How to Make View-Master Images

View-Master viewers and the reels that went in to them were introduced in the United States in the 1950's. Children would insert their favorite reel into the red plastic viewer and hold the view towards a light source, a window or interior light. By advancing a lever on the side of viewer the picture would change. Over the years they have remained a popular and collectible item. Empty viewer reels can be purchased on various auction and toy sites, and you can create your own images to go into them.

• 1

  Load a roll of 35mm slide film into the View-Master film camera and shoot the images you want included in your View-Master reel. Before you begin shooting, write down or design a story board so you have an idea on the type of images you want to include.

• 2

  Take the roll of film to a local camera store for developing. Ask the store leave the film in the roll and not to insert the slide frames into the slide holders.

• 3

  Wearing lint free lab gloves, cut the roll of 35mm slide film into individual frames, lay them out on a table that has clean white table cloth. The white table cloth help you see the image on the slide, if you have a light box, you can use that as well.

• 4

  Insert the slide images into the View-Master Reel. Insert two images per scene and repeat until all the images are in.

• 5

  Insert the completed reel into your View-Master viewer and it is ready to be used.