Slightly off the topic of magic but still on the topic of OI - I am as some of you wonderful people here know involved in the world of Tattooing. I am now in the process of collecting some visual/optical illusions to be tattooed from the right wrist to the right shoulder. These are to act as background for other work.

I am looking for some help in collecting any visual illusions that look good on the printed page.

Any help would really be helpful.

Thanks in Advance,

Luke Jermay.

Just for a start, check out the graphic works of M.C. Escher.

There are lots of black and white effects that would do nicely for background design. Also colored ones too.

I liked the "fish to birds" myself and I incorporated this image into a Salvador Dali like painting of a sunset, years and years ago.

I found a few cool looking Escher OIs. I seem to recall a kind of staircase looking design made from black and white that looked as if it was descending and ascending at the same time. I've been looking for it ever since. Anyone know what I am talking about?

Thanks in advance,

Luke Jermay.

The picture you're describing is actually called "Ascending and Descending". You can find it here (click highlighted text for link).

On a related note, here's a fascinating version of the drawing done in Legos (click highlighted text for link).

Yeah this is kind of what I am after. I don't actually want any kind of form made from the staircase. I mean I want the OI element, but just all together rather than actually being a staircase so that it forms a kind of base pattern. Do you see what I mean?

I'm looking for a good picture of just the OI that is created by the staircase in a pattern.

Thanks all,

Luke Jermay.

A great place to explore optical illusions is on the website Amazing Art.

One of my old favorites was the one where the image depicted both a beautiful young girl and an old hag. I recently saw a redo of it that also has a man's face in the drawing, but I can't remember where I saw it.