Tile Illusion

1. Edward
   July 12th, 2009 at 12:41 pm

   I agree about the flooring. I love that the effect is maintained by two or three rows.

2. SpuriousLogic
   July 12th, 2009 at 12:51 pm

   I think this is a fake. If it was really the pattern causing the illusion I should be able to just look at one corner quadrant and see the same effect. But the warping appears only in the center of the picture.

3. Alex
   July 12th, 2009 at 1:41 pm

   Fake? How could you claim that - the illusion is right there in front of you and it sure delivers what it claims!

4. Skipweasel
   July 12th, 2009 at 1:47 pm

   Fake? Perhaps you're not seeing what we're seeing. Hold a straight-edge to the screen.

   As for flooring - imagine coming home from the pub a bit squiffy...

5. seefish3
   July 12th, 2009 at 3:20 pm

   Yeah, Skipweasel. I sure wouldn't want this to be my bathroom floor.

6. Johnny Cat
   July 12th, 2009 at 3:36 pm

   A fake? Ahahahahahahaha! Ha!

7. Pangolin
   July 12th, 2009 at 4:22 pm

   Spurious, the pattern is caused by the vertical or horizontal placement of the black and white checker tiles between the larger purple ones. If you look closely you'll see that while most places on the board alternate how the checker tiles are aligned, there's a row and column down the middle that has two aligned sets, which is what creates the illusion of misalignment radiating from the center.

8. angstrom
   July 12th, 2009 at 4:27 pm

   SpuriousLogic is aptly named

9. ted
   July 12th, 2009 at 8:29 pm

   To defend SpuriousGeorge, it is a bit of a cheat not to alternate those two lines. But that's what the illusion is about. Kinda spiffy.

10. pignose baby
    July 12th, 2009 at 8:33 pm

    To Pangolin:
    Ruin the fun why dontcha.
    I think I wanna go home now, I don't feel so good.

    All illusions are fake. That's why they are called illusions.

11. Pedro
    July 12th, 2009 at 9:56 pm

    It's a clever illusion, no doubt. Although the lines are technically straight, and perpendicular to each other, this portion of the illusion is not perfectly perpendicular to the monitor (maybe it got scanned crooked), as it is has been rotated counter-clockwise by 1/2 of a degree (no, seriously). That rotation, however, shouldn't adversely impact the illusion - that the straight lines seem to be bent/curved.

    The real truth about this specific illusion... the illusion is slightly crooked, but the lines are straight. Very cool.

    I was bored, so created this animated gif of the illusion, with and without the pivotal pieces.

12. SpuriousLogic
    July 13th, 2009 at 9:02 am

    Thanks Pedro, that is much clearer. And I see now why the warping only appears from the center, and not the rest of the picture is because of the repeated diamonds in the middle.

13. mor
    July 13th, 2009 at 10:26 am

    I love optical illusions but if this was in my home, i'd probably lose my mind

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