Type5: Paintings that moves despite those are just static images

 Have you ever seen paintings that moves despite those are just statics images?

　In this topic, long time stare will make you feel bad. Be careful.  

I'm sorry for publish too big picture. But if this picture is smaller than this one, this picture can't make illusion.

This is called "Rotating Snakes". It is made by Akiyoshi Kitaoka. He is a psychologist and a professor in Ritsumeikan University. Furthermore, he is a graduate of the department of biology in Tsukuba University.

 Can you believe your eyes? This is just a statics image. But the circles looks to be rotating. 

  Next one is "Pine cone". This looks ordinary picture. But it also have illusion. Well, please take a picture of this by your cell phone or something. And move this picture up and down or right and left. So the center pine cone moves! If you move this picture up and down, the pine cone moves right and  left. If you move this picture right and left, the pine cone moves up and down.

 This picture is very beautiful, isn't it? It is called "Warp". Stare at the center of this picture. Can you see the dots on the whirling pattern twinkling? If you think so, it is wrong. In fact, the dots are just colorful dots.

 This is called "zigzag worms". It is just a pattern of lozenge. But the first and the third from the top objects look like moving toward right, and the second and the forth look like moving toward left.

 Why these illusion happens? Akiyoshi Kitaoka gives some conclusion of the reason of illusion.

Below picture is classification of moving illusion made by Mr.Kitaoka.

observed in the peripheral vision

observed in the peripheral vision and the near-peripheral vision

observed in the peripheral vision and the near-peripheral vision

observed in the central vision and the near peripheral vision

 And why do we think that "Rotating Snakes" is rotating? So far scholars think the movement of eyes that cross the picture slowly makes the illusion of rotating.
 But Barrow neurology laboratory found that eyes' fine movement and a blink make the illusion.
 To result this conclusion, the scholars conduct the following experiment: there are eight subjects, and they push a button when they feel Rotating Snakes don't move. Then, one fact was revealed. When Rotating Snakes began to move, their eyes moved so quickly that it is hard to be recognized (it is called saccade) or blinking. On the other hand, when Rotating Snakes stop, their eyes kept stability state.

 The last picture is "Bergen illusion". This is ordinary checked pattern. But if you stare at this pattern, many black dots appear in the intersections. Interestingly, if you stare at one intersection, a black dot doesn't appear in the intersection. It is because photoreceptors that catch light restrain around stimulation. So the intersection get restraint from around passage and can be looked dark more than real. At the point you stare at, the density of photoreceptors are high. So there is little influence of restraint.


How about paintings that moves despite those are just statics images? Next week is illusion about color. Don't miss it!

Type4: Paintings that are seen pop up or fusion background

 Have you ever seen painting that are seen pop up or fusion background?

 The trick art of this topic is very mysterious, beautiful and entertaining. This is my favorite topic. And I have wanted to know the reason of illusion for long time.

 At first, watch these moving images (4:14～7:06 in first one).

　


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBNHPk-Lnkk (It can't move in this blog)


How was it? I'm very exciting! I think you are also surprising. It is just a long and narrow picture. But if you see it from specific angle, it became exactly like real thing.

The ambassadors

 This type of illusion is called Ana-morphosis. It is said that this technique was invented by Leonardo da Vinci. Look at left picture. 





 It is called "The ambassadors" painted by Hans Holbein the Younger who painted many Ana-morphosis arts. There is strange object in The ambassadors. It is the long and narrow object in the lower part of the picture. This is Ana-morphosis in the 16th century. If you see it from specific angle, the object    turns into a skull. Therefore, we will think there is a skull on a picture.
 Now, Ana-morphosis is used entertainment rather than art. But the revel of entertainment is beyond entertainment.









 Look at this picture. Is this a picture of a man who is about to dive into water? No. In fact, the waterfall and the pond is picture painted on the floor! I think you may have seen it on a TV program or something.
 The artist who painted this picture is Julian Beever. Although he uses only chalk, he painted wonderful world. Sad to say, this art disappears in few weeks. But it is priced at two million yen.

 I will introduce some his work. Enjoy the mysterious world.

If you want to see more pictures, check this URL.

(http://www.julianbeever.net/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=category&id=2:3d-illusions&Itemid=7)

 If you want to know the structure of these arts, look at the left pictures. In above moving images, you can see the long and narrow structure, too.

 Ana-morphosis, to say easily, it uses the opposite of perspective drawing. In perspective drawing, an object that is far from viewer is painted narrow and small and an object that is near to viewer is painted broad and big. But in Ana-morphosis, an object that is far from viewer is painted broad and big and an object that is near to viewer is painted narrow and small.

This is picture is same art that is above. But it is taken by different angle. If you see it from other point of view, it is just a strange art.




The process of making this art is also interesting. Below moving image is my favorite one.

In fact, Ana-morphosis is used in our daily life. For example, a traffic sign is common. Seeing from driver, Ana-morphosis can be seen ordinary picture. Billboard on tall building also use it. Higher letter is written big.








 How about Ana-morphosis? I like this topic the best. There is so many pictures about Ana-morphosis. Search yourself and get a fun and surprise!
 Thank you for seeing. Next week is paintings that moves despite those are just static images. Don't miss it!

Type3: object that change the form by the difference of the point of view

 Have you ever seen objects that change the form by the difference of the point of view (for example The pot of Rubin)?

 When I was junior high school student, I studied about this topic. In the class, three trick arts and Mt.Fuji are introduced. Below pictures are the two pictures besides the pot of Rubin.

ALL IS VANITY

Old woman and girl

 Look at "Old woman and girl". What do you think this is? Both old woman and girl are correct answer. The eye of old woman is an ear of girl. The nose of old woman is a chin of girl. The mouse of old woman is a necklace of girl. Try to see both characters.

 Next, look at "ALL IS VANITY".  If you see this picture from a distance, you only see a big skull. But if you see it from close range, you only see a woman in front of a dressing table.

Thus, in this week, I will introduce pictures that contain some characters in a paper.

 At first, you may think it is just a picture of Jesus Christ. But few seconds later, you will notice that the Jesus Christ is a part of BIG Jesus Christ! 

 Why is this family frightened? Oh, there is a big skull inside of the house... No. In fact, it is Santa Claus.

 This is called "spinning dancing girl". Above examples are easy to understand. But in this picture, I think that changing the point of view is very difficult. At first sight, it is just a spinning figure. However, if you gaze this picture, something will change.
 The answer is direction of spin. Now, the girl is spinning constant direction. But you can change the direction if you change the point of view. The conversion takes longer time than other pictures. If you can't change the direction, refer to the below picture.  

 What is this? It will be your first impression. Of course, right side is Mona Lisa. And left side is one scene of Japanese comic "Baki". These two pictures have only one common point. Can you find the answer? The hint is hiding in the picture.

 The answer is this!! Who on earth hit on this idea? I really respect the person.

 If you see above picture with narrowed eyes, Retu Kaio(烈海王)' face can be seen Mona Lisa' left eye.

 Next topic is "Hybrid images". It is trick art which was invented by MIT in 2007. It changes the main figure in two ways by the length between the picture and the viewer. A picture which has clearly outline and a dim picture make this illusion.

 Look at this picture. You may think left face is angry and right face is serious. Well, look at this picture from a distance or look at it with with narrowed eyes. Then, you will notice that left face is serious and right face is angry!














 This picture is hybrid of Albert Einstein and Marilyn Monroe.











 How about objects that change the form by the difference of the point of view? By the way, I cited Mt. Fuji as one of trick arts in this topic. It is because Mt. Fuji is beautiful if you see from far place. But the surface of Mt. Fuji is very dirty because of much trash. It is very bad illusion.

Type2: illusions about size, length and angle

Have you ever seen illusions about size, length and angle?

 I think this topic is the most familiar to many people because many books relatively carry about it.

 Look at the left picture. You may think the left table is longer than the right one. But the depth of the left one is as long as the breadth of right one. If you doubt me, measure it actually. This illusion is caused by human's instinct.





 There is a very interesting experiment to show the instinct. First of all, write "T" on paper, provided that the horizontal line and the vertical line are same length. Next, measure the lines. So you will notice that the horizontal line is longer than vertical one in spite of you tried to write same length lines! In other words, if "T" is made from same length lines, vertical line is seemed to be seen longer than horizontal one. This is called "Fick illusion". Well, in the picture of "T", the figure B looks long even if leans this figure 90 degrees. So the detailed mechanism has not been solved yet.

 Next, look at the right picture. There are two figures written in bold line. The left one is seemed to be seen longer than right one. But both lines are same length. It called "Muller-Lyer optical illusion".
 Below picture is application of Muller-Lyer optical illusion. Of course, A and B are same length.

















 Next, look at the left picture. It is called "Cafe wall illusion". In fact, all the gray lines are parallel!



 The theory of Cafe wall illusion is like following.
(A) If there is a black line at the tip of corner of a black square, the square is seemed to tilt opposite corner side.
(B) If there is a white line at the tip of corner of a white square, the square is seemed to tilt opposite corner side.
(C) If there is a white line at the tip of corner of a black square, the square is seemed to tilt opposite corner side.
(D) If there is a black line at the tip of corner of a white square, the square is seemed to tilt opposite corner side.

　Because of this theory, when the horizontal lines are gray (the color between black and white), the illusion effects the best. Well, if the lines are white or black, what happens? The answer is below picture.














Next illusion is easy for you to make. Just type "杏マナー" again and again on a word processor. So you will notice the illusion. This is called "Popple illusion".

杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー
杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー
杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー
ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏
ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏
ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏ーナマ杏
杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー
杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー
杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー杏マナー

　"Zollner illusion" is very popular, so you should have seen it at least once. In Zollner illusion, all lines are mutually parallel. I will explain the reason.
 In Zollner illusion, the angle on the crossing point is seemed to be seen bigger than actual angle. Such effect occurs on whole of long lines and the illusion appears.

 Last illusion is "Ebbinghaus illusion". In this picture, both orange balls are same size. It happens because of comparative effect. To make it clear, influence of surrounding environment.









 There are more and more illusions in this world.  So I will introduce little more.

They are same tall.

They are same tall.

Green lines are same length

 Did you enjoy illusions about size, length and angle? This topic has too many illustrations to put on this blog. If you want to know more, please research by all means. Next week is objects that change the form by the difference of the point of view (for example Edger Rubin). Don't miss it!