Optical Illusion 2 -- Street Art

Artwork by Julian Beever

The photo above is not an image of an actual large Coke bottle. In fact, it is a completely flat drawing on the sidewalk. The bright reflection of light on the top, and the reflection and shadows on the ground? Fake. Part of the drawing. What's going on here?

There is a relatively new branch of art called 3D Street Art that has been reaching new heights of sophistication. You probably have passed street artists -- using chalk to create beautiful "paintings" on pedestrian walkways, and hoping to be rewarded with a donation. However, the next level in this field goes beyond that. As with the flat paintings, these creations are generally made entirely from chalk, usually created outside on walkways or roads, and will simply wash away with the next rainfall. However, to achieve the spectacular 3D effect, they require two additional factors for success.

One factor is perspective. They can be successfully viewed from only one specific angle. When observed from any other viewpoint, the work will look very distorted and crude. In the example below, the first photo shows the artist "standing" on top of a 3D globe.

This next photo shows that same drawing from the "wrong" angle.

Here is a huge chasm that has destroyed a street.

Here is that same creation at the beginning, before the disaster has occurred.

Here is another before-and-after:

There is a second factor that these works need to be successful: a camera. These photos are impressive precisely because we are viewing them through the restricting lens of a camera. If we were to view the drawings live in-person, even from the correct angle, our two eyes would send the images to our brain with too much information -- we would calculate the depth; we would see the work in perspective of things around it; and we would not be impressed at all. However, if we were to view the exact same scene through a camera lens set up at the site, our brains would be fooled by the lack of perspective (because we are forced to use just one eye) or the overall environment (no distracting peripheral objects). Our brains would see the scene as a 3D image.

This entire branch of art is has been perfected for viewing via photographs in hand or through images uploaded and accessible on the Internet. Displaying this art on a canvas or on the floor of a museum just won't work, unless a lens on a tripod is provided for the experience. Here is a short film showing the evolution of a walkway into an icy chasm.

"The Crevasse" by Edgar Mueller