The Water Full of Life Optical Illusion

Claude Oppikofer sent me this optical illusion few days ago. I believe her email explains it all – “Dear Vurdlak, I took a picture of this commercial poster yesterday. On the original poster it took me quite a while to see the illusion, whereas on the picture it seems very obvious. (But maybe this is only because now I know it!) Henniez is the most popular soda water in Switzerland and the text says: The water full of life. Best regards, Claude”

Let’s see how many of you spot the illusion right away. It took me few seconds before I noticed it. Who will be the first to spot it? Additionally, I would like you to check our first optical illusion category in the sidebar, more precisely – “3D Sidewalk Chalk Drawings”, see any changes? It took some time, but looks much nicer now. I started to rearrange (polish) all my categories. There will be additional small thumbnail for each illusion in their appropriate category. First category has been re-designed completely, and others will follow. Please share your opinion. I’m planning to refurbish all categories in the following weeks. Do you like these changes I did? Any suggestions? Thanks for your advice!


166 Replies to “The Water Full of Life Optical Illusion”

  1. Very nice :D
    I can see the “illusion” but I won’t reveal what it is.
    Now that I know where/what it is I can’t seem to stop seeing it!

  2. I THINK I see the illusion. Because of physics, water should move in parabolic motion. However the water isn’t moving in parabolic motion. Instead, it’s going towards the source. Also, the water is going up at a certain spot where the water isn’t falling. I hope that’s the illusion. O_O LOL.

  3. Wow, that is awesome! It only took me about 2 seconds, I really like it. I have never commented on here, but look everyday. I really like your postings!

  4. You mean water i’nt flowing straight down, but in curves!

    (Or do belive in jumping mermaids without fishtails? ;-)

  5. When I saw the thumbnail, I couldn’t see it right away. I looked at the article with the full-view version and I saw it right away. Nice illusion, kinda fits with the commercial. If you look closely, there’s a woman sculptured in the splash of water.

  6. I just love those subliminal advertisings. Found one similar for a Coca Cola ad the other day.

    Brilliant!

  7. great illusion. i like intelligent commercials!
    And… i bet, this post is going to hit the 100 comments mark because there is a naked woman in the illusion :-)

  8. Dear Vurdlak,

    I love your changes in the first category! Now i can easily find all the illusions I havent seen. Thanks!
    Today’s illusion is also great – it took me few seconds to spot it …

    Maja

  9. Sorry for my bad english…however i think the illusion is on the right “splash” of water…i can see a woman right there with open arms

  10. First of all let me say that I truly enjoy checking this webpage everyday. We all need a little “fun” stuff to help us get through our work days.
    As far as the changes to the page, I absolutely love the thumbnail images. It enables me to see which ones I’ve seen and which ones are new. I can’t wait to be able to check out all the rest of the categories without clicking on all the individual links. It is a definate improvment. Keep up the great work!

    -Lori

  11. I have figured it out. look at the part where the water splashes out towards the right. you would be able to see a girl jumping out of the water with her arms outstreached.

  12. I noticed it right away. Pretty cool.

    I also want to say that I like your revampnesses…is that a word? hehehe. Love this site!

  13. Actually, that’s pretty cool.
    Took me a while to notice the woman diving out of the surface, but hey…

  14. dude, this isn’t even an illusion!
    optical illusion: an optical phenomenon that results in a false or deceptive visual impression.

    but the representation shown is a manipulated photo, and there really is a human form in the water splashes.

  15. I love it. It took me a few seconds, but now I see it straightaway if I look at the picture! How did they make this, do you think?

    Romée.

  16. ohhhhhhh I see it it took me a while but I see it. it’s at the right of the waterfall of water you can se a woman sort of jumping with her arms up in the air.

  17. at first i thought it was the water/floor but i can see the nice lady now :)

    new layout is great, the thumbnails are a fantastic idea. it would be good to do this on the monthly archive page as well?

    another thing that would be nice to have is “previous” and “next” buttons on each main page where you would click back and forth in time – like today;s “previous” would go to yesterdays etc

  18. I saw the naked lady emerging out of the water right away! ;)

    About your rearrangement, I really like it, it makes it easier to navigate through them. continue your excellent work!

  19. The water is bending backwards. I have to say, that’s a neat effect. I can’t think of how you would actually do that, but I don’t think it’s photoshopped. It just looks too nice.

  20. Ahh that took me a bit to see. I looked last night and could not find it. Looked again after I woke up and saw it right away.

  21. I saw it the second i opened it. Anyway, good illusion. How did they manage to make it look so realistic though? Photoshop would take too long of a time, and it would be hard to make such a realistic photo. Great job though.

    i think im the first post.

  22. I saw it right away, but I think it was because I was looking for something. If I had just glanced at this ad without knowing I am not sure if I would have spotted it.
    Nice one.

  23. its a woman jumping out of the water backwards (or in short: simply a woman)

    saw this the first time and found it directly. Nice Illusion anyway..

  24. The buxom lady is only one of at least five “people” I’ve found.

    If you look at the back of “Buxom’s” left leg, you’ll see a male’s face (nose behind her knee) in “negative” looking left.

    In front of “Buxom’s” right leg is another, though smaller, male head and shoulders (also looking left).

    In front of this little man is another female form that looks a bit like Marilyn Monroe (looking over her left bare shoulder with her robe dropping).

    Following the pour of water up from Marilyn’s head is a foot, leg, and torso with a head and face still taking form.

    I’ve also spotted a little surfer, the Shroud of Turin’s face, and a few other possibilities.

    While some of this may come from watching clouds as a kid, but the ad text does say “The water full of life.” not just one life.

    Or I could just be crazy, or a dog. On the Internet, you really can’t tell, now can you?

  25. You should check out old coke can vending machines…. in the ice on te can there are many people and things to see. a woman on her siade… and a couple others. :)

  26. Cool! its a lady out of the water. It could ALSO be a swan (look at the big picture)

  27. Cool. Lady in the water, but I also see a mermaid pouring out of the bottle, a child’s upper torso and legs sticking out and grabbing the mermaid’s tail.
    Or am I just crazy?
    -Liza the fire signa

  28. I see a little horsey close to the girls legs on the left side and a small kid standing with his hands spread apart on one of the two small troughs on the right. Anybody?

  29. The lady became obvious to me as soon as I scrolled down on the pic! How can it take someone without visual impairment time to notice that? And someone here did beat me to the Propel ads. I thought the same thing and was like hey, who got the concept from who? Maybe Propel took it from Henniez…

  30. does no one else see the guy right beside her leg? it looks like he’s on a surfboard…. i wonder if i AM the only one that see’s this.

  31. That’s really cool! the second i looked at the splash i saw the girl diving out and a few seconds later i saw a guy looking like he’s on a surfboard… Great illusion!!

  32. I see the surfboard man Dona. That’s easy… I see a whale too. By her right leg, popping out of the water. I also see a sea serpent on the far left.

  33. Look a little harder and you’ll see the Excalibur hilt, which makes me think the woman must be the lady of the lake. a;so a ;rge mouthed bass.

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