Tooled 3D Picture

Never Give Up

The first stereoscopic image tooled
into leather. If viewed through a stereoscope the two images merge into one realistically deep image.

by Tony Allen Bernier

Original pictures are of a good friend of Tony’s that agreed to help him get the pictures. “I had been taking stereoscopic pictures for some time, with great results. But had no idea if it would work in leather or not. To my amazement the stereo image came out very well. I started with two cameras set up side by side. Each camera represents one eye. Usually the cameras will be about 3.5” apart. However I space them a bit more to increase the perceived depth. When viewing both images through a stereoscope, mirrors trick your brain into converging the two into one. The result is a single 3-d image”.

The three dimensional feel of tooled leather is already fun to look at. And anyone that’s used a stereoscope knows how interesting and neat that can be. Tony took both of these things and combined them to create the first tooled leather stereo image that brings these things to new heights.

Cased leather with a traced pattern of a person holing his arms up in front of a hospital.
Up close view of a hand cut into leather with a swivel knife.
Up close view of accurate swivel knife cuts in leather.
In the process of tooling a persons arms and head into leather.
A stereoscope.
Two pictures taken from slightly different angels of a person holding his arms up in front of a hospital.
Half of a person tooled into leather.
Leather figure carving of a person and part of the background scene tooled.
Leather tooling of a person standing in front of a building.
Two similar scenes, one almost done being tooled, and the other is just being started.

Tooling one image then switching to the other to make them similar without changing the differences in the two perspectives.

Two figure and pictorial leather carved images from the same scene but from two slightly different angles.
Tooled building with a person standing in front of it.
The completed stereoscopic tooled leather piece. The person standing in front of the hospital arms raised with emotion on his face.

Same as with the tooling. The shading is done simultaneously to get the same tones while keeping the differences in the two perspectives.

While you may view the side by side images in this gallery with a stereoscope getting great results. Nothing will compare to viewing this piece in person.

The completed piece with leather matting and in a leather covered frame.

If you’re interested in learning how Tony tools his leather art there’s an instructional set in the shop section. He also teaches group and private classes.