Pumpkin Illusion by Tony Bailey
Just in time for Halloween, Tony Bailey sent me his very own made Pumpkin Illusion. It’s always motivating to hear how our little website has inspired someone into creative thinking, and assembling their own optical illusions. My guess is that Tony used the idea from Three Figurines video, but this doesn’t need to be the case.
On “All Hallows’ Eve”, the ancient Celts would place a skeleton on their window sill to represent the departed. Originating in Europe, these lanterns were first carved from a turnip or rutabaga. Believing that the head was the most powerful part of the body, containing the spirit and the knowledge, the Celts used the “head” of the vegetable to frighten off harmful spirits. Although this particular holly day is most popular across United States (I presume so), it’s starting to become more popular in Europe each year. In Croatia we always had trick-or treating, but lately many night clubs engage in “Halloween” specials on 31st October.
Although I’m a great fan of USA, I dislike this artificial Americanization on other societies. Check the video below, and experience what other people in Tony’s neighborhood see when they walk by his house. Do you see the pumpkin embedded or embossed?
(15 votes)
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First.
Sorry I just had to do that for once.
Also, where do you live/are you from.
Happy Halloween Boo. How appropriate–and fun. Good one.
I don’t get it. Where’s the illusion? Is it because we expect it to be convex? It looked concave the whole time…
Rather interesting…
That was really cool
it reminds me of this one dragon thing, but i cant remmeber what it was called :(
i could only see imprinted. sorry
Watch it with one eye shut and maybe you’ll get more of the effect. I just set it up with lights. I’ll make another video at night time.
nice at 1st i thought it was a poster. and then i thought ‘aw how dey do dat having the face follow you around’ then as they got closer its illusion broke.
it looked like it was imprinted the whole time except for the pic at the top. d=-D
its cool, i see it, the pumpkin moves its head when the guy moves left to right
i honestly think it looks like crap
OH wow! At one point, it looked like it was sticking out like a dome.
And then as it got closer, it looked hollow-embedded-to me. Neat!
i think it like follows you when you move around
very clever
you have to play the video!!
i saw it like it was cut in at first but after a few eye twitching moments I saw it both ways…
i remember that dragon thing! :p
Wow looks like the pumpkin is 3d and that it looks at different directions!
Nice going Tony! Classic. So: Halloween, or All Hallow’s Eve, is actually a UK import from way, way back. I mean WAY back, to Pagan times. Kid-centric USA simply converted it to a children’s holiday at some point. My dad says they did not do Halloween where he lived in Washington in the ’30s and ’40s (until after WWll, apparently).
Since the US doesn’t do “masquerade” on New Years’ Eve, this is our chance to dress up in costume and party down!
Umm to all above, the face is supposed to appear to follow you whereever the camera moved, which is why it is concave, :D
Very nicely done, Tony. I like the way you get the illusion working at first and then finish with the “truth”.
Unfortunately, as I watch it repeatedly, the illusion gets harder to see as the “truth” seems to impose itself on my mind earlier in the video.
Just a comment on your “artificial Americanization” comment: many of America’s celebrations are based on those of other nations, because the USA is made up of communities from around the world. Would you say that Christmas is an “artificial Americanization” of a world-wide holiday?
Aside from that, I enjoy your illusions.
This would make a great halloween decoration