Neon Heart Optical Illusion

Here is an excellent neon color spreading optical illusion from Sarcone & Waeber. Every yellowish square below is the exact same color, yet most of us will see a pale orange neon heart. If you can't see it step back from your monitor and look again.

Keep in mind that the orange color doesn't exist as pixels on the screen only in your mind's eye. Each square below has the exact same yellow background.

© 2005, Sarcone & Waeber
www.archimedes-lab.org
used w/permission

Ponzo Optical Illusion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - The Ponzo illusion is an optical illusion that was first demonstrated by the Italian psychologist Mario Ponzo (1882-1960) in 1913. He suggested that the human mind judges an object's size based on its background. He showed this by drawing two identical lines across a pair of converging lines, similar to railway tracks. The upper line looks longer because we interpret the converging sides according to linear perspective as parallel lines receding into the distance. In this context, we interpret the upper line as though it were farther away, so we see it as longer – a farther object would have to be longer than a nearer one for both to produce retinal images of the same size.

I had been waiting quite a while for a great image to provide the backdrop for this illusion. Railroad tracks and long stretches of highway had been used to death. When I saw this great photo by Nuno Leitao I realized the search was over.

The two red lines (or three if you move your mouse over the image) below are duplicates, they are the exact same size. Which image is more convincing the one with two lines or the one with three lines?

Ponzo Illusion
(c) 2006 Walt Anthony

Original Photo:
(c) 2006 Nuno Leitao, used w/permission

Itty Bitty Mobile

This might possibly be the smallest cell phone yet.

Itty Bitty Mobile
Flickr Artist: Criaturita Perjudicante

Horned Wombat in Flight

In North Carolina at dusk you can often look up and see the Horned Wombat flying between the trees.

Kudos to Flickr Artist jamie B for this wonderful illusion.

Horned Wombat in flight
Flickr Artist: jamie B

Paris - Rome Sign Optical Illusion

Here is another excellent optical illusion from Sarcone & Waeber. Look at the two sign poles below, Sarcone & Waeber ask one question, "are the poles straight and parallel?"

What do you think?

Pull out a ruler and measure the gap at the top and bottom and you'll prove to yourself that they are in fact parallel.

© 2005, Sarcone & Waeber
www.archimedes-lab.org
used w/permission

Pulsating Heart Optical Illusion

Here is another anomalous motion optical illusion created by Herman J. Verwaal.

The illusory motion makes the heart seem to come alive and pulsate with the feeling of love.

Herman J. Verwaal
copyright 2005
used w/permission

Herman has a large collection of optical illusions that he has created over time. He has generously allowed me to feature a few of his pieces here. This is just one of many. His illusions run the gambit and I will be showing you more of his excellent Trick-Art in the future.

Thank You for sharing these excellent illusions Herman.

*** Herman J. Verwaal's Trick Art, Pop Art, and Fine Art available for purchase here.

A Spring Illusion

The designs in this image appears to move and approaching you.

Drowning Child Illusion

Australia's Watch Around Water is placing images of a little drowned boy at the bottom of swimming pools.
Watch Around Water is an education and awareness raising campaign run throughout public aquatic facilities in Western Australia. The campaign was developed to address growing industry concern regarding the supervision of children whilst visiting aquatic facilities. Watch Around Water takes a comprehensive approach to promoting and encouraging adequate supervision of children by parents and appropriate centre policies and practices.
Watch Around Water Asks 'Where Is Your Child?'.This is an advertisement thats gives a the message of how important it is to watch your kids in the water.

Funny Magazine Trick 2-Madonna

-Flickr(capinky)

Spot the Difference-Street

Try to spot the difference in this images.For answer check the comment section.

On The Upswing Illusion Painting

Here is another painting by Rob Gonsalves. He never fails to impress me with his excellent eye for transitioning from the normal to the surreal.

On The Upswing
Copyright Rob Gonsalves
Available for sale across the internet

Top Hat Optical Illusion

Here is another excellent classic optical illusion. Would you believe that this hat is as wide as it is tall?

Pull out a ruler and measure and measure for yourself.

Spinning Optical Illusion

Here is another anomalous motion optical illusion created by Herman J. Verwaal. I love the colors Herman chose for this illusion. It is amazing how many different color combinations can be used to give the illusion of motion.

Herman J. Verwaal
copyright 2005
used w/permission

Raised or Indented?

I love this visual oddity. We've seen this with craters on the moon and foot prints in the sand. The photographer has this to say about the photos.

"This is two copies of the exact same photo, rotated 180 degrees from each other.

Are the letters on the marker raised or imprinted?

Is the marker itself slightly concave or slightly convex? "

What do you think?

Up or down?
Flickr Artist: mag3737

Pencil Close-up Illusion

The Photo Artist shed this enlightenment on this photo, "Fish eye lens? No. Extreme macro shot? Nope." I'll add that there was no manipulation of this image.

How else could this effect occur?

Pencil Close-up
Flickr Artist: photoOpp

Orbiting Planets Optical Illsuion

Here is another anomalous motion optical illusion created by Herman J. Verwaal.

I love the way the planets appear to orbit the central star. Excellently done Herman.

Herman J. Verwaal
copyright 2006
used w/permission

Herman has a large collection of optical illusions that he has created over time. He has generously allowed me to feature a few of his pieces here. This is just one of many (check the sitemap for his others). His illusions run the gambit and I will be showing you more of his excellent Trick-Art in the future.

Thank You for sharing these excellent illusions Herman.

*** Herman J. Verwaal's Trick Art, Pop Art, and Fine Art available for purchase here.

This painting-in-progress blends into the landscape well. This photo has not been manipulated in any fashion.

When I first saw this photo I thought the whole thing was a painting due to the shadow pattern created on his face by the hat. Strange how even with the simplest things your eyes can play tricks on you.

Painting
Flickr Artist: strobist

Miniature Light House Illusion

Peggy's Cove Nova Scotia, Canada home of the smallest light houses in the world.

Alright you got me this is another play on perspective. A Do-it-Yourself illusion that we can all try to create.


Peggy's Cove
Flickr Artist: adriankelly23

Necker Cube Optical Illusion

First published in 1832 by Swiss crystallographer Louis Albert Necker, The Necker Cube is an ambiguous line drawing.

Is the blue face the front or back face of this cube?

Is the blue dot inside or outside the cube?

It is a wire-frame drawing of a cube in isometric perspective. This makes the picture ambiguous; it can be interpreted two different ways. When a person stares at the picture, it will often seem to flip back and forth between the two valid interpretations.

Flat & Stereo Ambiguous Illusion

Which angle is pointing up?

As you look at this image your view point will shift as the image keeps changing focal points.

Herman J. Verwaal
copyright 2006
used w/permission

Herman has a large collection of optical illusions that he has created over time. He has generously allowed me to feature a few of his pieces here. This is just one of many. His illusions run the gambit and I will be showing you more of his excellent Trick-Art in the future.

Thank You for sharing these excellent illusions Herman.