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:


Jenna McCarthy: What You Don't Know About Marriage

Jenna McCarthy: What You Don't Know About Marriage

In this funny, casual talk from TEDx, writer Jenna McCarthy shares surprising research on how marriages (especially happy marriages) really work. One tip: Do not try to win an Oscar for best actress.

View Video


Caroline Casey: Looking Past Limits

Caroline Casey: Looking Past Limits

Activist Caroline Casey tells the story of her extraordinary life, starting with a revelation (no spoilers). In a talk that challenges perceptions, Casey asks us all to move beyond the limits we may think we have.

View Video


BOATLIFT, An Amazing Tale of 9/11 Resilience

BOATLIFT, An Amazing Tale of 9/11 Resilience

As the World Trade Center buildings burned and collapsed on September 11, 2001, a half million people were evacuated from Lower Manhattan by a civilian flotilla of ferries, tug boats and other vessels in what became the largest boatlift in history. BOATLIFT - An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience, is a touching tribute to that effort.

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


Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe

Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe

What makes a great leader? Management theorist Simon Sinek suggests, it's someone who makes their employees feel secure, who draws staffers into a circle of trust. But creating trust and safety - especially in an uneven economy - means taking on big responsibility.

View Video

 

View All Videos