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15+ Artists Whose Mind-Bending Optical Illusions Will Make You Look Twice

Drawing and Illustration

Robert Gonsalves

Illusion Art

Robert Gonsalves

Illusion Art

Robert Gonsalves

Nothing is as it seems in Robert Gonsalves‘ illustrations. Each of his fantastical paintings displays at least two different scenes—and the line between stories blurs into one.

Read more: Surreal Optical Illusion Paintings Fuse Two Magical Scenes into One

 

Ramon Bruin

Illusion Art

Ramon Bruin

Illusion Art

Ramon Bruin

Self-taught artist Ramon Bruin produces anamorphic drawings that make his multilayered illusions pop off the page. It looks like you could hold the skull in the palm of your hand.

Read more: New 3D Optical Illusion Drawings by Ramon Bruin

 

Installation

Peter Kogler

Illusion Art

Peter Kogler

3D Illusion Art

Peter Kogler

Some of the greatest thrills of this art comes from a full immersion into the illusion itself. Artist Peter Kogler uses bold lines to transform white walls and flat floors into warped rooms. Just walking into one might make you stumble—the spaces look like they're moving!

Read more: Artist Uses Optical Illusions to Create Mind-Bending Room Installations

 

Leandro Erlich

3D Illusion Art

Leandro Erlich

3D Illusion Art

Leandro Erlich

In 2013, Argentine artist Leandro Erlich created an interactive installation that made participants look like they were scaling the side of a building. Even though they appeared to be hanging off a window sill or climbing like Spiderman, these folks were safely on the ground. An angled mirror created the enthralling illusion.

Read more: New Mind-Bending Illusion of People Scaling a Building

 

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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