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!

You don't have to be a magician (David Copperfield, David Blaine, David ... you get the idea) to fool the eye into seeing something that isn't there. In fact, all you need to pull off a mind-bending, look-twice trick is a piece of paper, some colored pencils or markers and the fun op-art technique I'm about to teach you.

"Neural networks do not understand what optical illusions are." - Technologyreview.com "Some pictures tell a thousand lies." - hplyrikz.com An optical illusion confuses the eye by pretending to be something it isn't. It both misleads and deceives the brain, which is trying to make sense of the information the eye is sending. This book presents a selection of brain-bending optical illusions featuring graphic art and photography by 60 artists, and includes an overview of the history of optical illusions in art. AUTHOR: Agata Toromanoff is an art and design historian. She has worked for collectors and galleries and has curated and managed various projects in the field of contemporary art and design. She has published several successful international titles, including Sofas and Chairs by Architects with Thames and Hudson. SELLING POINTS: * A clear and accessible overview of visual illusions, spanning artwork from graphics to photography * A selection of optical illusions that will fool your brain time after time 150 colour, 40 b/w images

Transform simple pencil sketches into jaw-dropping, photorealistic masterpieces with The Art of 3D Drawing. World-famous 3D artist Stefan Pabst shows you how to take your drawing and painting skills to the next level with techniques for creating lifelike three-dimensional art. Begin with an overview of tools and materials, color theory and color mixing, and drawing and painting techniques. Then follow along with 12 stunning, step-by-step demonstrations that teach fundamental principles of 3D art, such as perspective, shading, rendering textures, and building dimension. Also find tips on adding color with oil paints to add even greater dimension and realism to your artwork and complete your three-dimensional masterpieces. An inspiration gallery at the back offers even more ideas for creating 3D art. Whatever your skill level, you will learn something new as you draw and paint a range of subjects in realistic detail. The projects are: A cube that appears to pop up from the paper A floating sphere A hole that seems to dip below the surface of the paper A group of LEGO® blocks An airplane “flying” over the paper Planet Earth A glass of water A ladybug that looks like it might crawl off the page A shiny classic car The Mayan ruin of Chichen Itza The Leaning Tower of Pisa A child “jumping” off the page With The Art of 3D Drawing, friends and family won’t believe their eyes as they admire your amazing photorealistic artwork.

The Art of Spiral Drawing offers a fresh, modern take on everyone’s favorite childhood toy from the 1960s through today, the Spirograph®. With The Art of Spiral Drawing, no complicated tools are needed, as artists of all skill levels learn to create their own spiral art using little more than paper and a pen or pencil. Written and illustrated by Jonathan Stephen Harris, the author of the popular The Art of Drawing Optical Illusions, the book opens with helpful sections on tools and materials, perspective, and shading, ensuring that beginning artists know the basics before getting started on the step-by-step projects that follow. Instructions for creating basic shapes, including a triangle, a circle, and a square, progress into more detailed patterns featuring perspective, florals, and more. Instructions are also included for creating a variety of subjects, from flowers to animals, all featuring a spiral pattern as their framework. Artists can even add color to their spiral artwork using the tips featured in the book and simple tools like colored pencils and markers. Beginning and intermediate artists, doodlers, optical illusionists, and more will love creating their own spiral and geometric art with the help of The Art of Spiral Drawing!

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.

In this compact and colorful book, Robert Ausbourne (b. 1947) presents a crystal-clear dissection of a variety of confounding optical illusions. His text and vivid illustrations explain how illusions work and how you can make your own, using just basic drawing and computer skills. As Ausbourne says, "If you are human, you already have the basic skills necessary to study illusions." The thirty-seven projects presented in How to Understand, Enjoy, and Draw Optical Illusions will fascinate young and old, everyone who enjoys untangling how the mind works and the eye sees. Art and science teachers, graphic designers, and artists alike will find it indispensable.