what are some really cool optical illusions I can print and put on my wall?

April 27, 2011 1:35 AM

what are some really cool optical illusions I can print and put on my wall?

I want to create some posters for my drab and boring office wall that feature great optical illusions like this rotating snake. keywords are colorful and obviously not needing to be animated. (I already printed a grid illusion and it's about as much darkness as I can take.)

know any other optical illusions you think would look great on my wall?

posted by krautland to Computers & Internet (14 answers total)

The Checkershadow Illusion is a favourite of mine. You can download large versions of the images from that site too.
posted by wannalol at 1:55 AM on April 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

This image of a chess board is an excellent example of a autostereogram and appears 3D when you manage to unfocus your eyes and 'stare through it'. It takes a bit of practice but when you finally see the 3D result it is very impressive.
posted by wannalol at 2:02 AM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Akiyoshi.
posted by fake at 2:58 AM on April 27, 2011

Check out Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley.
posted by londonmark at 3:32 AM on April 27, 2011

Richard Anuszkiewicz
Josef & Anni Albers
Also see this recent post
posted by adamvasco at 4:08 AM on April 27, 2011

Get a hold on this: Glenn Branca: Symphony No. 5 "Describing Planes of an Expanding Hypersphere". He had the cover(s) printed on onionskin or some other transparency, so you could rotate them for your rotating pleasure. Take the image, or make it, and do the same thing, on a larger scale.
posted by converge at 4:11 AM on April 27, 2011

The album's amazing, by the way.
posted by converge at 4:12 AM on April 27, 2011

If you have desk or windowsill space, how about the dragon illusion?
posted by lesli212 at 4:28 AM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Dr. Angry and Mr. Smile.
posted by zengargoyle at 4:37 AM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: hm. I think Akiyoshi is still closest to what I'm thinking of (which is why it's linked in my question, fake). the glenn branca cover seems awesome but I can only print on paper here, albeit up to A0, which I think is pretty awesome. any more ideas?

there have to be some that just end up hurting your eyes when you look at them, no?
posted by krautland at 4:49 AM on April 27, 2011

Susie Rosmarin
posted by at the crossroads at 4:52 AM on April 27, 2011

more illusions
posted by adamvasco at 4:58 AM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

This site is full of interesting examples.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:05 AM on April 27, 2011

Here's one seriously eye-melty image I saved this morning.
posted by pmbuko at 11:08 AM on April 27, 2011 [4 favorites]