you decide you need this software you may buy it for a very affordable price here.
(3DJournal)