I can only see a maximum of three or four at a time. When the graphic appeared on my screen, I saw circles pop up here and there even before I knew what I was supposed to be looking for. Cool illusion, but, now I am going to have to spend a lot of time trying to see all 16 circles at once.
bigjohn, this isn't a test - you don't have to pass it to keep reading the blog.
But to save you some time, I'd suggest relying on your peripheral vision rather than direct scanning vision. Try looking at one horizontal line in one circle and detecting the other ones without moving your gaze.
But please don't spend too much time on this one illusion. Better to waste your time with multiple illusions -
No, as soon as I went back to take another look I realized that the circles I was seeing were ones I wasn't looking directly at. Thus, by not looking directly at the graphic I saw all 16.
I have been fascinated by optical illusions since I was a tyke. (Yes, they had them back in the '40s.) So, I had to go to http://illusioncontest.neuralcorrelate.com/ as well as your site. Now, I will be occupied for months;-O
It took me about 5 minutes of looking (and looking out of the side of my glasses and trying to look and glance away before I saw any, but when I did, all 16 popped into view right away and I couldn't see the coffins at all anymore.
I can see the circles easily, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out those darn magic eye pictures. My opthalmologist had those things framed in his office and they just frustrated me every time. My sister would see an elaborate picture and I just saw shapes and colors. It's got to be a different part of the brain working here.
@anonymous - The "Magic Eye" creations are not really optical illusions. They rely on a visual technique that requires you to put your eyes slightly out of focus. It's not your brain that's at fault for not seeing them.
I have a very hard time seeing the circles in this small picture posted above, but when I followed the link to a larger version of the image I saw the circles right away.
I think the trick to seeing all of the circles at once - this worked for me, at least - is to slightly cross your eyes. It was quite a while before I saw any circles. Brilliant illusion, for sure!
It's a figure versus ground illusion, and a very good one!
Get it nice and large, and fixate very steadily on the central cross (which I didn't even notice at first) - in ten seconds your brain will decide to see something new.
Most people will interpret this image as perhaps a door panel; it may take a while to realize that there are actually 16 circles in this pattern.
Are you special or messed up if you see them right away?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI can only see a maximum of three or four at a time. When the graphic appeared on my screen, I saw circles pop up here and there even before I knew what I was supposed to be looking for. Cool illusion, but, now I am going to have to spend a lot of time trying to see all 16 circles at once.
ReplyDeletebigjohn, this isn't a test - you don't have to pass it to keep reading the blog.
ReplyDeleteBut to save you some time, I'd suggest relying on your peripheral vision rather than direct scanning vision. Try looking at one horizontal line in one circle and detecting the other ones without moving your gaze.
But please don't spend too much time on this one illusion. Better to waste your time with multiple illusions -
http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/search/label/optical%20illusions
Oh, I thought it meant life or death;-)
ReplyDeleteNo, as soon as I went back to take another look I realized that the circles I was seeing were ones I wasn't looking directly at. Thus, by not looking directly at the graphic I saw all 16.
I have been fascinated by optical illusions since I was a tyke. (Yes, they had them back in the '40s.) So, I had to go to http://illusioncontest.neuralcorrelate.com/ as well as your site.
Now, I will be occupied for months;-O
It took me about 5 minutes of looking (and looking out of the side of my glasses and trying to look and glance away before I saw any, but when I did, all 16 popped into view right away and I couldn't see the coffins at all anymore.
ReplyDeleteI can see the circles easily, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out those darn magic eye pictures. My opthalmologist had those things framed in his office and they just frustrated me every time. My sister would see an elaborate picture and I just saw shapes and colors. It's got to be a different part of the brain working here.
ReplyDelete@anonymous - The "Magic Eye" creations are not really optical illusions. They rely on a visual technique that requires you to put your eyes slightly out of focus. It's not your brain that's at fault for not seeing them.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how often this has been turned into a quilt? And if not at all, it looks like I have another project to put on The List.
ReplyDeleteCircles? What circles? I see only straight lines and rectangles. I think you're all embracing "the emperor's new clothes" here!
ReplyDeleteThe circles are there - sixteen of them in four columns of four each. The four on the far right column were the easiest for me to see.
DeleteStan, it's interesting that you see the circles bring in vertical rows. I first spotted them as horizontal ones.
DeleteLooking again much later, I see squares with my glasses on but circles with them off.
ReplyDeleteOnce I saw the circles, I couldn't NOT see them!
ReplyDeleteI have a very hard time seeing the circles in this small picture posted above, but when I followed the link to a larger version of the image I saw the circles right away.
ReplyDeleteI think the trick to seeing all of the circles at once - this worked for me, at least - is to slightly cross your eyes. It was quite a while before I saw any circles. Brilliant illusion, for sure!
ReplyDeleteIt's a figure versus ground illusion, and a very good one!
ReplyDeleteGet it nice and large, and fixate very steadily on the central cross (which I didn't even notice at first) - in ten seconds your brain will decide to see something new.
i finally see the circles but now i cannot make the squares come back!
ReplyDeleteI-)