I promise this optical illusion wasn’t made in MS Paint

Snow optical illusion
(Image credit: FollowSina via Reddit)

The internet is a treasure trove of optical illusions, from the cognitive to the physiological, constantly proving that our brains can be tricked by the simplest of visuals. The latest making the rounds is this unassuming image of what looks like a scale pattern drawn in MS Paint. Well, what if I told you it's not digital art at all, but merely a photograph?

The best optical illusions are often the simplest, as it's even more mind-boggling that our brains can be fooled so easily. This innocent snap has collectively blown the minds of optical illusion fans across the globe, who cannot wrap their heads around what they're seeing. See for yourself below.

Took me a while from r/opticalillusions

Many have debated what the image appears to be, from dragon scales to cartoon roof tiles, but the reality is much simpler. What you're looking at is simply snow settled on a chain link fence. The white background is the sky, giving the image a sense of depth and contrast created by the snow's shadow. Simple enough, but brains were still boggled.

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"This one took me a minute, it really looked like a paint until I used perspective and distinguished the sky from the snow and wire," one Redditor commented. "It tricks me every time," another commented, while one user added, "First time I saw this it really broke my brain for a solid minute. But have never been able to unsee this one and experience it again."

For more mind tricks, check out this optical illusion that will give you major visual vertigo or take a look at this painter's optical illusion artwork, which is real-life magic.


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Natalie Fear
Staff Writer

Natalie Fear is Creative Bloq's staff writer. With an eye for trending topics and a passion for internet culture, she brings you the latest in art and design news. Natalie also runs Creative Bloq’s 5 Questions series, spotlighting diverse talent across the creative industries. Outside of work, she loves all things literature and music (although she’s partial to a spot of TikTok brain rot). 

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