Data + Design Project

Felice Varini: Anamorphic Paintings Cover the World

Thursday 03.21.2013 , Posted by

Felice Varini Optical Illusions 1

At first they appear to simply be gigantic swooping shapes painted across buildings around the world… but find the correct focal point and they pop into astounding geometric forms. Swiss artist Felice Varini has been creating these massive pieces since 1979; starting small with room based installations, but later growing to pieces that cover entire villages and require a hike up a mountain to properly appreciate. His anamorphic paintings have impressed a generation of creatives, and continue to be emulated to this day. [Read more...]

Parquet: Is it a Rug or a Sculpture?

Tuesday 02.26.2013 , Posted by

daniella-mooney_parquetry_wood sculpture 1

It’s hard not to be confused by this new piece by Daniella Mooney. Seemingly a wood parquet floor climbs up over a wooden chair, changing into a thick, flowing rug. Even on second glance the illusion is hard to shake. This is the work of a master woodworker. [Read more...]

Funny Optical Illusions Part 2

Friday 01.18.2013 , Posted by

optical-illusions-part-2-28

Our last optical illusions post was liked by many of our readers, so we have posted another one with images of strange scenarios caught at just the right moment or in just the right place. Featured here are some images by a wide selection of creative photographers that utilize nature, animals, plants and even time itself. [Read more...]

Advertisement

Gregory Scott Jumps Into His Paintings

Thursday 12.13.2012 , Posted by

Gregory Scott does more than paint self-portraits – he literally merges with the images he creates. Using his combined skills in painting and photography, he makes large canvases and then suspends them before reality – often with surprising results. Sometimes Scott’s images are funny, other times completely bizarre, and sometimes they are sweetly poignant. Partly helped by his mostly black and white format, many of his images are confusing to interpret at first glance, often revealing clever tricks of perspective only on closer inspection. [Read more...]

Alexander Kent Shows It’s All About Perspective

Monday 11.05.2012 , Posted by

Our view of life is often all about our perspective. Whether that is dealing with people around us, the often unexpected situations we encounter in our day to day life, or simply the way we observe our surroundings. London-based photographer Alexander Kent knows this well, using unusual perspectives and visual illusions to create work which makes us look twice and more closely analyze what we see. [Read more...]

Advertisement

VISUAL BITS #161 > New Woodcut Printings

Thursday 03.01.2012 , Posted by

Check out your links after the jump
[Read more...]

Anamorphic Drawings: Hidden Images Revealed

Thursday 03.10.2011 , Posted by


Anamorphic drawings are distorted pictures requiring the viewer to use a special, often reflective device to reconstitute the image. István Orosz is a Hungarian illustrator and a master of the technique, hand drawing his images where every straight line is a complex curve. Taking the technique as far as he could, his images contain hidden anamorphic images inside an incredibly complex picture viewable with the naked eye.

[Read more...]

Muhammad Ali Portrait Made With Boxing Bags

Wednesday 03.02.2011 , Posted by

Paying tribute to the legend of Muhammad Ali like never before, internationally lauded artist Michael Kalish has recently completed an entirely unique vision of the king of boxing. Titled “reALIze,” the sculpture appears like a massive tangle of wire, tubing and boxing bags when viewed from most angles, but should the viewer step into the perfect position a huge portrait of Ali pops into perspective.

Truly monumental in its size and scope, the sculpture uses 1,300 boxing speed bags, two miles of aluminum tubing and five miles of stainless steel cable to create the knock out portrait.

[Read more...]

Advertisement

Cafe Turns the World on its Side

Friday 12.17.2010 , Posted by

Looking something like a cafe out of Alice in Wonderland, the clever designers over at Nemaworkshop have created a place to get espresso that turns the world on its side. Inspired by the nearby New York Public Library, custom printed bookshelf tiles run along the floor, up the wall and along the ceiling. Herringbone wood flooring covers the side wall and lights cantilever out from the opposite wall. Turning your head on its side brings the optical illusion into focus. [Read more...]