Man's Face Optical Illusion

In this optical illusion can you see the 4 women that make up this man's face?

Click to enlarge picture a see things clearly

READ MORE - Man's Face Optical Illusion

Seven Hearts Optical Illusion

This is an optical illusion of a different type. One the most enjoyable paper activities I did as a kid was the hidden picture puzzles. Find the seven hearts in this picture and relive a little part of your childhood. I don't have the answers, but I did put down my guesses in the comments.

Copyright Jim Warren
Used w/permission

Update: I found the answers on the artist's site. This painting was done by Jim Warren click on the picture to go to the artist site for the answers. While your there check out the rest of his site it is well worth it.

READ MORE - Seven Hearts Optical Illusion

Trippy Mirror Animation

This optical illusion is an excellent example of a recursive animation.

Click on the link below the animation to go to the creator's site.

READ MORE - Trippy Mirror Animation

The Illusion of Perpetual Motion

Here is an example of a scientific illusion. A perpetual motion machine sketched out in the 17th century. It seems simple enough, the water wheel moves the pump which pumps the water to the top which moves the water wheel. As an added bonus they use a linkage to move a grinding stone and grind their wheat. Preety sweet deal if it worked.

You can see this an others at the Museum of Unworkable Devices

READ MORE - The Illusion of Perpetual Motion

Old Man or Young Couple?

In this optical illusion most of us will see a portrait of an old man. However if you look closer you might be able to see a young couple kissing.

Hint: His eyes are the hair of each person in the kiss.

READ MORE - Old Man or Young Couple?

Boston University Brings You Project LITE

This is an excellent interactive site that explores color, light, motion, depth, form and other interesting visual phenomena.

Of particular interest on this site is their LITE Vision area. This area includes a range of visual effects and illusions. Currently under development, it is written in Flash. Many of the applets allow the user to explore, manipulate and enhance the phenomena under study.

READ MORE - Boston University Brings You Project LITE

Checker Shadow Optical Illusion

Lesson number one on this blog "Seeing isn't Always Believing."

Let's start by stating the not so obvious. Square A and Square B below are the exact same color. Hard to believe isn't it?

I look at this and find it hard to believe. But I used the extension in Firefox called colorzilla which provides you with an eyedropper tool. I checked both of squares and sure enough the RGB values of the grays in both square A and square B are 120-120-120.

That wasn't good enough for my 11 year old daughter she printed the picture out, cut out the squares and put them next to each other an sure enough they were the same exact shade of gray.

Click on the picture for a larger image.

The squares marked A and B are the same shade of gray.

Proof Explanation Download images More illusions

©1995, Edward H. Adelson. These checkershadow images may be reproduced and distributed freely.

This very moment I know they are the same color, but my eyes refuse to allow me to see it by just looking at the picture. Try and convince yourself that they are the same color. I know it is true but I don't see it as being true.

READ MORE - Checker Shadow Optical Illusion

Checkerboard in the Breeze Optical Illusion

The optical illusion picture below is not animated. I find that starting off by saying that helps because some optical effects do use an animated graphic to emphasize the after effects of the motion. This image though appears to move on its own with only your sight and brain providing with the power of motion. Below we see a rippling effect.

Click picture for larger image.

READ MORE - Checkerboard in the Breeze Optical Illusion

Girl or Old Lady Optical Illusion

In this optical illusion you see a girl. But if you look carefully you can also see an old woman's face. HINT: Use the girls face as the old woman's nose.

READ MORE - Girl or Old Lady Optical Illusion

Rotating Snakes Optical Illusion

Don't Panic!!! The picture below is not animated. If it looks like it is in motion to you then you might be suffering from an Optical Illusion.

Click picture for full effect.

"Rotating snakes"

Circular snakes appear to rotate 'spontaneously'.

Copyright A.Kitaoka 2003 (September 2, 2003)

Explanation (the peripheral drift illusion) (PDF file)

The page of "Rotating snakes"

READ MORE - Rotating Snakes Optical Illusion

Eskimo or Indian Optical Illusion

This is one the most famous double image illusions. In this optical illusion you might see an eskimo or an indian. HINT: If you see the eskimo, his left arm is the indian's nose.

READ MORE - Eskimo or Indian Optical Illusion

Mystic Wheel Optical Illusion

Stare at the center for short time and you might find that this image starts to shimmer and move.

When you keep looking at the image, it seems to be moving before your eyes. That's because the lens of you eye is not perfectly round. You can't see all of the image sharp, and your eye is constantly making small movements. When you follow the outer rim, you will see that it is impossible. There is also an illusion of depth to this image, giving it a 3-d feel.

READ MORE - Mystic Wheel Optical Illusion

Staircase Optical Illusion

The Staircase

What do you see?
Which way are the stairs? Rightside up or upside down?

If you focus your attention on the ball you'll see that the staircase
will flip and turn upside down.

READ MORE - Staircase Optical Illusion

The Pinwheel Optical Illusion

Read the Caution above before continuing further.

Round and round she goes where she'll stop nobody knows.

I believe this is the work of Akiyoshi Kitaoka.

This is a very effective anomalous motion optical illusion.

READ MORE - The Pinwheel Optical Illusion