Some people really love optical illusions. So much so that they are willing to have a deceptive tattoo inked permanently onto their body. I suppose tattoos are not always permanent. They could be removed at some point in the future, but it would come at considerable cost (and pain). Take a look at the following […]
What word do you see below? Do you see one word or two words? There are two distinct words, that happen to be polar opposites of one another within this figure-ground ambigram. Perhaps the word that you see first says something about your personality or current state of happiness.
The left and right side of this ambigram designed by Punya Mishra are mirror images of each other. While the design itself is very simple, it is a remarkable example of a mirror ambigram. When asked about the design, Punya Mishra offered the following: “I like the manner in which the same shape is read […]
Shown here is the face of a man gazing to the left. But there is also a secret double meaning. Can you find the liar hiding in this portrait? Many sites do not properly attribute this illusion or leave the source either blank or unknown. This figure was drawn by a New York artist by […]
When you look at the following ambigram, do you first see FACT or FICTION? Or do you see another word? Oftentimes, it seems like the two are indistinguishable. The designer of this work, Michigan State University professor Punya Mishra, ponders: “The question is… is that fact and fiction or is it making a meta statement […]
Two words with opposite meanings coexist in the same space in the following ambigram from Michigan State University professor Punya Mishra. Do you see both interpretations? This type of image is known as figure-ground ambigram. The concept of figure-ground refers to the cognitive ability to separate and process an image based on contrast (such as […]
Scott Kim is an American puzzle designer. His puzzles have appeared in numerous places online, in books, magazines and toys. He is the author of the books Inversions and NewMedia Puzzle Workout and speaks regularly at conferences. Inversions, originally published in 1981, features graphic designs from Scott that represent a word or name that can […]
