Do you love optical illusions? Do you find them fascinating and mesmerizing? If yes, then you’ll love optical art. It is a form of visual art that involves creating pictures or paintings that are tricks of the eye. In essence, an optical illusion is a cognitive bias that causes people to see things differently.
To give you an idea, if you were to look at the same painting by the famous Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh repeatedly, then each time you look at it, it will appear different because of how your brain processes it. You could say that this is the underlying concept behind every optical illusion ever made.
That being said, let’s take a deeper look at what makes up as well as examples of optical illusions so that you can get started on your own version right away!
What is Optical Illusion Art?
Simply put, optical illusions are visual illusions that cause a viewer to consciously perceive something that is not actually there. Depending on the viewer’s degree of concentration, the perceived image could be more or less realistic. The end result is that the image that is seen is not at all what is actually there.
This is why optical illusions can cause you to see things differently. For example, if you were to look at a drawing of a fish, then at some point, you might find yourself looking at a bird instead. You may also see the fish in a drawing of a bowl of fruit. Similarly, you could see the image of a cat in a drawing of a bowl of grapes. Why does this happen?
The reason is that the brain processes visual information in a very different way while looking at these optical illusions. In order to make sense of what you are actually seeing, your brain creates an alternative image of the image that is actually there. Because of this, the same subject can come across as something entirely different when you look at it with the right eyes. Now, the question is, what can you do with this?
That’s a great question. Optical illusions are meant to be used as a tool to draw attention to your work. You can use it as a deliberate technique to set the mood or create an atmosphere of mystery in your paintings or illustrations. You can also use optical illusions as a way to make a point or to teach your viewers about the way the brain works.
Types of Optical Illusion Art
Now that you know what optical illusions are, let’s talk about some of the popular types of optical illusion art.
Optical illusions involving shading and perspective: These are a bit more complex than the rest of optical illusions. Here, the artists use shading, color, and perspective to fool the viewers’ brains into thinking that what they are looking at is just a sketch or a drawing, when in reality, it is a photograph.
Optical illusions involving movement: These are often used to create a sense of suspense or to create a sense of flow in your works.
Optical illusions involving two-dimensional images: These are perhaps one of the most common forms of optical illusions. In essence, they are just really well-made illustrations or paintings that are using optical illusions.
How to Create Optical Illusion Art
Now that you know what optical illusions are, let’s talk about how you can create your own optical illusions. There are three main steps that you can follow if you want to create optical illusion art.
Create a clear concept for your painting: You need to come up with a clear concept for your painting. This will help you to stay focused and on the right path while creating it. It also helps you to determine what kind of optical illusion you want to use to get your point across.
Follow strict rules while painting: When you start painting your optical illusion, you need to follow strict rules. For example, you need to use a scale that is the same as that of the original. You also need to make sure that your painting is based on the same proportions that the original was based on.
Take help from experts: The best optical illusion artists are the ones who are able to call on the help of experts for creating some of their pieces. You can find plenty of optical illusion artists who are using optical illusions in their works. One such artist is the Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh.
Tips for Doing Optical Illusion Art
Now that you know what optical illusions are, let’s talk about some tips that you can follow to create optical illusion art.
Use optical illusions: There are plenty of optical illusions that you can find online. You can also buy some of them if you want to save yourself some time.
Use contrasting colors: If you want to create a clear optical illusion, then you need to use contrasting colors. You can also use multiple hues to create a more complicated optical illusion.
Use contrasting hues: While using contrasting hues, you need to make sure that the hues you are using are opposite in terms of the key color you are using in your optical illusion. For example, if you are using blue in your optical illusion, then make sure that the contrasting hue is red.
Make use of depth: You can also use depth in your optical illusion. You can create the illusion of depth using the lines that are naturally present in your painting.
Make use of light: You can also use light in your optical illusion. You can use light to create a sense of depth in your image. The best thing about this is that you can use a single light source in your image, or you can use multiple lights.
Conclusion
Optical illusions can be a lot of fun and creative way to get your message across. They can be used to convey many different messages depending on the intent behind your work. Additionally, they can also be used to create a certain atmosphere or to build suspense in a piece.
Creating optical illusions is one of the best ways to connect with your audience, especially if they are art lovers. If you are looking for some inspiration, consider these tips to help you get started.