Introduction to stereo rendering

The logo image below have been crafted to be viewed at 20cm (8 inches) wide and at a distance of 60cm (2 feet)

Producing a stereo image is usually considered to be some kind of magical craft where one finally gets the expected results through a lengthy process of trial and error. It need not be that way. The parameters used for producing stereo rendering are all solidly rooted into a few known and measurable facts from reality. Recently, I had to produce stereo images. Like everyone I started by playing with parameters until I got the expected result. After that experience, I remembered when I was little kid, I used to draw anaglyphs of cartoon characters by hand on cardboards. At this time, I figured all the theory behind it without knowing the maths. It (the theory) all came back except that today, I can figure the math which are quite simple. Here is my take about stereograms and anaglyphs.