Inspiring and Creative Resources & Tutorials for Science-Curious People
An area magic square is a kind of magic square where the numbers represent the areas of the colored sections in which they appear. This drawing by William Walkington is inspired by the construction techniques of Walter Trump.
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Cylindrical anamorphosis is an art technique that creates distorted images that appear normal when viewed through a cylindrical mirror, manipulating perspective and light to produce a three-dimensional effect from a two-dimensional surface.
Kelly M. Houle is known for her work in anamorphic art and illuminated manuscripts. Her projects often blend artistic expression with scientific themes, such as her illuminated manuscript based on Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. She has exhibited her work widely and continues to explore innovative techniques in contemporary art.
For more information about her work, visit Kelly M. Houle’s website.
Impossible figures are intriguing forms that defy the reality of our 3D world. In the 90s, I began experimenting with representations of cylinders featuring fictitious right angles—an artistic play on geometry. These twisting impossible figures, which defy mathematics and physics, are ideal for interior decoration or merchandise like t-shirts or mugs because they captivate the viewer’s imagination and provoke thought. Their striking, paradoxical nature draws attention, making them perfect conversation pieces, while also offering a philosophical twist on the idea that what seems real may not always be.
By stripping those imaginary geometric form down to their essence, I instill them with greater power.
These drawings are taken from my book Drawing Optical Illusions, still available on Amazon.
And are available as prints and t-shirts and merch from my online gallery!
Have you ever pondered the nature of holes? These peculiar void-like spaces that seem to exist in the fabric of reality, yet defy simple categorization… Are they real objects that we can interact with, like a donut or a Swiss cheese? Are they abstract mathematical entities, part of the strange world of topology? Or do they exist only in our minds, as metaphysical concepts that arise from the limitations of our perception?
Explore these intriguing questions through our specially crafted posters and merchandise, which delve into the fascinating nature of holes. Discover them in our online gallery.
Hang the poster to spark endless curiosity, or wear the t-shirt to carry a conversation starter wherever you go.
A neat animated tribar! It’s worth noting that the tribar, or Penrose triangle (aka Reutersvärd triangle), attributed to British mathematician Roger Penrose, was not technically ‘invented’ or ‘discovered’ by him. The geometric principles underlying its existence were already evident in Greek and Arabic ornamentation, including tiling and friezes…
Delve into the realm of Sacred Geometry, where circles unveil the elegance of successive square roots from 1 to 6. Extend your exploration with the enigmatic charm of the square root of Phi.
Picture available as prints and merchandise from our online gallery.
Simple demonstration of apparent size and distance… See how the color rings (annuli, in mathematical language) fit snugly.
This is an illusory geometric structure that cannot exist in our 3D world. Let’s Explore its captivating depths and intrigue.
Here’s how to create this impossible structure. Start by drawing two parallel lines spaced apart from each other and divide them into 7 equally spaced lines.
Then follow the visual steps A, B, C, and D illustrated below. At the beginning (fig. A), you will need to replicate the alignment of the 9 parallel lines three times while applying a 60-degree rotation to each one, finally arranging them to form a triangle. Subsequently, follow the visual directions in B and C to obtain the figure shown in fig. D.
At last, you can add color and gradients to the structure as illustrated below.
Discover prints and merchandise featuring this op art masterpiece at my online gallery.
Imagine the linear pattern as a hanging rope. Now, removing any one of these four nails will cause the entire rope to fall.
That’s what happens when you fall down a Penrose staircase…