e-Tarocchi Logo

Defying Gravity

These are my favorite illusions. From one angle everything looks perfectly normally until you see the balls rolling uphill. When you change the angle of the camera you see that the ramps are not as they appeared. They are actually slanting downhill instead of uphill. It's all about the perspective of course.

All of the work for the illusion is performed in a 3D program. The process to create these illusions is long and difficult. I basically create the design the way it should appear and then create a duplicate of the design that will be the actual physical copy. I manipulate the duplicate in the 3D program so that the ramps ultimately slant down but still match the original layer of the ramps that are aiming up.

Once I've created the ramps that slant down, I flatten the shapes, print them out, cut, fold and tape. The camera must be set up in the same position that the camera in the 3D program was set to. The objects that you can create with this technique are unlimited.

What happens in our brain when we view an optical illusion?

The information gathered by the eye is processed in the brain to create an idea or image that does not match with a physical measurement of the stimulus source.


Other Videos That May Interest You:


Dyan deNapoli: The Great Penguin Rescue

Dyan deNapoli: The Great Penguin Rescue

A personal story, a collective triumph: Dyan deNapoli tells the story of the world's largest volunteer animal rescue, which saved more than 40,000 penguins after an oil spill off the coast of South Africa. How does a job this big get done? Penguin by penguin by penguin ...

View Video


Jok Church: A Circle of Caring

Jok Church: A Circle of Caring

In this 3-minute talk, cartoonist and educator Jok Church tells a moving story of the teacher who cared for him when no one else did -- and how he returned the favor.

View Video


Sunni Brown: Doodlers, Unite!

Sunni Brown: Doodlers, Unite!

Studies show that sketching and doodling improve our comprehension -- and our creative thinking. So why do we still feel embarrassed when we're caught doodling in a meeting? Sunni Brown says: Doodlers, unite! She makes the case for unlocking your brain via pad and pen.

View Video


KABBALAH - What is Kabbalah? Universal Kabbalah Series (Part 2)

KABBALAH - What is Kabbalah? Universal Kabbalah Series (Part 2)

Universal Kabbalah is a study of philosophical thought that helps us organize and heal our mind. How has Kabbalah contributed throughout history? What can it do for us? Why study it now?

View Video


Phil Plait: How to Defend Earth From Asteroids

Phil Plait: How to Defend Earth From Asteroids

What's six miles wide and can end civilization in an instant? An asteroid - and there are lots of them out there. With humor and great visuals, Phil Plait enthralls the TEDxBoulder audience with all the ways asteroids can kill, and what we must do to avoid them.

View Video

 

View All Videos