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InkedMag

Inked Mag Staff

May 21st, 2020

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These Optical Illusion Tattoos Will Melt Your Mind

You eyes aren't playing tricks on you, these tattoos are the real deal

Optical illusions are images that trick your visual system into appearing different than reality. The key to pulling off an optical illusion is precision, which falls on mathematics. If the image is off by even a fraction of a millimeter, the illusion is destroyed. Perhaps the most well know artist who frequently created optical illusions is M.C. Escher. Escher created impossible objects by playing with concepts such as reflection, symmetry, perspective and repetition. Despite not having a background in math, Escher spent time with great mathematicians throughout Europe and studied tile patterns found in Spanish architecture.

During the 1960s, optical art (coined op art by Time Magazine) became a pop culture phenomenon. These pieces were typically in black and white, creating the illusion of movement, swelling and warping. Artists often created this effect through stripes and squares, playing on the contrasting relationship between foreground and background. English painter Bridget Riley is one of the best known artists of the movement, later introducing color to her work.

Many tattoo artists have found inspiration from optical art and have accepted the added challenge of creating illusions on one of the most difficult canvases imaginable—the human body! However, despite the obvious challenges of creating symmetry and precision on the human body, many talented tattooers have succeed at this task and the results are truly extraordinary. Take a peek at some of the most successful optical illusion tattoos from artists around the world in the gallery below, then let us know your thoughts on this story on social media.

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Did a crazy thing on my friend Ryan today… We have a lot left to finish on his dome. What do you all think of a piece like this? Tag some friends that will lets us know what they think too… #tattoo #tattooartist #geometrictattoo #blackwork #blackworkerssubmission #equilattera #headtattoo #utah #utahtattoo #zion #ziontattoocompany

A post shared by Matt Pehrson (@mattpehrsontattoos) on Apr 24, 2020 at 1:48pm PDT

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Thank You all who reacted on this movie on my story It’s so nice to read all Your kind words! And for those who didn’t see this… there You go! ✖️✖️✖️ *10-16.02* @odyssee.studios Hamburg (booking closed) *26-28.02* @dziarczyncy, Poznań (booking closed) *18-20.03* @ladnerzeczy_tattoo, Łódź (booking closed) *22-24.04* @nasza_tattoo_shop, Wrocław (booking closed) *4-8.05* @uroki_tattoo, Warsaw (booking closed) *15-17.06* @bodyfikacje, Toruń (booking closed) *17-18.07* @sztorm_tattoo_studio, Gdańsk (booking closed) *20-22.07* @xy_studio_, Gdańsk (booking closed) *23-24.07* @wilczybilet_tattoo, Olsztyn (booking closed) *17-21.08* @wludarzdotworktattoo, Marchtrenk, Austria #tattoo #blacktattooart #tattrx #dotworktattoo #inkstinctsubmission #black #thebestattooartists #tattoodo #graphic #equilattera #smalltattoo #zszywkatattooing #tattoo2me #armtattoo #polishtattoiartist #polishtattoo #tattoorandom

A post shared by ▪️Joanna Litwin▪️ (@zszywka_tattooing) on Feb 7, 2020 at 11:57am PST

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Repost my favourite work #black #blackworktattoo #blackwork #blackworkers #blacktattoo #ink #inked #inktattoo #illusion #illusiontattoo #arm #armtatto #terni #ternitattoo #damianotattoo

A post shared by ✖️Damiano Petraccia✖️ (@damiano.petraccia_tattoo) on Mar 18, 2020 at 1:02pm PDT

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#3dtattoo #prykas #kato #sleevetattoo #tatuaż #tattoo #tattoos #tatuaze #4utattoo #prykastattoo #4utattoobyprykas

A post shared by 4utattoo by Prykas (@prykastattoo) on Jul 17, 2019 at 4:38am PDT

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▪️◼️OPTICAL HOLE◼️▪️ ————————————————— …Buco illusione ottica realizzata ieri sulla mano del mitico Dacian che ha dimostrato di essere un vero guerriero!!! Non vedo l’ora di continuare il braccio!!! —————————————————#tattoo #tatts #ink #inked #inkedup #optical #opticalillusion #opticalart #dotwork #dotworktattoo #dotworkers #geometric #geometrictattoo #geometricart #geometry #illusion #geometrychaos #ornamental #ornamentaltattoo #mandala #ornamentalika #geometricart #tattooedgirl #beautiful #dailydotwork #geometrip #art #followers #followforfollowback #likeforfollow @dotwork.world @dotwork_artists @dotzilly @geometric_artists @geometrip @tattoodo @tattooselection @dailydotwork @tattooconnectz @tattoo_collector @thebestbngtattooartists @thebesttattoosofworld @thebesttattooartists @the.best.tattoo.page @Instagram @inkedmagitaly @inkedmag @inked @trafficantidarte_official @geometrychaos

A post shared by • ROBBIE DUNK • (@robbie_dunk_tattoo) on Jul 10, 2019 at 2:31am PDT

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Bottom part is in healing process. ⚫️⚫️⚫️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#geometrictattoohunter #geometrictattoo #blacktattoo #opticalillusion #3dtattoo #darktattoo #tattooinspiration #ornamenttattoo #symbolictattoo #forearmtattoo #geometrictattoos #blackworktattoo #blackink #blackworkerssubmission #blackworkers_tattoo #blackwork #blackworkersubmission #oparttattoo #opticalillusiontattoo #patterndesign #patterntattoos #patterntattoo #oparttattoo #opticalillusion #opticaltattoo

A post shared by Martynas Šnioka (@shnioka) on Feb 28, 2020 at 11:57pm PST

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#ARCHIVECASCAD This was the first huge 3d dotwork piece I made. It too me long but it worth that… #ARCHIVECASCAD Это был мой первый масштабный 3D проект. Он занял много времени, но это того стоило For appointments please contact me by: E-mail: tattoo@ilyacascad.com IG: ILYACASCAD Whatsapp: +79381626526 @ontoptattoo @immortalprime @fusion_ink @bishoprotary @inkeeze

A post shared by Tattoo Ilya Cascad (@ilyacascad) on Jan 28, 2020 at 11:13am PST

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Something old, but really cool! The inks used are @fusionink_pro , cartridges @megatattoo_supply , precare @immortalprime E-mail: tattoo@ilyacascad.com IG: ILYACASCAD Whatsapp: +79381626526 @l_o_v_e_machine @inkedmag @geometrip @tattoodo @sacredgeometrytattoo @dailydotwork @tattoosocietymagazine @tattoo__of__insta @madtattoomagazine @wowtattoo @worldtattoogallery @skinart_mag @tattoomediaink

A post shared by Tattoo Ilya Cascad (@ilyacascad) on Aug 14, 2019 at 1:27pm PDT

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Vortex lady from Leicester @realarttattoo. @fusion_ink @fusionink_pro #fusionink @egomachines #egotattoomachine #realarttattoo

A post shared by Paul Vander-Johnson (@paulvanderjohnson) on Feb 23, 2018 at 1:19am PST

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#crewproductiontatoo #lecrotalsempre

A post shared by ✖️PIERLUIGI DELIPERI✖️ (@pierluigi_deliperi) on Dec 29, 2015 at 6:06am PST

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Vortex / Magda Zapisy: warsawink@gmail.com lub Fb✉️ #warsawink #tattoo #tattoostudio #zostańwdomu #stayhome

A post shared by WarsawINK (@warsawink) on May 6, 2020 at 9:42am PDT

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By Denn @tattoodarocks on @annarogerstattoos – [ ] #darocks #darocksalmere #almeredarocks #tattoodarocks #darockstattoo#almere #almerestad #almerecentrum #zadelmakerstraat #tattoos #tattoo #tattoostudio #tatoeage #blackandgreytattoo #bngtattoo #spiraltattoo #vortextattoo #holland #thenetherlands #tattooartist

A post shared by DaRocks® (@darocksalmere) on Dec 17, 2019 at 7:27am PST

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Another banging day in the lab today. @tattoos_by_pk on fire running the first pass on this spiral vortex to start this new sleeve. Space available this week with @tattoos_by_pk @morphi_ @jat_tattoo_art and @ayshbanaysh so give us a shout and sort that ink or piercing out. studio@kindredtattoo.co.uk 0208 506 0826 #kindredtattoo #knd #kindredfamily #southwoodford #eastlondon #e18 #westessex #essex #tattoo #tattooartist #tattooartists #instatattoo #instaink #ink #art #bodyart #bodyartist #piercing #bodypiercing #artist #artists #artwork #artists_magazine #artist_sharing #artist_features #thebesttattooartists #TattooIstArtMagazine #blackwork #vortex #vortextattoo

A post shared by Kindred Tattoo (@kindredtattoo) on Feb 12, 2019 at 1:08pm PST

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little recolour on this saturday #vortextattoo #vortex #illusion #illusiontattoo #brownstattoos #legtattoo #3dtattoo #chesterfieldtattoos #haslandtattoos #tattoooftheday #fusioninks #starrtattoosupplies #stealthrotary3 #worldfamousink #worldfamousgreywash #brownstattoostudio

A post shared by Browns Tattoos (@brownstattoos) on Oct 1, 2018 at 6:45am PDT

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