3-D Model of Escher's Ascending and Descending Optical Illusion

The below 3-D model of Escher's Ascending and Descending was created by John Atkinson using Hash Inc.'s Animation:Master. John says,

"Over the Christmas holiday of 2001, I was reading "Escher on Escher" and became taken with the notion of attempting to create a computer model of the subject of one of my favorite Escher illustrations--the cluster of buildings in his work entitled "Ascending and Descending". This was one of what have been termed his "Impossibility Series"."

John also provided a little peak behind the scenes of this image. You can check out a video clip that let's you walk around the stairs just as if you were one of the monks. This allows you in on a little secret of how this optical illusion was accomplished in a 3D model.

Homage to M.C. Escher
Copyright © 2002 John Atkinson
2nd Place, Jan 2002 Anything Goes
Click for larger version
Used w/permission

Other Works by M.C. Escher