Links to ILlusion sites AND Graphics Sites

There are many sites missing from this listing who I am sure deserve to be included. For this I offer no apology. I make no attempt to be unbiased and certainly not to be comprehensive. I could not possibly begin to include all the illusion sites available. This is quite simply a list of personal favourites which, for one reason or another, I believe stand out from the crowd. Quite modest sites may be included because I find them original or unusual and some major sites may be omitted because of a tendency to repeat one another. The opinions expressed here do not necessarilly reflect those of the site owners or administrators.


If you believe that your site merits a link from here please contact CAMBIGUITIES and give me your URL. I make no promises. I will be choosy, as I have no wish to dilute the value of the few truly excellent sites to whom I already link.

ILLUSION COMPILATIONS

I suspect this is probably the best illusion site on the entire web. Vlad Alexeef has put together a remarkable site that is not only a hugely comprehensive collection but also provides extensive background on it’s many artists, together with animations, articles, links, news, and software for creating your own illusions. My top site! In English & Russian.

This site is run by someone who goes simply by the name of Vurdlak. It is a well established site. A large collection divided by category with a searchable data base. There are video illusions, audio illusions, and photographs which, while not always illusions in the conventional sense, are all the more fascinating for that. Do check this one out.

INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS

No reason for introductions to this one! M. C. Escher is the father of modern illusion art. The only reason that this is not at the top of the list is simply that it is a site confined to one artist and I have chosen to put the broader more varied sites first. If you are not familiar with his work, it is an absolute must see! In English & Dutch.

Another of the fathers of modern illusion.  I have been unable to find an official site for him. The best collection of Reutersvârd’s works I have been able to find are on Impossible World.  His drawings are, for the most part, simple geometric figures of remarkable invention and variety.

Illusoria is the official site of Sandro del Prete. You can buy his works there for downlaod.  You can also find an excellent collection of his works on Vlad Alexeef’s Impossible World.  Sandro is, in my opinion, probably the finest illusion artist alive today, and his prolific output is astonishing. One of my great heros.

The Flemish artist Jos De Mey is another wonderfully accomplished artist. His works are often humorous references to Breugel and the 16th century Flemish school of artists. I have been unable to find an official site for Jos so this link will take you, once again, to Impossible World which has a comprehensive collection of his work. Another inspiration.

Another  artist well worth a visit is the Hungarian artist István Orosz. He is a remarkable draftsman. His work has an incredible variety. His posters are interesting with clear references to Soviet communist art. There is an excellent collection of his work at Impossible World as well.

The Canadian artist Rob Gonsalves practices a school of art known as Magic Realism. It is part fantasy and part illusion with often a wonderfully whimsical way of looking at things. Rob is represented by Saper Galleries and this link will take you to them, where you will find a large selection of his work.

Now here is a man really close to my heart! Swedish photographer and digital artist Erik Johansson produces exquisite, polished photographic fantasies and illusions in the same spirit of Magical Realism as Gonsalves. Indeed I would guess that his images are influenced by him. His work manages to be both complex and simple at the same time. His wonderful site just goes on getting better and better. Highly recommended!

Julian Beever has become something of a web sensation in recent years. His drawings frequently arrive in my mail box in group emailings. His anamorphic pavement drawings are not illusion in the conventional sense, but they are sensational! Marked by wonderful draftsmanship and a wicked sense of humour, they really should not be missed.

GRAPHIC SITES

NOTCOT.org is a heavily design and graphics oriented site. However my inspiration and ideas come not just from illusion or photographic images. This is a site packed with creativity and originality to really get those juices flowing.

Ilusionario is a Spanish illusion site. Juan Luis Roldán Calzado has put together a very well laid out site divided by category. There are a number of images which I have not seen elsewhere.  The site extends beyond illusion into surrealism as well. He provides quite extensive documentation to the images and artists. In Spanish only.

An Optical Illusion provides a new optical illusion image, video or animation each and every day (Monday through Friday).  It is operated by Brad Honeycutt, the author of many illusion books.  The illusions are organized by category and the database can easily be searched to help you find something fascinating.

deviantart.com is a community of fantasy, steampunk and sci-fi artists of all types. Great fun to browse. Very useful downloads of brushes, actions and tutorials as well.

I am indebted to Ashley, a student from Maine, for bringing this to my attention. It’s an odd site which is devoted to coupons and store discounts but it has a very comprehensive section on Illusions and brain teasers aimed principally at younger viewers. What makes it particularly interesting is excellent explanations of many of the illusions. Although it is a commercial site you can view and enjoy all these without need for registration or any other commitment.

This is a link to stereograms. Once again I am indebted to a young student for this link. This time Bria from Lyndhurst STEM club. She must have searched very ingeniously and diligently to find this link as it is within a commercial site for a ceiling tile supplier! The page this link will take you to is basically a resource of twenty more links relating to stereograms. There are links to several extensive galleries of various types of stereogram, and links to sites and documents on the science of stereoscopy including some very advanced pages from Cornell University on how to create your own stereograms. I suspect this unexpected page in a commercial site reflects a personal interest of the company’s owner Milan Jara.