This is a demonstration of how the exact same shade of gray will look
different depending on what color the background is. Another slightly
less apparant effect of this picture is that the big gray box in the
upper left looks darker than the bix gray box to the upper right, because
it is closer to the black square in the lower left. Use your hand to
cover up parts of this optical illusion experiment and you'll notice
how the shades of gray are affected!
Although this seems like a fairly simple illusion, there are some basic principles that are used in other illusions. Hopefully, with this example you'll be able to learn the basic principles of gray shading, and then when you see it in use on another illusion, you'll understand it even better. That's why we created this illusion, sure it may not be the most fun illusion in our entire portfolio... but hey, those boxes really do appear to be different shades of gray, based upon their surroundings!
How could you use this in real life? Well, if you were on the beach and wanted to appear very tan as compared to those around you, it would be better for you to place your beach blanket close to the fair-skinned people, or even better, close to the white sand. Or just get a white beach blanket, and not a black beach blanket!
Please rate this illusion/picture. Your ratings help us choose which new optical illusions to create, plus, it's fun!
Best of the Best ...
Most Popular for June 2010:
Same Shade Diamonds Our newest optical illusion.
We just created it on 10/10/2009
Wow! It will look like the diamonds on the top are much darker than the diamonds on the bottom.
You won't believe how amazing this incredible optical illusion is.
Watch as the scary faces disappear before your eyes.
The longer you stare the stronger the illusion. Perfect to send to your friends for Halloween!
The Obama Illusion
We made this original Barack Obama Illusion and then we made it famous!
Stare for about 30 seconds and you'll see his ghostly image appear on the wall!
Valentines Day Love Test Illusion
This is one of our most highly rated illusions by our visitors. Watch the hearts disappear before your very eyes!
This is really cool. You'll start to see the hearts disappear as you fixate at the center. Don't miss it.
Moving Spiral Illusion
A version of our original moving spiral illusion was recently published in a popular college textbook.
It uses multiple illusory principles to give the illusion that it is moving when it is absolutely not moving. Big enough to be your desktop background!
Build Your Own Impossible Triangle
Instructions so you can build your own impossible triangle. Tell M.C. Escher that it's not so impossible after all!
Comes with a printable PDF guide with dotted lines for the folds and clearly marked lines to cut. See pictures of visitors submitted triangles too!
If you don't have time to see the hundreds of illusions today, see if you can at least catch all of these...
