Even bounded, my dynamic Müller-Lyer illusion works perfectly; the static segments of the star appear to alternately contract and expand.
Dynamic Müller-Lyer Optical Illusion
Geometry
Globes within Spirals? (Optical Art Tutorial)
Are you seeing spirals? Look again, they’re actually concentric circles! This unique variation of the “Fraser spiral” plays tricks on your eyes by blending a regular line pattern (representing the circle’s circumference) with misaligned elements (the spheres with varying brightness).
Would you like to learn how to create this mesmerizing illusion? Follow my simple visual tutorial. If you have any ideas to further enhance this project, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Continue Reading“Infinity”, A Kaleidoscope of Squares
With this work, I aim to push geometry to its limits, transcending the confines of color. My goal is to showcase the creative potential of simple concentric squares as a medium for experimentation and the discovery of new op art patterns. By delving into this exploration, I strive to unveil captivating illusions of color and mesmerizing motion.
Draw a large and a small square with thick lines and center them (Fig. A). Next, blend the inner and outer squares in six steps to create a set of concentric squares. Reproduce the set to form a larger square pattern, as shown in Fig. B.
“Enigma”, Paradoxical Volumes
In these minimalist op art works, I explore geometry as metaphor, using the hexagon as a building block for cubes and other regular solids. The forms appear stable and believable, yet they are impossible. Their contradiction isn’t obvious at first; it reveals itself only when the eye slows down and follows the structure closely. By merging incompatible viewpoints and softening the boundary between inside and outside, the drawings turn logic against itself. The more ordinary the form looks, the stronger the effect—these objects are meant less to trick the eye than to unsettle the mind and challenge our sense of space.
The two drawings displayed above and below combine paired tribars to form an impossible isometric cube, where form and illusion lock into a single structure.
Here, the “volume” turns itself inside out, quietly echoing the logic of a Klein bottle and unsettling the usual distinction between interior and exterior.
I am currently in the process of writing an informative book titled “Mastering Optical & Geometric Art: A Journey to Captivating Creations.” With a length of 136 pages, this book serves as an engaging guide to creating visually striking optical art and intricate 2D and 3D patterns. If you are interested in exploring further, I invite you to connect with me on Amazon.
Illusive Moving Wheel
Although NOTHING moves on the gif below – only the colors change! – it’s easy to spot which direction the wheel is “rotating”… But which side is in front? Which side the back?
Another hypnotic version in which still squares and diamonds seem to move, but only colors change slightly!
Illusive Color Mixing
When your brain lies… There is NO yellow, nor red, nor green in the picture below! The only real colors are blue, cyan and magenta. Scientists and artists call these color induction effects “simultaneous color contrast” and “color assimilation”.
Math-Magic Vanishing Space
Inspired from the astrological tables, here is a new puzzle of my creation designed according to the ‘Golden Number Rules’, which is reflected in the proportion of each single piece of the game. Thanks to the balanced dimensions of its pieces, this puzzle acquires some intriguing magical properties!
This “math-magical” puzzle is composed of a tray in which the pieces are assembled.
Object of the puzzle game
Fit the small extra piece into the puzzle without apparently altering its original dimensions. All the pieces must lie tight and flat! Impossible? See the solutions below.
The animated demonstration below is more eloquent than all theories. The puzzle shown in the video is a variant made in hard plastic, and cut using water-jet technology with an accuracy/precision of 0.01!
Here’s a wooden version of the puzzle I designed in the late 1990s. Each set of pieces is made in a different color, giving the puzzle a clean, elegant look while making its deceptive geometry even more striking.
I am looking for a game manufacturer able to produce and distribute this incredible puzzle. You can contact me through my website.
☞ Further reading: explore the complete Vanishing Piece Puzzle project on my Behance profile.
Kinoptic Circles
“Unspirals” is a series of silkscreen-print projects (still in progress). These colorful geometric op art works appear to rotate and move. They are great promotional supports for companies and products.
Illusive Halo
An optical illusion I created years ago for the Gewerbemuseum of Winterthur, Switzerland. The orange halo around the contour of the eye doesn’t exist, it’s a construct of your brain.
This illusive effect is related to the “neon color spreading” phenomenon.
Amazing Brightness Constancy Effect
Look carefully at the saw-tooth wave patterns on this picture. Is the background of the picture uniformly gray or are there different shades of gray?
Brightness constancy makes some vertical strips look darker, when in fact the gray background is all the same shade of gray.
This op art work is available as prints and canvases from my official online Gallery.