Optical Illusions and Depth PerceptionOptical Illusions and Depth Perception
On a computer screen or on a piece of paper optical illusions can be mesmerizing. They’re an interesting demonstration of how the brain interprets information from our senses in order to make a picture of reality.
The lines that flex and buckle shapes that pop up colors that change – all of these are part of optical illusions. Humans are constantly looking for light, color, and distance.
What is an optical illusion?
An optical illusion happens when an image confuses the eye and brain. In just one tenth of a second, the visual system sends thousands of images to your brain. The brain is able to organize this information by defining borders as well as analyzing the contrast between areas sorting colors, and using its past experiences, what it is supposed to be seeing.
Sometimes it gets things wrong. It is not a problem with the brain or eyes. It’s just a dispute about what you’re seeing. Other senses may also experience similar illusions. For instance, if have a bug crawling up your arm, it might appear to be going down.
Three kinds of optical illusions exist physical, literal and cognitive. The physiological illusions are pictures which appear to be moving, but are in fact still images. They arise from the brain stimulating its senses as it tries to interpret motion from an image that is still. The illusions that can occur include the Ponzo Illusion where two lines appear to be of different lengths.
Advertisement using optical illusions – -
Optical illusions are employed in psychology classes, museums as well as by your hippie buddy with posters adorning his walls. But you may not have considered that they could be utilized in advertising. They can be extremely effective at getting people’s attention and creating a sense of motion, or in certain cases, crinkly eyes.
The well-known lingerie brand Jane Pain recently launched a campaign that featured optical illusions in the form of bums and busts adorning their items. But, if you look at it closely, you’ll see that the body parts not dressed are actually elbows and knees.
Another interesting optical illusion that’s been used in advertising is the Kit Kat truck, which appears as if the driver is laying in a hammock instead of driving the truck. This is a clever opportunity to grab the attention of consumers and encourages them to stop and take time out by consuming the Kit Kat. The advertisement also employs the perceptual set and priming technique to make a positive impression to the brand.
Art and Optical Illusions
The MC Escher’s Penrose triangle and endless staircase are well-known examples of optical illusions. Since the Renaissance optical effects were a key element in art. Artists utilized the camera obscura as well as linear perspective to create stunning trompe-l’oeil illusions.
Op art, which is usually geometric, is not representational. It utilizes lines, shapes, and blocks of colors to create the illusion of movement and hidden images, or swelling or warping. Victor Vasarely’s work as well as the 1965 exhibit The Responsive Eye helped to propel it in popularity during the 1960s.
Inspired by the op art movement, painter Joseph Albers experimented with how colors interplay and influence one another. In his Homage to the Square paintings Albers layered colored squares on top of each other to study how different colors affect our perception of form and depth.
Optical illusions in music
The latest optical illusion on the rounds is a musical illusion. The illusion is created by a set of identical musical notes. When they are played back in tandem on a piano, they provide the impression that they are lyrics for a song however, there is none!
These clever illusions are a great illustration of how your brain processes information from your senses. It makes use of it to create an impression of the world around you. Whether this happens naturally or through design our brains are extremely strong.
Artists such as Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely experimented with illusionary effects in their works. Soto created immersive art installations that blurred the line between viewers and artists and invited them to interact with his work.