Tag Archives: illusion

Check out This Amazing Optical Illusion Cutting Board

Posted on by

I’ve always been enamored of end-grain wooden cutting boards that are made of cubes of wood. They just look really great, and it’s clear that a ton of labor went into their creation. This particular cutting board is especially impressive, using its blocks to form a 3D depth illusion.

optical_illusion_cutting_board_1zoom in

The board was created by Andrei Muntian of MTM Wood using a carefully arranged series of wood strips, cut into alternating blocks of maple and walnut wood. He first mapped out the image as a model in SketchUp, then used those drawings to help produce the real thing. Check out the fascinating video below to see how he made it:

Drop on over to Instructables for the full build log – which you are unlikely to be able to replicate yourself – then head on over to Andrei’s website and check out his other cool creations you can actually purchase.

Save on This Awesome 3D-Illusion Lighting Sculpture

Posted on by

Looking for a cool piece of art for your space? This nifty ambient light makes a great conversation piece, thanks to a laser-engraved acrylic layer that makes it look as if a 3D object is floating in space.

3d_illusion_lamp_3zoom in

Each lamp is made by Blue Pine Studio, and illuminated with a color-changing LED, which can be set to one of 16 different colors, or one of four color-changing sequences using the included remote control.

3d_illusion_lamp_1zoom in

Choose from one of three different designs: Buckeye Butterfly, Crystal Ball, or my favorite, Octopus. Each lamp measures 5.5″L x 5.5″W x 6″H and sits on a handsome wood base.

3d_illusion_lamp_2zoom in

We’ve got the Blue Pine Studio 3D-Illusion Lighting Sculpture on sale in the Technabob Shop now for just $79.99, a savings of 33% off the MSRP.

 

Pyro Fireshooter Lets You Shoot Fireballs out of Your Hands

Posted on by

I grew up hearing the words “Incantus pulcher imperium” and seeing a little 2D sprite launch a fireball at Irenicus or some hobgoblins or Sarevok shortly afterwards. As a result, I really, really wish I could do that. Unfortunately, I’m yet to discover a way to conjure fire using just the force of my will and some poorly pronounced Latin, so I might have to settle for the aptly-named Pyro Fireshooter; guess what it does.

pyro_fireshooter_2zoom in

Yup, it straps to your wrist under your sleeve and hold four nitrocellulose charges. Each charge is fired individually, and takes the form of a freaking fireball that flies about ten feet before burning up. If that doesn’t make you happy, I don’t know what will. You can impress your friends, convince primitive tribes to worship you as a god, or frighten your enemies.

pyro_fireshooter_1zoom in

The Pyro Fireshooter is available from Ellusionist for $174(USD). While $174 is a lot of money for a toy, you can justify it as being very little money to spend fulfilling a dream.

Awesome 3D Notepad Art is Actually Flat

Posted on by

Artist João A. Carvalho has created some very cool artwork on pages that look like standard notebook paper. The art has so much depth that it looks like it was created using some sort of embossing machine, but it is actually completely flat on a plain sheet of paper.

note art 2magnify

The artist is able to achieve the 3D illusion by manipulating the hand-drawn blue horizontal lines and using lots of shading. The finished product looks like a cartoon character is fighting their way off a sheet of paper. I particularly like the minion piece and Jerry the mouse from Tom and Jerry.

note art 3 300x250 note art 4 300x250 note art 5 300x250 note art 6 300x250 note art 1 300x250 note art 7 300x250

The art that has the lines going into a hole reminds me of the Matrix for some reason. Joao has some serious artistic skill. Which is your favorite?

[via Twisted Sifter via Neatorama]

Look Closer: This Parrot is Actually a Woman

Posted on by

Bodypainted Parrot Lady

 

Not everything is at it seems. The title of this post isn’t meant to fool you, but unless you’ve got a really sharp eye, then you probably think you’ve been had because the picture is clearly that of a bird, not a woman–or is it?

It honestly took me a few minutes and several double-takes before I saw her. It’s so seamless that it’s easy to un-see even when you’ve already seen her. This work of impressive body painting art was done by artist Johannes Stoette, who’s eye for detail is truly something else. If you still haven’t spotted her, here’s a hint: check out the parrot’s tail first.

VIA [ Geekologie ]

The post Look Closer: This Parrot is Actually a Woman appeared first on OhGizmo!.

Now You Can Print Your Own ‘Animated’ Optical Illusions

Posted on by

Bored? Got a cat you want to play with? Then grab some paper and a sheet of transparency film and check out the clip above. It’s essentially a video of some cool and mind-boggling optical illusions that look like they’re moving–even though they’re not. Hence, the classification that they’re optical illusions.

Entertain some kids. Show your friends. Amaze your cat. This is at least something to do when you’re bored and are itching to do something.

You can check out the YouTube video link to get links to the designs that you can print out.

VIA [ Geekologie ]

2013 Holocube 40″ Holographic Display: Advertising Augmented

Posted on by

Are you a shop owner looking for an eye-catching advertising platform? Perhaps you have a design firm and you want a flashy way of presenting your concepts? Or maybe you’re a genius, billionaire, playboy and philantropist who already has plans for an armored suit but not the extravagant display worthy of your grand schemes? Check out the new Holocube HC40. And give me a pair of your spare jet boots while you’re at it.

holocube hc40 40 inch holographic display

While it’s not as arresting as Holocube’s human-sized displays, the 2013 release of the HC40 boasts a number of improvements over the previous model that make it a visual spectacle nonetheless. First off, it’s got a new LED backlight display with 1080p resolution and a 178º viewing angle; the previous HC40 only had a 720p resolution. Rated at 170W, it consumes 100W less power than its predecessor, perhaps due to its switch to a 4GB CF for storage and its use of a heatsink for cooling. The previous model used a 40GB HDD and fans to keep cool.

holocube hc40 40 inch holographic display 2 300x250 holocube hc40 40 inch holographic display 3 300x250 holocube hc40 40 inch holographic display 4 300x250 holocube hc40 40 inch holographic display 5 300x250 holocube hc40 40 inch holographic display 6 300x250

The new HC40 is also lighter than the previous model, thanks to its sheet metal housing and synthetic optics. Its housing is also much slimmer and is finished with matte white or matte black to provide more emphasis on the hologram. Finally, Jan Vanbriel of Holocube boasts that the new HC40′s built-in 7W sound system is also much better than the previous model. Man, we really bashed the previous model didn’t we? Technology is harsh.

The HC40: a display fit for Cortana. Or at least her upper half. Fire up your omni-tool and head to Holocube’s website to order the HC40.

i-Lusio Turns Tablets into Hologram Simulators

Posted on by

Remember that holographic illusion of 2Pac? It actually wasn’t a hologram, but  it was done using projectors and an angled surface with both reflective and transparent properties. Now you can recreate this illusion in miniature, using nothing more than your tablet, and an inexpensive device called the i-Lusio.

i lusio 1

Set your iPad or other similarly sized tablet into the top of the i-Lusio, then install the companion app, and you can view simulated 3-dimensional objects that look like they’re floating in space. It’s a pretty cool illusion, though it’s probably best used for things like store displays and museum exhibits. I’m not sure how useful this thing would be at home – though kids might get a kick out of it for a little while.

i lusio 2

Check out the video below to see a few examples of what you can do with the i-Lusio:

The i-Lusio is currently available for pre-order via an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. A pledge of at least $44(USD) will get you one of your own – including the app and one download – which makes it sound like there will be a charge for downloadable content once the app is available.

Infinity Mirror Computer Desk: To Infinity and Beyond!

Posted on by

Aside from its functional uses, mirrors come in pretty handy when you’re trying to achieve some cool optical illusions. A good example of this is the classic infinite effect. It looks like a pretty complicated effect, but it’s easily achievable and only requires a mirror, glass, and a light source.

Infinity Mirror Computer Desk1

Employing this effect to create an uber cool computer desk is Redditor Jacks_RagingHormones. His setup makes it look like his keyboard is on the surface of an abyss that has no end, which is what makes it so awesome.

Infinity Mirror Computer Desk

Want to try and do what Jack and his raging hormones did? Head over to Imgur for more details on the build.

[via Obvious Winner]