Techniques Of Illusion

This book explores stage conjuring during its “golden age,” from about 1860 to 1910. This study provides close readings highlighting four paradigmatic illusions of the time that stand in for different kinds of illusions typical of stage magic in the “golden age” and analyses them within their cultural and media-historical context: “Pepper’s Ghost,” the archetypical mirror illusion; “The Vanishing Lady,” staging a teleportation in a time of a dizzying acceleration of transport; “the levitation,” simulating weightlessness with the help of an extended steel machinery; and “The Second Sight,” a mind-reading illusion using up-to-date communication technologies. These close readings are completed by writings focusing on visual media and expanding the scope backwards and forwards in time, roughly to 1800 and to 2000. This exploration will be of great interest to students and scholars in theatre and performance studies.

From impossible shapes to three-dimensional sketches and trick art, you won't believe your eyes as you learn to draw optical illusions in graphite and colored pencil. Perfect for beginning artists, The Art of Drawing Optical Illusions begins with a basic introduction to optical illusions and how they work. Jonathan Stephen Harris then guides you step-by-step in creating mind-blowing pencil drawings, starting with basic optical illusions and progressing to more difficult two- and three-dimensional trick art. Perspective and dimension are difficult to capture for both beginning and established artists, but now you can hone those skills in the most unique way possible, while also exercising your mind with these brain-boosting, unbelievable tricks!

Learn how to create the illusion of three-dimensional space in your drawings It is as mundane as it is astounding: placed in the right way, a couple of lines on paper create three-dimensional space. To be more exact, the illusion of space. The interest in three-dimensional drawing may initially arise from the intention to depict visible reality. However, the creation of depth is a fascinating challenge in every artistic composition. Drawing Perspective Methods for Artists is suitable for beginners and professionals alike. Authors Peter Boerboom and Tim Proetel have arranged, commented on, and with a guiding hand intuitively and tangibly presented 85 fundamental methods of three-dimensional illustration, offering a refreshing, simple approach to the graphic depiction of three-dimensionality.

Bridging the fields of conservation, art history, and museum curating, this volume contains the principal papers from an international symposium titled "Historical Painting Techniques, Materials, and Studio Practice" at the University of Leiden in Amsterdam, Netherlands, from June 26 to 29, 1995. The symposium—designed for art historians, conservators, conservation scientists, and museum curators worldwide—was organized by the Department of Art History at the University of Leiden and the Art History Department of the Central Research Laboratory for Objects of Art and Science in Amsterdam. Twenty-five contributors representing museums and conservation institutions throughout the world provide recent research on historical painting techniques, including wall painting and polychrome sculpture. Topics cover the latest art historical research and scientific analyses of original techniques and materials, as well as historical sources, such as medieval treatises and descriptions of painting techniques in historical literature. Chapters include the painting methods of Rembrandt and Vermeer, Dutch 17th-century landscape painting, wall paintings in English churches, Chinese paintings on paper and canvas, and Tibetan thangkas. Color plates and black-and-white photographs illustrate works from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

Gianni Sarcone offers an approachable how-to for graphic designers, teachers, and artists who want to explore illusions that are distorted in size or create the perception of movement. Amateur illusionists are invited to draw curves that diverge and converge, diamonds that vibrate and flicker, hypnotic spirals, ghosts, and ambiguous figures, and many other visual tricks.

Looking for illusions that will blow your mind and get you thinking outside the pronounced box? Then keep reading!.. How to Draw Step by Step Optical Illusions is packed with fun mind bending optical illusions. In this step by step drawing book, you will learn how to use techniques such as shading, depth perception and 3D art that will give life to your optical illusions and play with your senses. Optical illusions are unique and possible because of the way our senses send information to our brain to perceive visual data. Our brain, to make sense of an image, fills in the gaps and perceives an image in a way that gives rise to the illusion. Giving us the ability to play with illusion drawing concepts to trick our brain and bring magic into our art. How to draw optical illusions includes: 40 original mind engaging optical illusions Description of the illusion in play Easy to follow step by step instructions Use of techniques such as shading Progression from easy to more challenging optical illusions And mind teasing fun for all levels If you've ever wanted to see visual magic come to life scroll up and click buy now!

Discover how artists have been tricking the human eye for centuries in this gorgeous and wide-ranging exploration of the art of illusion. This spellbinding look at the history and development of illusionistic art reveals wide-ranging techniques that have piqued the public's fascination with this medium. Beautifully reproduced, the images featured in the book includes centuries-old work such as the scenery at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy, and the ceiling frescos at the Würzburg Residence in Germany, that showcase processes such as trompe l'oeil and anamorphosis. It also features work from the 20th and 21st centuries, including René Magritte's classic Surrealist works; M.C. Escher's magical and mathematically precise drawings; the seemingly undulating paintings of Bridget Riley; the manipulated photography of Andreas Gursky; Duane Hanson's eerily lifelike sculptures; JR's larger-than-life portrait photographs; and Georges Rousse's mind-bending constructions. The book also has examples of amazing street art including subway graffiti and a sidewalk painting that makes pedestrians think twice. This extraordinary and informative guide to all kinds of artistic trickery will satisfy scholars as well as everyday fans.

Get ready to learn one of the most powerful illusion techniques in existence. This is a crash course in all things Black Art. You will learn everything from methods to lighting and the science behind it in great detail. This is 110 pages of amazing. Once you have learned the techniques and strategies, you get 10 illusion creations to put it all to work. What's more, the book includes the Audience Member Vanish, a closely guarded illusion with any audience member (no stooges!). Chris Stolz is one of the top magic consultants working today. He has used the knowledge and techniques in this book to astound audiences all over the world and now, you can too. HIDING IN THE SHADOWS is your Black Art playbook. It's excellent! Finally a book that addresses the subject of black art in illusion design in a practical, no nonsense way. This book belongs on every magician's bookshelf! "Chris Stolz has written an important treatise on the subject of black art illusions and methodology that should be studied by magicians & illusionists of all levels." JC SUM IllusionBooks.com Review What's Inside Methods & Concepts: In this section, I take you through a series of effective Black Art methods, from masking, to shadows on a prop, to tunnels and more. I also take you through dealing with common challenges like blue curtains and wood finish floors! Lighting Theory: Here, I take you through some of the basics of stage lighting along with many of the lighting concepts we use to hide black on stage. I cover everything from pupil constriction to volumetric beams of light used to hide your B.A. Interview With A Lighting Designer: We get some valuable insights from a Lighting Design who has done everything from corporate to Broadway. Lighting Setups: This section contains a series of simple lighting setups you can use to light any of the methods and illusions covered in the book. These are effective setups that I still use today and will give you a great base on which to build your lighting design. Illusions: There are 9 illusions in the bookids. Most of the illusions are workers that you can take from venue to venue along with a couple big crazy concepts for those looking to add a little more adventure to your lives! Which ones you build and perform is of course up to you, but I promise you that each illusion will educate you and inspire new ideas!

Rings of seahorses seem to rotate and butterflies seems to transform into warriors right on the page. Astonishing creations of visual trickery by masters of the art, such as Escher, Dali, and Archimbolo make this breathtaking collection the definitive book of optical illusions. Includes an illuminating Foreword by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hofstadter.