Optical Illusion Discs
What is reality? Do our eyes see the world accurately? Our vision interprets the world for us but it doesn't always perceive what is really there. Optical illusions prove this fact. Our eyes trick our brain to see things that are not there. In this blog posting, I have included 20 different discs that can be spun to create different optical illusions. I have also included four discs that can be colored to create your own optical illusions. Try coloring different sections of the circle with different colors. Increase and decrease the section sizes. Experiment to find interesting color combinations and ask others to view your optical illusions to find out if they perceive things differently.
Here is the PDF. I cut the platform from 65 lb. cardstock (110 lb. cardstock can also be used). The optical illusion images were printed on ordinary copy paper.
Here is the .Studio file. I cut the optical illusion platform with the Silhouette software. I used scissors to cut out the discs from the PDF file. It is not necessary to have a perfect circle as it is time consuming to print and cut each page individually. If you do want a perfect circle, use registration marks on each page, print the page and then cut that page with the Silhouette software.
Here is the SVG.
To make the optical illusion platform:
Cut out the platform pieces.
Apply glue to the axle tab as shown above.
Fold the tab flat to adhere the glue and then make it into a tube.
Insert the tube into the large circle and glue down the tabs. Allow the glue to dry before proceeding.
Insert the other end of the tube into the small circle circle as shown. Apply glue to the tabs.
Adhere the tabs down with tweezers.
Apply some Glue Dots to the platform.
Adhere one of the optical illusion platform.
Insert the pointed end of a pencil into the tube.
Spin the optical illusion disc by rotating the edge of the circle.
Here are some observations about the optical illusion discs.
Spinning Spirals
Rotate in one direction and the spirals seem to expand. Rotate in the opposite direction and the spirals seem to contract. If you shift your gaze to another object, it will appear to expand if your spiral was shrinking or shrink if your spiral was expanding. This phenomenon is known as the aftereffect. Your brain and eyes can not react quickly enough to stop the action.
Spinning Spirals
Spirals spin in opposite directions. When you stop the disc, the spirals appear to pulsate.
Colors will appear in spinning bands.
In 1838, a scientist named G.T. Fechner discovered that when a circular disc with black and white lines were spun, imaginary colors appeared. He initially thought he would just see shades of gray. These effects are called Fechner lines. Scientists believe that your brain can not process the black and white images quickly enough. Your brain gets mixed up and believes that colors are present.
As the disc spins, the colors may not appear if the disc is not spinning fast enough or the light in the room is not sufficient or too bright. There are many factors which effect your eyesight and different people may see it differently because of the way their eyes focus.
Benham's Top
Colors will appear as bands. When spun clockwise, the inner band is red, the next is green, yellow and the outer band is blue. Spun counter clockwise, starting from the center, blue, yellow green and red may be seen.
Newton's Disc
Colors will fade to grayish white when the disc is spun.
Colors will fade to yellow when the disc is spun.
Stereokinetic Effect
The rings rotate around a different axis resulting in spatial depth.
Try all of the optical illusions because "seeing is not always believing."
Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for in a class I am teaching called Rainbow Lab!
ReplyDeleteExcellent
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the information. I was fascinated to observe Stereokinetic effect disc and wanted to know it's making.
ReplyDelete