Trick your mind with 3D Printed Optical Illusions

The weekend is a time of the week that many people look forward to as a time to relax, spend time with friends and family, and work on your passion projects. And as we know this time is incredibly valuable, we won’t bore you with a long academic blog post but rather showcase some fun prints that can provide entertainment for the whole family. Andy, graphic designer and videographer, has assembled this collection of 3D Printed optical illusions which have been a huge hit in our office.


Penrose triangle optical illusion

Paradox Illusion Triangle

Thing: 547580 by Tomonori 

This is a model of a Penrose Triangle, often called the impossible triangle, which is an optical illusion that can be depicted in perspective drawing but cannot exist as a solid object. It is called impossible because for it to exist it would have to violate the rules of Euclidean Geometry, which is a mathematical system that can’t be summed up in a few words. This is a fun and simple print that requires viewing from the correct position to get the full effect.


See it in action here.


Reutersvad triangle illusion

Penrose Triangle

Thing: 6513 by chylld

While this is called a Penrose Triangle it is actually a Reutersvärd Triangle Illusion. It was created by Swedish graphic artist Oscar Reutersvärd, often called the “father of the impossible figure”, in 1934. He pioneered the art of 3D drawings that may initially appear feasible, yet cannot be physically constructed. This is a simple print that has been refined to allow you to get the best result as easily as possible.


See it in action here.


Kokichi Sugihara's circle and square illusion

Sugihara’s Circle/Square Illusion

Thing: 1970522 by landisbs

This print is a fun illusion and is one of the creations of Japanese mathematician and artist Kokichi Sugihara. Sugihara is known for his 3D illusions that make marbles roll uphill and that make circular pipes look rectangular. This model is based on the latter and when viewed correctly the square looks like a circle. This is a simple print but requires you to set it up correctly in order to get the correct effect. This print is one of our favorites in this collection.

See it in action here.


Anamorphic Optical Illusion

Thing: 1889022 by 3DSage

An anamorphic illusion is an effect created when you must view an object from a specific vantage point to properly see the image that otherwise appears distorted. 3DSage designed the model to be as chaotic as possible so that the result is more rewarding and impressive. What makes this print stand out from the others in this collection is the way it changes from chaos to order depending on the viewing position. For the best result try viewing this print through a camera lens.

See it in action here.


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