Using the principles of polarization, the vectograph consisted of a clear plastic (cellulose) sheet with polarizing layers of stretched polyvinyl alcohol affixed to the front and back sides of the plastic sheet. These front and back layers had their pol-arizing directions oriented at 90 degrees to each other. Then a gelatin relief matrix is made for Left and Right negatives using a wash-off relief film. The thicker areas of the gelatin will hold more of a special so-called "ink" and will correspond to the darker areas of the finished vectograph. The wash-off relief film "prints" are taped in registration with the front and back sides of the vectograph "film" and soaked in an iodine solution. The vectograph film is placed between the chemically soaked "prints" and run between rollers similar to those in an old-time wringer washing machine.

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The end result looks like a clear plastic sheet with a fuzzy double image of the subject. However, when viewed with polarized 3D glasses that match the polarization angles of the vectograph, each eye sees a single sharp black and white transparency resulting in a 3D image.

 

For a much more detailed illustrated explanation of the process see http://resources.culturalheritage.org/pmgtopics/2009-volume-thirteen/13_15_Bernier.html 

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To make the vectograph viewable like a print, rather than back-lit, the back of the vectograph is painted with a reflective silver paint that maintains polarization. This results in a fully 3D image that may be viewed with polarized 3D glasses like viewing a print.

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The original vectographs were mono-chrome. Maintaining good alignment between the left and right layers was the most critical step in having an easy-to-view final 3D print. Starting in 1953 color vectographs were also made, using three different color chemical "inks". However, this required three separate printing processes for each layer for each eye. Since that required six layers to be printed, all in perfect alignment for a good result, only a small number of experimental color vectographs were made. First color vecto-graphs experiments were started in the 1940's by Vivian Walworth, and others, at Polaroid.

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This leads us to the development of the StereoJet. After many years of develop-ment by Julius Scarpetti, Philip DuBois, Richard Friedhoff and Vivian Walworth, the StereoJet was first licensed for practical commercial use in 1999.

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The principle of the StereoJet is bascially the same as the Vectograph. There is a front and back layer to a nondepolarizing cellu-lose triacetate or cellulose acetate butyrate substrate, each layer covered in polarizing material that is polarized at 90 degrees to each other. However, in this case, the polarization material is covered in a perme-able membrane that allows special colored inks, that are applied by inkjet printing, to get through the membrane to react with the polarization material, creating a colored polarized layer. Like the experimental color vectographs of the 1940s this process required 3 color layers for each eye. How-ever, in this case, using repeatable registra-tion, possible with certain inkjet printers, the six passes through the inkjet printer required to get a final full color StereoJet became both achievable and practical.

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A number of 3D artists and photographers took advantage of the StereoJet process to create beautiful full color 3D "prints" or back lit 3D transparencies. You may still find them for sale on eBay occasionally.

Sadly, around 2008 or so, due to the closing of the company making the StereoJet print-ing material, it became too difficult to find a manufacturer, and the material to make StereoJets became no longer available.

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The Museum of Jurassic Technology has always had an interest in 3D, and there are many types of 3D found in displays throughout the museum. They were an early adopter of the StereoJet Process, and the first (and to date, only) use they made of this process to create the StereoJet 3D transparencies used in the Albert Richards display. Since the original 3D slides were black and white, the MJT printed the StereoJets to match the originals.

 

When the exhibit first opened there was an adjacent room full of original 1940's Vectographs, donated from the collection of Susan Pinsky. While the Albert Richards display is still there, the Vectograph room was removed to create another beautiful and fantastic display space called "The Bestiary" featuring small three dimensional animated scenes that may be viewed without any 3D viewing aids. The Vecto-graph collection is in storage, and may resurface someday in a new exhibit space.

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A set of 14 of Albert Richards Stereo Floral Radiographs on View-Master reels may be purchased from the Museum of Jurassic Technology at https://www.mjtgiftshop.org/collections/museum-products/products/the-stereo-floral-radiography-of-al-richards-view-master-reels