January 21, 2008 by Vurdlak with 12 Comments
Paul Jennings sent me an incredible mural painting this evening. Don’t worry folks, I have your submissions in my queue, and are still waiting to be posted, it’s just that this one slipped higher on priority list by accident. It has nothing to do with his flattering for the site ;) This is what Paul had to say about his submission: “Hi, I just found your amazing optical illusions site from a web link and thought you might enjoy a photograph I took in Milwaukee in 2005. It is a building which has a design made out of colored bricks on one side which looks like windows and a reflection of another building. In fact it is a smooth side with no windows or anything else!”
(8 votes) January 18, 2008 by Vurdlak with 96 Comments
Here and there, a piece of furniture or something useful takes a shape of optical illusion. We had an interesting idea for a lamp recently, and this time I bring you something completely original. Wine lovers will simply adore this. This bottle holder is made from chain that gives an impression it’s hanging from a flying bottle. Laws of physics are intuitive for us, and we know this can’t be true, but still it makes us think. Where is the solution? Its easy, and I bet all of you instinctively understand this. Still, awesome effect, don’t you think?
(12 votes) January 14, 2008 by Vurdlak with 22 Comments
I have to admit that optical illusion submissions and stuff I find on the net, are simply coming in to fast for me to keep up to date with all of them. Seems I’ll have to do more and more compilation posts in the future that will be made from multiple illusions – I bet this sounds good to you, while it will probably take more time on my end. It would be awesome to find some pro bloggers to help me out, but I always seem to find awesome people that are willing to help, but don’t have that “perfectionist” touch I look for, or simply don’t have the needed experience with blogger platform. If some of you would like to help me out, and don’t lack needed qualities… – try and contact me for more info.
Concerning today’s post, I decided to make a little compilation with some new versions of old and classic optical illusions. These were made to look real-life, instead just plain graphics we use to see in some classic examples. You can browse this article to see new and old versions, including necessary descriptions. Enjoy!
P.S. I’d be more than happy, if you liked this post, and are willing to spread article’s link to websites like Digg and other sites you visit. Many thanks in forward!
Original “Elephant Illusion” was one of the first posts on this website, and originates all the way back to May 2006. This optical illusion is one of the most popular and oldest illusions that has been circulating the net. I saw it for the first time 10 years ago at my friend’s house, but am not sure who the original author for this one is.
This illusion was first posted by me back in the old days, more precisely March 2006 when this website was just starting to become popular. In my best knowledge the original scanned image falls in the public domain – the term used when there is no known author, or the image is freely used for every purpose. The original illusion was posted under the title “Instructions from Hell“. Later there were few more variations, where most popular proved to be “Lisa Simpson’s Impossible Object“.
As the user Red pointed out in one of his comments, this was done by a realist artist called Rob Onslaves. There are about 30 or so of his artworks somewhere on this site, and most of them are even more impressive than this one. This is an amazing painting of a bridge that turns into a line of boats to make an unusual image to see. I originally called it “Ships Optical Illusion“. There is a similar version made with camels as well called “Camels in The Night“.
The image you see on the left is the original drawing of the multiple meanings illusion “Is it Duck or a Rabbit“. I always favored this one from uncertain reason. I simply liked it. Hundreds of variations of this illusion can be found inside “Multiple Meanings” category. I’m not sure whats the name of the author who did the original, so I invite you to share your knowledge inside comments section.
This is truly an awesome optical illusion. You need somewhat great concentration not to see these image as a spiral, but correctly as set of concentric circles (concentric = they have the same center). Drawing you see on the left is one of the originals. Since this effect is very popular, there are already thousands of variations floating the net, many of which we covered in the past. You can check original “Spiral Illusion“, “Are there Circles or Spiral?” and many more inside multiple meanings category.
(13 votes) January 14, 2008 by Vurdlak with 35 Comments
Posting photoshopped stuff to this website is a big “No-no!” by my unwritten rules. But every month or so I stumble upon interesting artwork that can’t be ignored so easily. The photo-montaged object you see below was created for an illusion contest at Worth1000’s website by CraftLord, and it’s name is “The Circle sculpture” (How original!). The source image can be found below the manipulated one. Since we have much experience in posting impossible sculptures that were made by mans hands, I am asking you if this sculpture could really be assembled in a way, that it’s seen like this from a certain angle? What is your opinion? I also added few more creations from that particular contest. Enjoy, but be aware that all of these inside were PHOTOSHOPPED, and were posted only for your pleasure! Can you spot the illusion in each picture? You might want to open some of them full size to notice the effect. Which one did you like the most?
(7 votes) January 12, 2008 by Vurdlak with 49 Comments
Jeff Absher sent this fabulous shadow illusion accompanied by message: “I don’t know who or where created it, but I think this is really neat, I present you the “block shadow girl“. It took just a second for me to see the illusion, but never the less the effect is strong! If you are a long time visitor, you will immediately remember shadow illusion sculptures, mostly created by master of illusions – Shigeo Fukuda. We posted many of those in the past. I just hope you liked today’s illusion. I am greatly aware that I promised posting new illusions from now on every day, but am currently in process of switching apartments, so much moving has to be done. Hope you have understanding, but we can try this again: From now on, new illusion each day! ;)
Update: Steve McIntosh sent this YouTube video that contains similar shadow illusion. it is 60 second version of the 2007 John Lewis Christmas TV advert, called “Shadows”. The soundtrack is Aubade/Morning Serenade from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.
(15 votes) January 8, 2008 by Vurdlak with 72 Comments
I am not really sure if this counts as an optical illusion, but I sure had a big laugh when I saw this screenshot from News TV. Is it only me, or is there a great resemblance between person who is wanted, and the reporter guy? You decide! Please don’t troll this thread with negative comments, since I only wanted to share this funny flick with you guys. Other funny advertisement I found is for the new Superbad movie that is coming out on Blueray disc on 21st of January. The movie was supposed to be mega hit, haven’t seen it yet though! You can see the ad at the bottom of the sidebar.
(19 votes) January 7, 2008 by Vurdlak with 46 Comments
Impossible structures were mostly popularized by M.C.Escher, and since then many artists try to match his genius. Some manage to get close, while others create their own visions of impossible structures only influenced by Escher. From recently, there are even real life 3D models that look impossible from certain point of view. While they obey all laws of physics, time and space, they manage to full our eyes and create interesting optical illusion phenomenons. I collected few more pictures that involve some kind of impossible structures, and combined them in this post. There are 5 images inside this post, and I would appreciate if you leave your reflections & comments, and you are invited to share your opinions which photo did you like the best. Most of these were inspired by Escher’s Relativity. Enjoy!
(11 votes) January 3, 2008 by Vurdlak with 37 Comments
Wow! Can’t believe I haven’t reported this one yet. Apparently the work you see below is in a way similar to Julian Beever’s artistic sidewalk drawings, only with one exception – it’s done with mosaic technique (when the artist creates an image out of many small different colored tiles). We had some optical illusion mosaics here on this site in the past, but these are absolute winners. The intention of these pools is artistic, and I believe that single drop of water won’t be used in them (although, it would be even better to use them for swimming as well). The most important is the 3D effect the author achieved. Which one do you like the best? Sharks are my favorite!
(24 votes) 
