Visual Trick Collection

Ouchi illusion. The central circular area of perpendicularly orientated bars appears to move and float compared to the surrounding pattern

Goblet illusion. This image is simultaneously a drawing of a goblet and two faces. When there are two competing interpretations of an ambiguous image the brain will often switch between them

Penrose stairs, artwork
Penrose stairs, computer artwork. This is an impossible figure created by the physicist Roger Penrose and used by M C Escher in his illustration Ascending and Descending

Impossible triangle, artwork
Impossible triangle, computer artwork. This is an impossible figure created by the physicist Roger Penrose. Impossible figures are objects that can be drawn but not created

Penrose stairs, artwork
Penrose stairs. Computer artwork of Einstein characters climbing a set of Penrose stairs. This is an impossible figure created by the physicist Roger Penrose

Wundt illusion. This illusion was created by the psychologist Willhelm Wundt in the 19th century. It is the exact opposite of the Hering illusion

Ponzos illusion. The vertical red line to the left of the image appears to be smaller than the one to the right. In fact they are the same length

Ehrenstein illusion, square in circles
Ehrensteins illusion - a square in concentric circles. This is one of a number of illusions studied by Walter Ehrenstein. The sides of a square placed inside concentric circles appear to curve

Peppers Ghost

Impossible shape, computer artwork

Scintillating grid illusion. This illusion, based on the Hermann grid, was created in 1994. When the grid is observed, the white dots at the intersection of the grey lines appear to scintillate

Square illusion - subdivision leads to apparent enlargement. There are three squares of identical area. However, the middle square appears to be wider than it is tall

Muller-Lyer illusion. The two lines with arrows at each end appear to be different lengths on the left. In fact they are the same length

Illusory contours forming circles. This illusion demonstrates the false perception of areas of increased brightness. Lines are apparently joined to bright circles. In fact no such circles exist

Freemish crate. This representation of an impossible cube is based upon the standard 2- dimensional depiction of a cube, but with some of the edges crossing in a way that could not be achieved in 3

Jastrow illusion. The bottom shape appears to be larger than the top shape. They are actually identical

Circle in a square illusion. The two red circles in the image are the same size. However, the one inside a blue square looks larger than the one enclosing a blue square

Hering illusion. This illusion was created by the physiologist Edward Hering in the 19th century. It exploits the brains understanding of perspective to fool it into thinking that the two horizontal

Framing colour illusion
Framing colours illusion. Black borders around colours enhance their brightness and prevent clashing. The colours in the pattern on the left appear to be brighter and bolder than those on the right

Poggendorff illusion. The two red lines crossing the blue bar are colinear. Many people see them as being offset. There are still no satisfactory explanations as to why this should be the case

Three arc illusion. The three arcs shown give the impression of belonging to circles of increasing radius when viewed from top to bottom. They actually come from circles of the same radius

Square illusion - orientation changes perception of size. The two squares are identical. However, the one on the left appears larger because it has been rotated through 45 degrees

Kanizsa triangle. This image appears to depict a solid triangle overlaying another triangle. This triangle looks brighter than the background. In fact there is no triangle

Delboeuf illusion. An illusion created by the Belgian philosopher Franz Joseph Delboeuf. The two red circles on the left have the same diameter, as do the two red circles on the right

Computer artwork of an impossible triangle
Impossible triangle. Abstract computer artwork of a triangle, made from 3 sections of tower block, which would be impossible to construct because it breaks the laws of artistic perspective

Angle illusion. The red angle marked on the left appears to be larger than the red angle on the right. In fact they are the same size

Square illusion - vertical lines appear longer
Square illusion. The shape on the right hand side is a square whilst the one on the left, which is slightly shorter, is not. However many people believe it to be the other way round

Orbison illusion. Both the rectangle surrounding the pattern and the perfect square within the pattern appear to be distorted

Irradiation illusion. The white square against a black background on the left appears to be larger than the black square against a white background on the right. They are actually the same size

Cafe wall illusion. This illusion is so named because it was first noticed on a tiled wall in a Bristol cafe. The pattern in the image appears to show sloping grey lines between the black

Simultaneous contrast example. The green squares look brighter on the left, where they are in yellow bands, compared to the right, where they are in blue bands

Hermann-Hering illusion
Hermann grid illusion. The intersections of the white horizontal and vertical lines in this image appear to be grey. But when looked at directly they are clearly white

Penrose stairway. This is an impossible figure created by the physicist Roger Penrose and used by M C Escher in his illustration " Ascending and Descending"

Ehrenstein illusion - illusory contours forming circles. Created in 1954 by the psychologist Walter Ehrenstein, this illusion demonstrates the false perception of areas of increased brightness

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Prepare to have your mind blown with these mind-bending visual tricks. From the mesmerizing Goblet illusion that will make you question what you see, to the perplexing Penrose stairs artwork that defies logic and gravity. Get ready for the Ouchi illusion, where shapes seem to shift and transform before your eyes. And don't forget about the famous Impossible triangle artwork that challenges our perception of space. Step into a world of optical illusions with the captivating Wundt illusion, where lines appear distorted and warped. Experience the intriguing Ponzos illusion, where objects seem larger or smaller depending on their surroundings. Prepare yourself for another dose of Ponzos magic as this fascinating trick plays with depth perception once again. Behold the Ehrenstein illusion, where squares magically transform into circles right before your very eyes. And let's not forget about Pepper's Ghost – an enchanting technique that brings holographic images to life in a seemingly impossible way. But wait, there's more. Brace yourself for an encounter with an impossible shape that will leave you scratching your head in disbelief. And finally, get lost in the mesmerizing Scintillating grid illusion as it creates illusory dark spots at intersections. These they are sure to challenge your senses and ignite curiosity within you. So sit back, relax, and prepare for a journey through a world where reality is twisted and perceptions are shattered.