DA VINCI: OPTICAL ILLUSIONS REVEAL HIDDEN IMAGES
PROFILE OF OLD MAN: LEONARDO DA VINCI
Imagine that you discovered a secret museum full of never seen before master pieces! Wouldn't you be eager to share such a discovery with the world? Well, I feel as though I have made such a discovery. Only all of these hidden master pieces have been sitting right in front of us for centuries!
If you're new to my site, TIME, DISTANCE, ANGLES and PATIENCE are a MUST! Throughout my site I speak of the "Hologram Effect" as well as a variety of "Illusions" skillfully created and mastered by Leonardo da Vinci. As with any basic hologram it is impossible to see all the images at one time and as you will begin to see Leonardo has layered images upon images which intertwine and merge forming one hidden image after another. It can take some time to begin seeing them clearly on your own so, I've utilize lighting, contrasting, color, etc. to try and capture some of these amazing hidden images for you. But let me state very clearly that NO SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY IS NEEDED TO SEE THESE HIDDEN IMAGES! They can be seen clearly with the naked eye if you're simply willing to look for them in a slightly different way.
I highly recommend viewing art work from different angles and distances and I cannot stress the value of a mirror placed at a right angle to the left or right of your computer screen to help you view from slightly different angles. Anyone who's ever read much about da Vinci, knows he had a thing about mirrors! The larger the image, the further you should try viewing from, in order to see the larger hidden images and illusions begin to emerge. The different techniques used by da Vinci can vary from drawing to drawing and from his paintings as well. And, as you're about to see, da Vinci sometimes combines many different "illusions" within one single work of art.
Leonardo da Vinci: THE ART OF ILLUSION
In this "Study Of A Profile Of An Old Man" if you sit back from your computer screen and really focus on different areas of this sketch you'll begin to notice many hidden images lurking in this drawing! For instance, there on the neck area...
...as outlined here, doesn't that look like a face with realy large lips?
Another face.
Keep looking!
Profile of another old man.
Gorilla with mounth stretched wide opened.
Stare where the two dots are, see the face with it's mouth wide opened.
For a truly awesome illusion: Sit back and tilt your head just slightly to the left staring at the corner of the old man's mouth. Suddenly the old man's chin appears as the large round nose of an entirely new face!
New face outlined.
Also, try placing a mirror at a right angle to your computer screen and then stare into the mirror at this sketch right between the eye and ear and be sure to allow a little more distance for the larger image of this sketch. Then just keep staring. You will not believe the incredible illusion you will see take place right before your own eyes! Hopefully you'll see another face with it's mouth opened as shown below**.
And keep looking, slowly shifting your focus to new areas, trying different angles and then place the mirror on the left side and start all over!
Left profile outlined.
*Utilizing bump map imaging, which is basically moving the lighting around to emphasize different areas of the sketch lending an embossed or 3 dimensional effect, may help you to see even more illusions of hidden images.
**Using a white out effect another face appears.
*Face with it's mouth opened outlined.
*Face of a man with a long white beard and mustache outlined.
*Head of an animal with it's mouth opened outlined. There are so many illusions of hidden faces within this sketch. I hope you're beginning to see them too!
Close up of the face on the old man's neck. See it now? The closer or further away you get amazingly all new images begin to take shape right before your eyes. If you'll just give it time!
Focus on the white area just behind his mouth.
Closer view. Notice the eye just in front of the ear.
Using a whiteout effect to separate the images, it looks like the profile of an ape with his mouth streched wide open.
And here the lower half begins to look like a baboon. I realize some may call "foul" at my using a white or blackout effect, but it's only to help separate all the images. After you know what to look for you won't need any assistance.
Upside down with color enhanced. Right click for larger views. Do you see the SNAKES on his neck? One right under his chin.
Rotated, closer view of snakes. I find most people will keep getting closer and closer to their computer screens, but you can usually see more if you view from a bit of a distance and give this amazing illusion just a moment of your time.
Lighter view of snakes.
With lighting darkened more snakes are revealed.
Try tilting your head to one side then the other and just keep staring.
Notice the eye outlined, try focusing on it in the next cropped section.
Sit back stare intently. Do you see a face looking to the left with it's mouth opened? If you give yourself enough distance the entire eye area begins to look like an opened mouth... Keep staring the images keep changing!
Hopefully some of these lighting adjustments will help you begin to see some of the many hidden images within this sketch.
A few close ups.
As with most of DA VINCI'S art, I see something new every time I look at it.
Most cropped sections are available in larger images if you click on them and have great illusions viewed from a distance and different angles.
The color change may help some see images better, though nothing beats time and patience. If you right click for a larger view, besure to view from a bit of a distance. Once you see an image suddenly emerge and come into clear focus you'll begin to understand the illusion created by Leonardo and it will begin to get easier for you to start SEEING MORE AND MORE!
This one requires a bit of time, but from this angle I see the heads of many different animals. Do you? Right click for larger views.
With so many images overlapping each other it makes it difficult to separate and outline all of them for you and besides I don't want to spoil all the fun of discovery. It may take some practice, but depending on your time and patience level, there are still many more images for you to find hidden within this sketch. Try coming back later and you'll see new images you hadn't noticed before!
Here are a few more rotated angles for you to try:
Are you seeing them?
See the bunny rabbit?
Image of a rabbit outlined.
Right click on the link below for a much larger view of this drawing. Try looking for all the images I've pointed out here. As well as looking into the depth of the drawing. You'll begin to see so many different recognizable images such as; eyes, numbers, letters and all the snakes! And don't forget to try using a mirror set at a right angle to your computer screen to begin to see all the incredible illusions, of all the images, surrounding all those eyes! Due to the large size of the sketch, found on the link below, BE SURE TO VIEW FROM A GOOD DISTANCE AWAY.
Link to larger image "Profile of an Old Man"
http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/1046211367033933544kfUcVf?vhost=entertainment
I hope you're able to see some of these incredibly amazing illusions, for I'd love to be able to say to everyone,
WELCOME TO THE AMAZING HIDDEN WORLD OF LEONARDO DA VINCI!
Originally published August 19, 2007
For more discoveries go to main page: http://www.n2davinciandbeyond.com/
N 2 DA VINCI AND BEYOND...
Excellent. Excellent post. The details of your study are astonishing. I think I will look more carefully at every work of da Vinci in a new way from now on.
Posted by: Ritwik Banerjee | October 22, 2007 at 03:51 AM
Whoa! Really cool illusion! I always have loved secret and hidden things...this is amazing!
Posted by: Tasha | February 25, 2008 at 05:51 AM
before i found this website i was viewing all da vinci drawings on you tube pausing each in turn and i began to notice 2 pillars with what seems like a portal behind them always with a figure in the portal.pyramids also seem to appear.these portals only came into view when i relaxed my eyes and most are small perspective pictures traveling from foreground to backround in a small part of the overall picture.when i say portal i mean archways with light in them.
Posted by: charlie clark | January 14, 2009 at 11:51 AM