I think the internet might be wrong about this optical illusion

Ah, optical illusions. If you've been a reader for a while, you've probably gathered that we're a fan of a good mind-boggler here at Creative Bloq. While some illusions are pretty easy to wrap your head around, others take a little more time to understand – just like today's brain-frazzler. 

An optical illusion from the 1970s has resurfaced online. At first glance, it looks like an unassuming painting of a picturesque mountain scene, but there is so much more than meets the eye. There are several faces hidden in the painting – but how many can you spot? 

If you're loving this head-spinner and would like to indulge in some more designs, then make sure you check out our roundup of the best optical illusions. Trust us, once you start looking at these you'll be scratching your head for hours.

The optical illusion by Bev Doolittle

How many faces can you spot? (Image credit: Bev Doolittle)

The artwork was designed by artist Bev Doolittle, who is also responsible for the mind-bending horse illusion that took over the internet a while back. When goggling this unearthed cowboy design, most people say that they can spot 13 different faces lurking in the scene (see the answers below), however we think they may have missed a few... 

The faces in the optical illusion circled

Can you spot the missing face? (Image credit: Bev Dootlitte/Yuichiro13 via Brainly)

While there may be 13 different faces hidden among the trees and the rivers, it looks as though viewers are missing the three most obvious faces in the design. That's right, the two horses and the gentleman also have clear faces, meaning that there are actually 16 faces in the total.

A close up of the optical illusion

The three extra faces would make the total 16 (Image credit: Bev Doolittle)

This isn't the first time we have seen an optical illusion that has had multiple answers. Back in March, Twitter users couldn't decide whether that one optical illusion was a donkey, seal or mermaid. And no one could agree on which direction that rotating horse was going either. 

If you're feeling inspired by all this optical illusion talk and fancy having a go at creating your own, then why not download Photoshop and get creating? Or if you'd rather just sink your teeth into some more illusions, then check out our roundup of the best trompe l'oeil illusions. 

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Amelia Bamsey
Staff Writer

Amelia is Creative Bloq’s Staff Writer. After completing a degree in Popular Music and a Master’s in Song Writing, Amelia began designing posters, logos, album covers and websites for musicians. She now enjoys covering a range of topics on Creative Bloq, including posters, optical illusions, logos (she's a particular fan of logo Easter eggs), gaming and illustration. In her free time, she relishes in the likes of art (especially the Pre-Raphaelites), photography and literature. Amelia prides herself on her unorthodox creative methods, her Animal Crossing island and her extensive music library.