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Impossible objects Familiarity in random shapes FURTHER ILLUSIONS
These clever configurations of The Rorschach test was established by the 19th-century Swiss psychologist
outlines and tonal surfaces convince Hermann Rorschach. His highly disputed and imprecise science involves
us at a glance that we are seeing a showing unprepared patients ten particular ink blots and asking them
solid three-dimensional triangle and t o i n t e r p r e t w h a t t h e y see. T h e patient's answers are t h e n diagnosed as a
a three-pronged fork. O n l y o n psychological profile. T h e t e s t e x p l o r e s o u r n o r m a l d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o find
closer inspection we realize that things w e can name among random shapes. Some artists use ink blots t o
prompt the beginning of an image. W e should remember that our brains
t h e s e o b j e c t s are fooling us. Yet will always search for a picture—in ink
still w e try resolve t h e m . T h e blots, clouds, smoke, etc.—and so
artist M. C Escher used this the artist can create much out
of an impression without
phenomenon t o great effect overdescribing.
in his many p o p u l a r
drawings of puzzles
and impossible buildings.
Seeing things that Perceiving a whole image from minimal lines
are not there This is a w i d e l y r e p r o d u c e d visual j o k e a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e Carracci
brothers,16th-century Italian painters. They are often credited with
Here on the left, w e see t w o t h e invention o f t h e c o m i c c a r t o o n . This simple five-line d r a w i n g is o f a
overlapping triangles: one outlined Capuchin priest asleep in his pulpit. Minimal-line jokes such as this rely
in black beneath a n o t h e r in solid upon the contemporary viewer's recognition of the shapes. Coupled
white. Neither triangle exists, but w e w i t h t h e Rorschach b l o t above, this is a n o t h e r e x a m p l e o f t h e viewer's
believe w e see them because enough brain being willing t o d o a large a m o u n t o f the w o r k in deciphering a
f r a g m e n t a r y i n f o r m a t i o n is given f o r p i c t u r e . T h e s e e x a m p l e s illustrate h o w little is n e e d e d t o c o n v e y an
our brains to conclude they are very image. Much can be expressed in only a few marks.
likely t h e r e . B e l o w is a brightness
contrast illusion. Count the number
of dark spots you can see. This effect
can occur naturally when looking at
a brightly lit w h i t e g r i d such as a
w i n d o w f r a m e against t h e night sky.
