Exceptional Eye Tricks - Softcover

Honeycutt, Brad

Softcover

ISBN 10: 193614073X ISBN 13: 9781936140732

Publisher: Imagine, 2013

Synopsis

Whether they’re drawn from nature or art, optical illusions can amaze, amuse, confuse, and fool the viewer. They remind us that we do not see the world as it is, but only filtered through our own perceptions. This stunning collection captures the full breadth of the form, from composite images and trompe l’oeil to tricks of perspective and the absolutely impossible. There are ambiguous illusions with multiple meanings, depending on how you look, such as "Dance with Me": Can you see the ominous face gazing at a happy couple dancing among the trees? If you want to glimpse the magic in a topsy-turvy illusion, just rotate the page to reveal some hidden imagery. Viewed one way, "The Mysterious Island," painted by Hungarian artist István Orosz, shows a small ship sailing through an opening in some rocks. But turn it upside down and instead there’s a portrait of the great author Jules Verne! And of course, there are illusions where things seem to be the same size when they’re really not and others that seem to be in motion when, of course, they’re completely still.

From a twice-as-beautiful-as-one double rainbow to a fully intact wall that appears to have crumbled, these mysterious illusions will fascinate and enchant anyone who loves art, science, and magic.

About this title

About the Author:

Brad Honeycutt is a web developer, author, and optical illusion enthusiast. For over a decade, he has operated a popular optical illusion website, allowing him the opportunity to get to know many wonderful artists. He works with two of the world's leading stereogram creators to publish several books containing their 3-D creations. He is also the author of The Art of Deception and The Art of Illusion and a contributer to several optical illusion and stereogram blogs.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

Optical illusions and visual phenomena are everywhere—we are surrounded by them. Some, such as mirages, rainbows, and rock formations, occur naturally, compliments of Mother Nature. Others are created by artists and scientists, either unintentionally or deliberately. Regardless of their origin, illusions have the ability to amuse, confuse, or fool the viewer. Illusions are also a good reminder that we do not see the world as it really exists, but rather as how we perceive it with our own eyes and biases.
            The first optical illusion that I have a memory of is L’egs-istential Quandary, created by American psychologist Roger N. Shepard. This drawing is commonly known as the “Impossible elephant” or the “Anomalous elephant” for good reason. At first glance, it appears to be a simple black and white drawing of an elephant. Closer examination reveals that the feet at the bottom of the drawing do not match up with the animal’s legs, creating an impossible situation that could certainly not exist in nature. Your mind tries to (and certainly wants to) make the feet line up, but it is no use. What makes this a classic optical illusion is that it can be thoroughly enjoyed by people of all ages. I was perplexed by this drawing as a child, and continue to marvel at it as an adult. As much as I’ve tried over the years, I still cannot get the feet to line up properly with the rest of the body. I suspect (and hope) that I never will.
            This book contains optical illusions from a variety of different artists, researchers, and photographers. These images have been categorized into chapters based on illusion type. Many of the images in this book contain elements of two (or more) of these categories. A good example is Jerry Andrus’ Impossible Crate (page 109), which is included in the Perspective Illusions chapter because the effect can only be seen from one particular vantage point. The construction of the crate itself also presents a seemingly “impossible” object, so this image would fit equally well in the Impossible Illusions chapter. It should be no surprise that the categorization of such deceptive material would prove to be ambiguous and subjective. Regardless of their assigned category, the optical illusions presented in this book will hopefully perplex you and bring a smile to your face simultaneously.

About this edition

• Publisher: Imagine
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 193614073X
• ISBN 13: 9781936140732
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 128