This 2005 optical illusion album art is still blowing minds
Can you see it?
Obviously, the internet is packed full of stellar optical illusions, but spotting them out in the wild is even better. And a brilliant example of a clever illusion has resurfaced on Reddit, in the form of a piece of album art found on a vinyl record released back in 2005.
Fascinatingly, viewing the illusion digitally is a totally different experience from how the art was intended to be viewed. Taking the form of a checked black and white square, the title of the artist and album can only be seen when viewing it from far away. When handling the physical record, this can only mean walking away from it, but the digital version means zooming out on your keyboard (or walking away from the screen), or viewing it as a thumbnail. Check it out below, and see our optical illusions roundup for more incredible examples.
Spotted the writing? For those who can't see it yet, the top-right corner contains the words Soulwax (the artist), with NY Excuse appearing below it (the name of the album).
Fans on Reddit questioned how the effect was achieved, with Kraenerlus suggesting that "the white squares inside the text zones are smaller than the outside ones so the black lines are thicker". This was backed up by KingKopaTroopa, who confirmed that they have "achieved this by doing 2 different halftone sizes, then simply mask one over the other (using type as the mask)".
Perhaps more exciting than finding new optical illusions to marvel at, is the opportunity to create one yourself. Enthusiastic photographers were recently stunned by a brand-new way to photograph the Eiffel Tower that created a mind-bending optical illusion.
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Georgia has worked on Creative Bloq since 2018, and has been the site's Editor since 2022. With a specialism in branding and design, Georgia is also Programme Director of CB's award scheme – the Brand Impact Awards. As well as immersing herself with the industry through attending events like Adobe Max and the D&AD Awards and steering the site's content streams, Georgia has an eye on new commercial opportunities and ensuring they reflect the needs and interests of creatives.